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Nearly three-quarters of gamers in Saudi Arabia, 73%, prefer using smartphones as their platform for gaming as it offers convenience and portability. This finding is from YouGov’s latest study, which says mobile gaming holds a significant advantage over other devices.

The usage of game consoles ranked second at 34%, desktops and laptops followed at 33%, and tablets scored at 25%. “Although mobile devices have opened the gates to casual gaming in a big way, the likes of Xbox and PlayStation continue to appeal to gaming enthusiasts, with a third of weekly gamers using dedicated gaming consoles to play video games,” notes the report.

Moreover, 22% of Saudi residents shared that they spend between three and six hours playing games daily, while a fifth share that they spend two hours gaming. 

Furthermore, the study says this has positioned gaming as the sixth largest online activity and watching non-live TV. Social media interaction is at the top for online activity. The report reveals that gaming in Saudi Arabia also exceeds other online activities, including watching live-streamed video content online, listening to radio, podcasts, reading a newspaper or book, or streaming music.

Saudi Arabia has launched a program to develop 30 games and create 40,000 jobs by 2030, in line with the National Gaming and Esports Strategy. Riyadh has also followed in these footsteps, forming the Saudi Esports Federation and hosting one of the world’s largest gaming festivals called Gamers8. Two-thirds of respondents to the survey agreed that “Gamers8 will strengthen the kingdom’s standing as the future global hub for the gaming industry.”