A proven, scalable pathway to the world
At a moment when the global games industry is redrawing its map, Xsolla and Dubai's Games Commission have formalized a multi-year alliance that asks a quiet but consequential question: what happens when a region's creative ambition finally meets the infrastructure to carry it outward? Announced at GamesBeat Summit 2026 in Los Angeles, the partnership pairs Xsolla's vast commercial machinery — spanning 200 countries and over a thousand payment methods — with Dubai's government-backed vision to become a world-class hub for game development. The Middle East and North Africa have long harbored a growing appetite for games; what has been missing is the scaffolding to let that energy reach the world.
- MENA's gaming market is expanding rapidly, yet regional developers have been commercially stranded — unable to scale beyond local audiences without the infrastructure that global studios take for granted.
- The gap between Dubai's creative ambitions and its international distribution reach has created a structural tension that government investment alone could not resolve.
- Xsolla and Dubai are launching a joint studio accelerator to shepherd developers from early concept through commercial release, while co-producing market intelligence reports to sharpen both parties' strategic vision.
- Reciprocal pathways are being built in both directions — Dubai studios gain entry to Xsolla's global network, while international developers gain a structured on-ramp into the MENA market.
- The partnership is landing as an opening move in a longer strategy, with both organizations signaling further joint programming and regional activations in the months ahead.
Xsolla, the Los Angeles-based video game commerce company, and Dubai's Games Commissioner have formalized a multi-year partnership designed to turn the emirate into a genuine global center for game development. The announcement came at GamesBeat Summit 2026, where both organizations outlined how they intend to combine Xsolla's payment infrastructure — active across 200 countries and more than 1,000 local payment methods — with Dubai's growing ambitions in the creative and technology sectors.
The partnership rests on a clear diagnosis: the Middle East and North Africa are experiencing explosive gaming growth, but regional developers have lacked the commercial machinery to scale internationally. Xsolla already processes transactions for more than 60 percent of the world's top 100 highest-grossing games. Dubai, meanwhile, has invested heavily in creative industries but lacked a proven distribution network capable of converting local success into global reach. The deal is designed to close that gap from both ends.
Together, the two organizations will launch a joint studio accelerator in Dubai, co-produce market intelligence reports on regional gaming trends, and build reciprocal pathways for developers — giving Dubai studios access to Xsolla's global network while offering international developers a structured entry point into MENA.
Xsolla's senior vice president of global strategic initiatives described the deal as a recognition that the games industry flows toward regions willing to build the right infrastructure. Dubai's Games Commissioner framed it as the first time his market would have access to a proven, scalable pathway to the world. Both organizations have indicated that additional joint programming and regional activations will be announced in the coming months, signaling that this agreement is the opening move in a longer-term effort to reshape how games travel from the Middle East to global audiences.
Xsolla, the Los Angeles-based video game commerce company, and Dubai's Games Commissioner have formalized a multi-year partnership designed to position the emirate as a global center for game development while giving regional studios a direct pathway to international markets. The announcement came at GamesBeat Summit 2026 in Los Angeles, where the two organizations outlined plans to merge Xsolla's payment infrastructure—which reaches across 200 countries and processes transactions through more than 1,000 local payment methods—with Dubai's growing ambitions to become a world-class gaming hub.
The partnership rests on a simple premise: the Middle East and North Africa are experiencing explosive growth in gaming, but developers in the region have lacked the commercial machinery to scale beyond their home markets. Xsolla brings that machinery. The company already handles payments and player engagement for more than 60 percent of the world's top 100 highest-grossing games. What it didn't have was a structured foothold in MENA. Dubai, meanwhile, has invested heavily in creative industries and positioned itself as a regional technology and entertainment center, but lacked the kind of proven, scalable distribution network that could turn local success into global reach.
The two organizations will launch a joint studio accelerator program in Dubai—a formal incubator designed to nurture game developers from concept through commercial launch. They will also co-produce market intelligence reports on the games industry, giving both parties data-driven insight into regional trends and opportunities. Beyond that, they've committed to creating reciprocal pathways for developers and industry leaders, meaning studios in Dubai will gain access to Xsolla's global network and events, while international developers interested in the MENA market will have a clear entry point through the Dubai partnership.
Rytis Joseph Jan, Xsolla's senior vice president of global strategic initiatives, framed the deal as a recognition that the games industry increasingly flows toward regions willing to build the right infrastructure. "Dubai has made these investments for the future of the industry," he said. "This partnership is about converting that ambition into real, lasting opportunity." Faisal Kazim, the Games Commissioner at Dubai Films and Games Commission, echoed that sentiment, describing the partnership as a direct expression of his organization's mission. For the first time, he suggested, Dubai's gaming market would have access to a proven, scalable pathway to the world.
The timing reflects genuine market momentum. The UAE's gaming sector is expanding rapidly, driven by strong consumer engagement, government support for creative industries, and Dubai's broader vision as a regional hub. Berkley Egenes, Xsolla's chief marketing and growth officer, noted that MENA is one of the fastest-growing video game markets globally, and that the partnership aims to help developers of all sizes—from solo creators to established studios—turn regional success into international reach.
The announcement builds on a relationship that was already developing between the two organizations. Kazim and Egenes appeared together on a panel at GamesBeat Summit examining key trends reshaping the global games industry, a conversation that reflected the peer-level engagement now driving the formal partnership. Both organizations have signaled that additional details on joint programming and regional activations will be announced in the coming months, suggesting this is the opening move in a longer-term strategy to reshape how games flow from the Middle East to the world.
Notable Quotes
Dubai has made these investments for the future of the industry. This partnership is about converting that ambition into real, lasting opportunity for developers based here.— Rytis Joseph Jan, SVP of Global Strategic Initiatives & Partnerships, Xsolla
Xsolla's global reach and commercial infrastructure give our market something it has not had before: a proven, scalable pathway to the world.— Faisal Kazim, Games Commissioner, Dubai Films and Games Commission
The Hearth Conversation Another angle on the story
Why does Dubai need Xsolla? Doesn't the emirate already have money and infrastructure?
Money and infrastructure are necessary but not sufficient. Dubai has invested in the creative industries, but game developers need something specific: a way to sell their games globally, process payments in a hundred different currencies, and reach players they've never met. Xsolla does that at scale. Without it, a talented studio in Dubai is still essentially local.
So this is really about distribution and payments, not about making games better?
Exactly. Xsolla doesn't teach you how to code or design. It removes the friction between finishing a game and getting paid for it. That's the bottleneck for most developers outside the major Western markets.
Why would Xsolla care about MENA specifically? They already work with 60 percent of the top 100 games globally.
Because MENA is one of the fastest-growing gaming markets in the world right now, and it's underserved. Xsolla sees an opportunity to establish itself as the infrastructure provider for an entire region before someone else does. It's a long-term play.
What does the accelerator program actually do?
It's a formal incubator. Studios get mentorship, access to Xsolla's payment systems, connections to publishers and investors, and a pathway to international distribution. It's designed to take a promising game from concept to commercial launch.
Is this good for independent developers, or just for established studios?
The partnership explicitly mentions developers of all sizes. An indie team in Dubai would theoretically have the same access to global payment infrastructure as a AAA studio. Whether they actually get accelerator spots or mentorship is a different question—that depends on how the program is run.
What happens next?
Both organizations said they'll announce more details on joint programming and regional activations in the coming months. This is the announcement. The real work—building the accelerator, recruiting studios, establishing the market intelligence reports—that's what comes next.