Mohamed Yaseen and Henzelene Healley at ABC Conclave held in Dubai at DMCC SO/ Uptown Tower in October, 2024
“The founder of Dubai’s eSports and Gaming Association shares insights on building the gaming community, navigating challenges, and empowering the next generation of influencers.”
In a recent conversation with Mohamed Yaseen, founder of the eSports and Gaming Association of Dubai, Yaseen shared insights into the burgeoning gaming and eSports scene in the UAE and the MENA region. The association, which he co-founded a year ago, is focused on promoting gaming initiatives and consulting on projects related to the industry. “We had some good synergy,” Yaseen explained about how the association came to life after meeting a colleague at a summit. “Both of us had good initiatives aimed at enabling gaming in the UAE and MENA region, particularly from a business development and influencer perspective.”
The association is currently in its foundational phase, with a primary focus on consulting and laying the groundwork for future events and educational programs. Yaseen detailed the type of work they do: “We consult right now on projects like workshops, particularly those that involve programmers developing gaming systems. In the future, we hope to expand into workshops for influencers, media training, and eventually host conferences.”
Yaseen is not only an entrepreneur but also an avid gamer and Twitch influencer, which adds a unique dimension to his work in the eSports space. When asked how he got into gaming, Yaseen shared that it was a lifelong passion. “I’ve been a gamer all my life,” he said. “During COVID, when I was studying in the U.S., my friends encouraged me to showcase my personality online. That’s when I started streaming on Twitch.” What started as a hobby quickly turned into a successful venture, and Yaseen is now a Twitch partner and was recently invited to TwitchCon, an annual convention for streamers.
Yaseen’s passion for gaming and content creation has also opened doors to participate in government initiatives. “I’m involved in projects like the Dubai eSports and Games Festival and initiatives by the Dubai Future Foundation. I’m also working on His Highness Sheikh Mohammed’s gaming initiative for 2033,” he explained. “Being part of these projects is a dream come true.”
While the gaming scene in the UAE and MENA region is growing rapidly, Yaseen noted that there are still challenges. “When I first came back from the U.S. in 2021, there were a few big events, but not many local meetups,” he said. “Now, in 2024, we’re seeing more tournaments, some with small prize pools like $5,000 or $10,000, and games like FIFA, Fortnite, and Valorant. These smaller tournaments build momentum for the bigger ones like the Dubai eSports Festival and the newly launched eSports World Cup in Saudi Arabia.”
One of the key barriers to faster growth, according to Yaseen, is a lack of education about the industry. “People in this part of the world are just starting to understand what it means to be an influencer, and gaming influencers are even newer,” he said. “We need more initiatives to teach people how to start streaming, how to create content in the gaming space. That’s something we’re hoping to focus on in the future.”
Yaseen’s advice for those interested in entering the gaming or influencer space is simple but insightful: “Find the game that you enjoy, start small, and take things one step at a time,” he suggested. “It can be overwhelming to think you need to be everywhere—YouTube, TikTok, Twitch—so start with one platform, and as you get comfortable, add more.”
For those new to gaming altogether, Yaseen recommended starting with something accessible. “If you’re new to gaming, buy a PlayStation or Xbox and start with a single-player game, like an RPG,” he advised. “This way, you can learn at your own pace before diving into more intense multiplayer experiences. It’s all about taking small steps.”
Yaseen believes that the region’s gaming industry has immense potential, but more grassroots support and education are needed to push it forward. He concluded, “If we had gaming programs in schools when I was younger, I would have signed up immediately. I think a lot of young people today feel the same.”
As the gaming and eSports scene continues to grow in the UAE and the wider MENA region, Yaseen’s work with the eSports and Gaming Association of Dubai is helping to lay the foundation for what promises to be an exciting future for gamers and influencers alike.
