Xsolla is setting up a regional gaming hub in Dubai in the United Arab Emirates in partnership with the Dubai Film & Games Commission.
Berkley Egenes, chief growth and marketing officer at Xsolla, and Faisal Kazim, games commissioner at theDubai Film & Games Commission, announced the partnership at GamesBeat Summit 2026 during a panel on the state of the game industry.
Kazim said the partnership is part of an effort to show that the UAE remains open for business. That’s a real statement considering the ongoing war between the United States and Iran.
Dubai has set ambitious goals of creating 33,000 jobs in the emirate by 2033, and it is already well under way with more than 150 game studios registering to do business in Dubai. The goal is to increase GDP in the city by $1 billion.
Xsolla said the multi-year strategic agreement will create opportunities to build the things necessary for the Dubai gaming ecosystem to fully develop.
The goal is to expand commercial access for developers operating across the Middle East and North Africa.
The partnership will unite Xsolla’s global commerce infrastructure, including direct-to-consumer storefronts, intelligent payments across 1,000+ payment methods in 200+ geographies, and player engagement tools, with DFGC’s mandate to establish Dubai as a world-class destination for video game development and publishing.
Together, the organizations will launch a joint studio accelerator program in Dubai, co-produce authoritative market intelligence on the games industry, and create reciprocal pathways for developers and industry leaders across their global networks and flagship events.
“The games industry is increasingly shaped by the markets which invest seriously in building the right commercial infrastructure,” said Rytis Joseph Jan, SVP of Global Strategic Initiatives & Partnerships at Xsolla, in a statement. “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 and for the international studios who want to be part of what is being built.”
“For the Dubai Foundation for Gaming and the Dubai Films and Games Commission, this partnership is a direct expression of our mission to make the UAE one of the world’s leading destinations for game development and publishing,” said Kazim. “Xsolla’s global reach and commercial infrastructure give our market something it has not had before: a proven, scalable pathway to the world.”
“The MENA region is one of the fastest-growing video game markets right now, and Dubai is at the center of this growth,” said Egenes. “Together, we are building all the things to help local developers of all sizes turn regional success into global reach.”
The announcement builds on a growing relationship between the two organizations. Kazim also participated in GamesBeat Summit’s Global State of Play panel alongside Egenes, where the two examined key trends and shifts reshaping the games industry worldwide, a conversation that reflects the kind of peer-level engagement driving the partnership forward.
The partnership comes as the UAE games market continues its rapid expansion, driven by strong consumer engagement, increased government investment in creative industries, and Dubai’s vision to serve as a regional hub for technology and entertainment. Both organizations expect to announce further details on joint programming and regional activations in the months ahead.