Hi guys,
I've been reading up on the UAE market and wanted to share some information with you.
Sony has seen unprecedented demand for the PS4 in the Middle East since launch in December 2013. Pre orders were being taken for the console more than 4 months before release and retailers in the UAE estimated that more than 4,200 consumers pre ordered the PS4 before release. Retailers hinted that pre orders could have been much higher had there not been a cap on the number of pre orders. The first shipment in the UAE was sold out on the first day. At the midnight launch, many gaming outlets were flocked with crowds, with some gamers picking up pre-ordered consoles, and walk-in customers, who faced an uncertain wait in an attempt to secure scarce stock.
“We got three times more crowds yesterday than we expected at every store,” Kishan Palija, managing director of games retailer Geekay Group MEA told Arabiya News. Some came dressed as video game characters to take part in a contest offering a PS4 as first prize. Others dressed up for the fun of it, and were content to queue for five hours before the console went on sale at midnight. For customers who did not buy in advance, “there were some disappointments,” added Palija. Stores in Bahrain and Oman were also sold out of PS4's on the first day. Despite the huge demand in the UAE, Sony were unable to adequately supply the region with the second shipment only arriving in mid January, more than 1 month after launch. This shipment also sold out. According to Nadeem Khanzadah, head of retail at Jumbo Electronics, one reason for the big PS4 demand is due to the short launch gap between the US and the UAE. PS4 sales will exceed PS3 as retailers have not seen the response when PS3 was launched.
According to Robert Fisser, general manager at Sony Middle East, the PS4 has had an amazing first year and has sold more than 4x faster than the PS3 in the same time period, the PS3 is currently the most popular home console in UAE with more than 60% market share. It took the PS3 over 2 and a half years to sell over 450,000 units in the Middle East and Robert Fisser also said that PS4 sales will shortly exceed 1 million units across the region.
The gaming industry in the middle east is booming and is expected to see double digit growth this year with the PS4 leading the way. The quick launch in the UAE as well as other factors such as Arabic language support & large gaming events has seen PlayStation become a huge name in the middle east with gamers referring to "PlayStation" for all games in a similar way to how people use "Hoover", a brand name, to refer to their vacuum cleaner or how people say "google it" to refer to using a search engine. Games in the Middle East are being developed in Arabic language as well and Sony are helping a number of smaller developers in the region get their games onto PS4.
Sony has big plans for the growing Middle East region and will continue to support gamers there.
Sources
I've been reading up on the UAE market and wanted to share some information with you.
Sony has seen unprecedented demand for the PS4 in the Middle East since launch in December 2013. Pre orders were being taken for the console more than 4 months before release and retailers in the UAE estimated that more than 4,200 consumers pre ordered the PS4 before release. Retailers hinted that pre orders could have been much higher had there not been a cap on the number of pre orders. The first shipment in the UAE was sold out on the first day. At the midnight launch, many gaming outlets were flocked with crowds, with some gamers picking up pre-ordered consoles, and walk-in customers, who faced an uncertain wait in an attempt to secure scarce stock.
“We got three times more crowds yesterday than we expected at every store,” Kishan Palija, managing director of games retailer Geekay Group MEA told Arabiya News. Some came dressed as video game characters to take part in a contest offering a PS4 as first prize. Others dressed up for the fun of it, and were content to queue for five hours before the console went on sale at midnight. For customers who did not buy in advance, “there were some disappointments,” added Palija. Stores in Bahrain and Oman were also sold out of PS4's on the first day. Despite the huge demand in the UAE, Sony were unable to adequately supply the region with the second shipment only arriving in mid January, more than 1 month after launch. This shipment also sold out. According to Nadeem Khanzadah, head of retail at Jumbo Electronics, one reason for the big PS4 demand is due to the short launch gap between the US and the UAE. PS4 sales will exceed PS3 as retailers have not seen the response when PS3 was launched.
According to Robert Fisser, general manager at Sony Middle East, the PS4 has had an amazing first year and has sold more than 4x faster than the PS3 in the same time period, the PS3 is currently the most popular home console in UAE with more than 60% market share. It took the PS3 over 2 and a half years to sell over 450,000 units in the Middle East and Robert Fisser also said that PS4 sales will shortly exceed 1 million units across the region.
The gaming industry in the middle east is booming and is expected to see double digit growth this year with the PS4 leading the way. The quick launch in the UAE as well as other factors such as Arabic language support & large gaming events has seen PlayStation become a huge name in the middle east with gamers referring to "PlayStation" for all games in a similar way to how people use "Hoover", a brand name, to refer to their vacuum cleaner or how people say "google it" to refer to using a search engine. Games in the Middle East are being developed in Arabic language as well and Sony are helping a number of smaller developers in the region get their games onto PS4.
Sony has big plans for the growing Middle East region and will continue to support gamers there.
Sources
