MENA's 390M gamers grew 6.8% in 2025—while global gaming hit 3.578B. Here's where brand budgets are shifting.

The Number That Changes Everything: 3.578 Billion Gamers

Let's start with the headline that should make every brand and agency sit up: 3.578 billion people played video games in 2025. That's a 4.4% increase from 2024, according to Newzoo's 2025 Global Games Market Report. To put that in perspective, gamers now represent 61.5% of the world's population. If you're running creator partnerships and gaming isn't central to your strategy, you're leaving money on the table.

But here's where it gets interesting for anyone focused on collabs: the MENA region grew at 6.8% year-over-year, the fastest of any region globally. That's roughly 390 million gamers, and the UAE sits at the epicentre of this explosion. For brands that move fast, this isn't just a trend—it's a land grab.

I've spent years watching brands fumble gaming partnerships because they treat them like a niche. They're not. With 2.985 billion mobile players alone, gaming is the most accessible entertainment medium on the planet. And if you're not building collabs that reflect that scale, your competitors will.

Why MENA's 6.8% Growth Demands a Different Collab Strategy

Most brands approach MENA as an afterthought—a small budget line item for 'regional expansion.' That's a mistake. The 6.8% growth rate isn't just a number; it's a signal that the audience is young, mobile-first, and hungry for authentic creator partnerships.

Mobile Commands 83% of Gamers—Your Collabs Must Follow

Mobile gaming accounts for 2.985 billion players, or 83% of all gamers by player count. In MENA, that percentage is even higher because smartphone penetration outpaces console adoption. If your collab strategy still revolves around PC or console influencers, you're missing the majority of the audience.

Consider this: total time spent on mobile gaming hit 444 billion hours in 2025 (Sensor Tower). That's not a hobby; it's a behaviour. Brands that partner with mobile-first creators—think PUBG Mobile streamers, Clash Royale content creators, or even casual puzzle game influencers—are tapping into daily habits, not weekly events.

One practical move: look for creators who produce short-form mobile gaming content for TikTok or Instagram Reels. These platforms reward consistency, and gaming content consistently outperforms lifestyle content in engagement rates. Our analysis at MiraReach shows that gaming creators with 50,000–200,000 followers often have higher engagement rates than lifestyle creators with 500,000+ followers. That's your efficiency play.

The Age Factor: 36-Year-Old Gamers Buy What You're Selling

The average gamer is 36 years old. Let that sink in. This isn't a teenager in a basement; it's a working professional with disposable income. In the UAE, where the median age is around 33, the overlap between gamers and high-net-worth consumers is significant.

Women make up 47% of US gamers (ESA 2025 Essential Facts), and the global split is narrowing. If your collab briefs still default to male-skewing gaming creators, you're ignoring nearly half the audience. The smartest brands we see are running dual-track campaigns: one targeting core gaming communities (think esports titles like League of Legends) and another targeting lifestyle gamers (think mobile puzzle or simulation games).

League of Legends Worlds 2025 final peaked at 6,752,585 concurrent viewers. That's a Super Bowl-sized audience that's younger, more engaged, and more likely to act on a creator's recommendation. Brands that sponsor esports events or partner with competitive gamers see 2–3x higher recall rates compared to traditional digital ads.

Revenue Reality: $188.8 Billion and Climbing—Where's Your Share?

Global gaming market revenue hit $188.8 billion in 2025, and it's on track to reach $205 billion in 2026. US consumers alone spent $60.7 billion on video games in 2025 (ESA, February 2026). This isn't a small industry; it's larger than the global film box office and music industry combined.

Yet most brand collab budgets still allocate less than 10% to gaming creators. Why? Because the metrics are harder to track. A beauty creator posts a tutorial and you can measure direct sales. A gaming creator streams for four hours and the conversion path is less obvious. But that's a measurement problem, not an audience problem.

This is where tools like MiraReach's inbox scoring and meeting prep come into play. If you're reaching out to gaming creators for collabs, you need to know which ones have real engagement, not just follower counts. We've seen brands waste thousands on creators with inflated numbers because they didn't verify the data. Don't be that brand.

Xbox Cloud Gaming Hours Climbed 45%—Cloud Collabs Are the Next Frontier

Microsoft reported at GDC 2025 that Xbox Cloud Gaming hours climbed 45% year-over-year. Cloud gaming removes hardware barriers, which means audiences in MENA—where console penetration is lower—can now access AAA titles on their phones. This opens up collab opportunities with creators who stream cloud-based games, reaching audiences that were previously unreachable.

If you're a B2B brand or agency, this matters more than you think. Cloud gaming audiences skew slightly older and more affluent because they're willing to pay for subscriptions. Partnering with a creator who reviews cloud gaming services or streams via Xbox Cloud Gaming puts your brand in front of decision-makers who also happen to be gamers.

Regional Breakdown: Where the Growth Is (and Isn't)

Not all gaming audiences are created equal. Here's the regional snapshot from the Newzoo data:

Asia-Pacific: 1.48 billion gamers (53% of global player base). This is the elephant in the room, but growth is slowing as the market matures. If you're already active here, focus on retention and deeper community integration.

