Global leaders from across the gaming industry are being invited to come to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, for the inaugural edition of Kingdom of Gaming (KoG) event.
It’s a new event designed to connect the companies, investors, talent and institutions shaping the future of the sector. The event is positioned out far enough that it may happen after the U.S.-Israel war with Iran is over.
Taking place from December 1 to December 3, 2026, at the Riyadh Exhibition & Convention Center, Malham, Kingdom of Gaming is targeting over 20,000 attendees, 500 studios and developers, 300 exhibitors and sponsors, and 200 investors, convening decision-makers from across game development, publishing, technology, investment, government and esports to explore new partnerships, investment opportunities and the trends driving the industry’s next phase of growth.
At the center of the inaugural edition are Kingdom of Gaming’s Global Gaming Leaders: Savvy Games Group, Ubisoft and Roblox, bringing some of the industry’s most influential organizations into the Kingdom of Gaming story, the organizers said.
Further global gaming leaders will be announced as Kingdom of Gaming builds towards its inaugural edition in December, the group said.
Alongside its Global Gaming Leaders, Kingdom of Gaming is backed by Founding Partners including Tuwaiq Academy, NEOM, and Amazon Web Services (AWS).
Further organizations from across the industry are also joining the inaugural edition, including PUBG Mobile, Unreal Engine, Tencent Cloud, Impact46 and Merak Capital, bringing additional expertise and experiences spanning game creation, technology, investment and talent development.
Amr Sager, Chief of Staff at Savvy Games Group, said, in a statement, “Saudi Arabia is quickly becoming a global hub for games, esports and a thriving industry ecosystem for long-term growth. Bringing industry leaders, investment and technology partners and the gaming community together here in Riyadh can help to encourage future collaborations and ongoing opportunities”.
Across three days, Kingdom of Gaming will feature over 200 speakers across four stages, with programming spanning investment, publishing, game development, emerging technologies, talent and esports. Confirmed speakers include Sir Ian Livingstone CBE, cofounder and General Partner at Hiro Capital; Julien Merceron, CTO at Bandai Namco Studios and Delphi Interactive; Saifi Ismail, President of Yalla Group and GM of RHQ; Riley Russell, head of U.S. Studio at Kojima Productions; and Omer Faruk Gungor, studio director at Motion Blur Game Studio.
The program will explore some of the industry’s most important conversations, from gaming investment and the changing ownership landscape to AI and game creation, building gaming ecosystems, talent development and the growth of original IP, the group said.
Dedicated programming across the Main Stage, Investor & Startup Stage and KoG Academy will be complemented by practical workshops and training, curated networking, investor meetings and executive roundtables designed to facilitate business connections across the industry.
The KoG Academy will put skills and game creation alongside those industry conversations, connecting emerging talent with practical learning and development opportunities. Its programme will include Made in the Kingdom, supported by Unreal Engine, giving creators the opportunity to develop and showcase work as part of the wider Kingdom of Gaming program.
PUBG MOBILE will also bring its World of Wonder (WOW) creator ecosystem to Kingdom of Gaming, showcasing standout content from Saudi student creators as part of its presence on the show floor, with further details to be announced ahead of the event. The participation builds on PUBG MOBILE’s work with student creators in the Kingdom, using game creation and user-generated content to give emerging talent opportunities to develop and showcase their ideas.
Annabelle Mander, Executive Vice President at Tahaluf, said in a statement,”The gaming industry has evolved into one of the world’s most creative and commercial sectors, but there are very few platforms that bring together every part of that ecosystem. Kingdom of Gaming has been built to connect the people making investment decisions, developing games, building technology and creating new business opportunities. Our ambition is simple: to make Riyadh a place where the global gaming industry comes together to do business.”
Kingdom of Gaming will bring the industry and gaming community together under one roof, combining its business and investment program with a consumer-facing festival experience for the Kingdom’s growing community of gamers. Across three days, fans will have the opportunity to experience the wider world of gaming, while global companies engage directly with one of the region’s largest and most active gaming audiences.
Together, the Global Gaming Leaders, Founding Partners, participating organisations, speakers and programme reflect the breadth of the industry Kingdom of Gaming is designed to serve — connecting international expertise, technology and investment with Saudi Arabia’s growing base of developers, creators, talent and players.
Kingdom of Gaming is co-located with Black Hat MEA, bringing two major technology and digital industry communities together at the Riyadh Exhibition & Convention Center, Malham, from December 1 to December 3, 2026.