Saudi Arabia’s robust IT infrastructure suitable for gaming industry

Mohammed Al-Otaiby, chief operating officer at Saudi Cloud Computing Co. Alibaba Cloud, speaking at a panel discussion on the first day of the Next World Forum in Riyadh on Wednesday.
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Updated 30 August 2023
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Saudi Arabia’s robust IT infrastructure suitable for gaming industry

RIYADH: As the Kingdom is among the top countries in terms of connectivity, coverage, and 5G internet, its business ecosystem is suitable to host different activities related to the development of the gaming industry, said an IT expert.

Mohammed Al-Otaiby, chief operating officer at Saudi Cloud Computing Co. Alibaba Cloud, was speaking at a panel discussion on the first day of the Next World Forum in Riyadh on Wednesday.

He said being one of the biggest cloud providers, his company can provide every facility required for game development. The expert said his company has the capability to cater to the needs of the sophisticated technology used in the gaming industry.

“Cloud computing is solving a lot of problems,” he said. Al-Otaibi said the previous generations had to face several challenges while playing computer games but due to modern technology, it has become easier and people can play online games on the internet without difficulty.

AlOtaiby also highlighted how cloud computing is evolving into software as a service, also known as SaaS, where a range of services will be available at one’s fingertips, requiring just a few simple steps and allowing access to bundled services with a single click.

Speaking on the same panel discussion, Badr Al-Marshoud, head of STC Play, said Saudi Arabia possesses considerable potential to emerge as a key player in the gaming sector both within the region and on a global scale.

“Vision 2030 has a lot of well-designed initiatives that will enable the gaming industry in the country and the region,” Al-Marshoud said.


Closing Bell: Saudi main index closes in red at 10,847

Updated 25 February 2026
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Closing Bell: Saudi main index closes in red at 10,847

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s Tadawul All Share Index dipped on Wednesday, losing 58.51 points, or 0.54 percent, to close at 10,847.93.

The total trading turnover of the benchmark index was SR3.78 billion ($1 billion), as 73 of the listed stocks advanced, while 187 retreated.

The MSCI Tadawul Index decreased, down 7.09 points or 0.48 percent, to close at 1,472.98.

The Kingdom’s parallel market Nomu lost 178.75 points, or 0.77 percent, to close at 22,916.83. This comes as 30 of the listed stocks advanced, while 37 retreated.

The best-performing stock was the Power and Water Utility Co. for Jubail and Yanbu, with its share price surging by 8.47 percent to SR31.24.

Other top performers included Saudi Paper Manufacturing Co., which saw its share price rise by 6.13 percent to SR53.70, and Jamjoom Pharmaceuticals Factory Co., which saw a 4.58 percent increase to SR137.

On the downside, the worst performer of the day was CHUBB Arabia Cooperative Insurance Co., whose share price fell by 5.14 percent to SR17.53.

Saudi Kayan Petrochemical Co. and Arabian Internet and Communications Services Co. also saw declines, with their shares dropping by 4.87 percent and 4.43 percent to SR4.88 and SR181.40, respectively.

On the announcement front, Saudi Kayan Petrochemical Co. announced its annual financial results for 2025, with sales dropping 3.06 percent year-on-year to SR8.45 billion. The company also recorded a net loss of SR893.86 million.

In a Tadawul statement, the company said the net loss and decline in annual sales were driven by a drop in average selling prices, despite higher sales volumes.