Europe: 715 million gamers, growing at 2.3%. Steady but not explosive. Good for established brands, less exciting for new entrants.

North America: 285 million gamers, also at 2.3% growth. Saturated but high-spend. US consumers dropped $60.7 billion on games in 2025—that's $213 per gamer. If you can capture even a fraction of that spend through collabs, the ROI is substantial.

Latin America: ~430 million gamers, growing at 5.3%. Strong growth, but infrastructure challenges remain. Mobile-first collabs work best here.

MENA: ~390 million gamers, growing at 6.8%. The fastest-growing region, with the UAE as the gateway. High smartphone penetration, young population, and increasing disposable income make this the priority market for 2026 collab strategies.

If you're a brand based in Europe or North America looking to expand, MENA should be your first stop. The cultural nuances matter—gaming creators in the UAE often blend lifestyle, fashion, and gaming content, which means your collab can feel less like an ad and more like an organic part of their feed.

How to Build Collabs That Actually Work in This Market

I've seen too many brands send generic outreach to gaming creators and wonder why they get ignored. Here's what works based on real campaigns we've tracked at MiraReach:

1. Lead with Data, Not Flattery

When you reach out to a gaming creator, mention specific metrics from their recent content. "Your last three streams averaged 12,000 concurrent viewers with a 45-minute average watch time" is more compelling than "We love your content." Use tools that surface this data before you send the first email.

2. Offer Creative Freedom, Not Scripts

Gaming audiences can smell a scripted ad from a mile away. Give creators a brief with key messages and let them interpret it through their gameplay or commentary. The best gaming collabs we've seen give creators 80% creative freedom and 20% brand guidelines.

3. Measure What Matters: Engagement Over Impressions

Weekly playtime worldwide is 8.45 hours, but teens aged 13–17 average more than 15 hours per week. That's a deeply engaged audience. Measure collab success by watch time, comment sentiment, and click-through rates—not just views or likes. A creator with 50,000 highly engaged followers often outperforms one with 500,000 passive followers.

4. Think Beyond the Game

Gaming creators are increasingly multi-platform. They stream on Twitch, post clips on TikTok, and build communities on Discord. Your collab should span at least two platforms. A single Instagram post won't cut it; a campaign that includes a live stream, a series of TikTok clips, and a Discord Q&A will.

For a deeper look at how platform changes affect creator partnerships, read our analysis on TikTok's 70% completion gate and its impact on non-follower reach. The same principles apply to gaming content—algorithm changes can make or break your campaign.

The CollabScore Blind Spot: Why Most Brands Get Pricing Wrong

One of the biggest mistakes I see is brands pricing gaming creator collabs based on follower count alone. A creator with 100,000 followers who streams daily and has a 10% engagement rate is worth more than a creator with 500,000 followers who posts weekly and has a 1% engagement rate.

This is where the concept of a "CollabScore" becomes essential. We've written extensively about how India's $6B gaming market created a CollabScore blind spot for UK creators, and the same logic applies to MENA. If you're not scoring creators on engagement quality, audience overlap, and content relevance, you're overpaying for underperformance.

For brands targeting the UAE specifically, the opportunity is even more pronounced. With 11 million creators online and 99% internet penetration, the UAE is a hyper-connected market where a single well-placed collab can ripple across the entire region. Our guide on why B2B outreach fails in the UAE despite high penetration offers practical fixes that apply directly to gaming creator partnerships.

Ready to Turn 3.578 Billion Gamers Into Your Next Revenue Stream?

The data is clear: gaming is not a niche. It's the dominant entertainment medium of 2025, and MENA's 6.8% growth makes it the smartest bet for brands looking to expand. But data without action is just trivia.

MiraReach helps agencies, consultancies, and sales teams automate the discovery, outreach, and scoring of creator partnerships—including gaming creators. Our platform scores inbox engagement, surfaces high-intent prospects, and prepares you for meetings with data-backed insights. No more guessing which creators are worth your budget.

See MiraReach plans and start building collabs that actually move the needle.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many gamers are there in the world in 2025?

There are 3.578 billion gamers worldwide in 2025, representing 61.5% of the global population. This is a 4.4% increase from 2024, according to Newzoo's 2025 Global Games Market Report.

Which region is growing fastest for gaming?

The MENA region is the fastest-growing gaming market, with a 6.8% year-over-year increase to approximately 390 million gamers. Latin America follows at 5.3% growth, while North America and Europe both grew at 2.3%.

What percentage of gamers play on mobile?

Mobile gaming commands 83% of all gamers by player count, with 2.985 billion mobile players in 2025. Total time spent on mobile gaming reached 444 billion hours in 2025, according to Sensor Tower.

How should brands price gaming creator collabs?

Brands should price collabs based on engagement quality, audience overlap, and content relevance—not just follower count. A creator with 50,000 highly engaged followers often delivers better ROI than one with 500,000 passive followers. Use a scoring system like CollabScore to evaluate creators before negotiating rates.