Amazon University Esports (AUE), a premiere esports competition platform for university students, announced a partnership with Shahid, the MBC group-promoted video-on-demand (VOD) service in the Arab world.
The collaboration is to combine two of the most popular entertainment areas – esports and broadcast TV – to offer an improved experience for young users of both services.
Mario Perez, CEO of MENATech, the AUE project host in the region, said the partnership will empower the two ecosystems with great potential.
“Esports and streaming platforms are growing significantly in the MENA region, thanks to an increasingly young population and an increasingly virtual world,”, he added.
Natasha Matos-Hemingway, Chief Commercial and Marketing Officer at Shahid, said the tie-up will undoubtedly enhance the gaming experience for players across Saudi Arabia.
She said through collaborations of this kind, the two companies are confident that they can help contribute to the ambitious National Gaming and Esports Strategy, which aims to make Saudi Arabia a global centre for gaming and esports by 2030.
“This collaboration is a positive step forward for both Shahid and Amazon University Esports. We cannot wait to see what the future holds for esports in the GCC and MENA region,” Matos-Hemingway said.
AUE said since its launch in Saudi Arabia, it has had a huge growth in the number of players and teams, participating universities, and organising competitions and events, making it one of the leading players in the esports field in the region.
Part of MBC GROUP, Shahid is a global entertainment platform aimed at Arabs across the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region and beyond – offering the largest Arabic library of content, including original movies and series, films, documentaries, live TV channels, sports content, and a whole range of edutainment content for kids.
The gaming industry has been on a faster growth track in Saudi Arabia, thanks to the numerous e-sports events hosted in the country.
With a population of almost 40 million in KSA, and more than half are under 25, gaming revenues have also been on the rise.
Along with Saudi Arabia and the UAE, the MENA region’s esports revenue is expected to exceed $5 billion by 2025.
Follow us on
