Gaming is the gateway to boosting digital skills in the age of artificial intelligence (AI).

The video games industry has evolved from an entertainment medium into a major creative, technological, and economic sector, combining software development, visual design, music, storytelling and increasingly advanced technologies such as AI, virtual and augmented reality. Its applications now extend beyond entertainment into education, training, simulation, esports and marketing, creating a broader ecosystem of intellectual property, digital skills, and innovation.

The global market illustrates the scale of this transformation. According to Newzoo data cited in a Saudi Authority for Intellectual Property (SAIP) report, the global games market generated approximately USD 187.7 billion in 2024, rising to USD 188.8 billion in 2025, and is projected to exceed USD 206 billion by 2028. The global player base is also expected to expand from roughly 3.1 billion players in 2022 to more than 4.1 billion by 2028, highlighting the extraordinary reach of gaming as a digital platform.

23.5M ACTIVE GAMERS AND COUNTING

Saudi Arabia is emerging as a significant market within this global industry. The report estimates that the Saudi gaming market was worth approximately USD 2.19 billion in 2024, with forecasts pointing to USD 4.73 billion by 2033. This represents more than a doubling in market value and implies annualised growth of roughly 9% over the period. Saudi Arabia’s growth is supported by a large and digitally connected young population, high internet penetration and growing engagement with games and esports.

The scale of domestic participation is particularly significant. The SAIP report estimated 23.5 million active gamers in the kingdom in 2024, equivalent to roughly 67% of the country’s internet-connected population. Gaming therefore represents more than a consumer market: it is a mass digital environment through which young Saudis increasingly interact with technology, content, and online communities.

This creates an opportunity to use gaming as a vehicle for developing digital capabilities among Saudi youth. Games require, and can reinforce, skills including problem-solving, strategic thinking, collaboration, digital literacy, and familiarity with emerging technologies. The industry itself also creates demand for programmers, game designers, animators, engineers, writers, artists, cybersecurity specialists, data professionals, and other technology-oriented talent.

The SAIP report also places the Saudi opportunity within a wider global market structure. Asia and the Pacific represent 46% of the global games market, followed by North America at 28% and Europe at 18%, while Latin America and the Middle East and Africa each account for approximately 4%.

For Saudi Arabia, the strategic opportunity is to build a competitive domestic gaming industry while using gaming to accelerate the development of a digitally skilled workforce. That would require strengthening awareness, education, local intellectual property protection and the broader ecosystem, which can help attract international companies, support local developers, and create a more competitive environment for Saudi game development.

MERGING DIGITAL LEARNING WITH SPORTS

The kingdom is also delving in gaming-enabled digital-skills initiative.

In August, the Public Investment Fund (PIF), in partnership with Formula E, launched an enhanced version of the Driving Force Presented by PIF educational platform, expanding online learning and interactive content to give more young people worldwide opportunities to explore the future of electric motorsport through science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM).

Since its launch in April 2025, the programme has reached 111,200 students at 1,100 schools in Saudi Arabia, the United States, and the United Kingdom, including more than 4,500 students in Saudi Arabia. It combines live workshops in Riyadh, Jeddah and other cities worldwide with teaching content and lesson plans for educators, as well as interactive learning materials through the online platform.

PIF and Formula E aim to further expand the platform through additional workshops across the kingdom and enhanced digital learning opportunities at home and in classrooms. The goal is to give young people broader opportunities to engage with electric motorsport and sustainable mobility while building the digital and technical skills relevant to future industries.

The enhanced platform oers tailored digital experiences for young people, parents and educators. For young users, interactive challenges, quizzes, games and rewards are designed to make STEM learning more engaging while helping develop digital skills through gaming and hands-on problem-solving. Parents can access content to support their children’s interests and explore future career paths in mobility, while educators can access ready-to-use lesson plans and classroom activities.

The platform’s new content centres on Formula E’s recently unveiled GEN4 car, allowing users to engage more closely with Formula E racing while learning about the latest technologies, sustainability standards, and their development. Content will be regularly updated to deepen the interactive and collaborative experience for young people, parents, and educators worldwide.