The UAE gaming console market has achieved AED17.78 million sales from January to May this year with 4.448 million units sold, according to industry studies consolidated by Jacky's Electronics. The Sony PlayStation 3 is currently the number one gaming console in the Emirates with 59 percent market share. Other consoles dominating the market are Nintendo Wii and Microsoft Xbox. “Since the phase-out of the HD-DVD format in favour of Blu-Ray Discs, Sony PS3's sales have boosted due to its Blu-Ray technology. Nintendo has gained a niche market because of its interactive consoles and with products such as Wii Fit allowing users to exercise while playing,” said Ashish Panjabi, chief operating officer, Jacky's Electronics. “Since the launch at last year's Gitex of the Xbox Elite, Microsoft has seen resurgence in sales. Other products such as the Sony PSP have also created a new segment of gamers by offering portability, high-quality graphics and sounds. Its additional features including MP3 players and fashionable colors of pink and white have targeted women as well,” he added. Pro Evolution 6 is presently the best selling game in the UAE with Smack Down VS Raw 2008 ranking second. Halo 3 and FIFA08 are in third and fourth places respectively. Console-based gaming currently dominates the market and while PC or online-based games are gaining popularity in many parts of the world is still in its infancy in the UAE but can grow in the next five years if vendors such as Dell and HP, which have dedicated gaming PCs such as Alienware and Voodoo respectively, managed to create enough demand. Software vendors and online gaming content sites for this region also have to develop if PC gaming is to grow. Meanwhile, to sustain the growing gaming industry in the country, Jacky's Electronics will be holding its first-ever gaming competition at their Sharjah City Center outlet on Aug. 29-30, 2008. “The video gaming industry is making a major effort to broaden the appeal of games and consoles to other segments other than the core players of 8-21 year-old males. This gaming competition in Sharjah will help in elevating awareness and reach out to other potential users as well,” Panjabi said. The competition is in cooperation with Intel Corporation. __
