Sony PlayStation expects to corner 75 percent of Middle East gaming market in 2003

Global consumer electronics and computer company Sony said it expects to corner 75 percent of the over 370 million Emirati dirham ($100 million) gaming market in the Middle East in 2003. 

A senior official of the company further said that the Middle East is currently the fastest growing gaming market in the world, having witnessed a phenomenal growth surge in computer and console gaming across all age and demographic groups in the past three years.  

Making the announcement at a press conference organized on the sidelines of Sony Computer Entertainment's "PlayStation Experience" and European Computer Trade Show (ECTS), in Earls Court Exhibition Center, London, Sony Gulf Managing Director Yasuhide Yokota, said that the gaming market in the Middle East was on a high-growth curve, fueled by the introduction of new and sophisticated gaming concepts in the past three years.  

"An indication of the huge potential that Sony sees in the Middle East market is that we will soon be hosting one of our most ambitious market initiatives yet - the Middle East PlayStation Experience - at the GITEX Computer Shopper, in Dubai, later this year," added Yokota.  

Modeled on the lines of the hugely popular European PlayStation Experiences taking place over the next few months, the Middle East PlayStation Experience will be the largest gaming event to be ever held in the region. To be held between October 18-24, 2003 in Dubai, the event will bring together the entire vertical section of the very active and loyal PlayStation gaming community in the Middle East under one roof.  

Sony Gulf is a 100 percent subsidiary of Sony Corporation and is the regional headquarters for the Middle East and Africa regions. The company is engaged in the business of Sony Consumer Electronics, VAIO laptop computers, Computer Peripherals, Data media, Recording Media and Energy, Mobile Electronics and Computer Entertainment products in more than 40 countries in the region. — (menareport.com) 

© 2003 Mena Report (www.menareport.com)