Global Games Show Riyadh 2026 has concluded its two-day business-to-business program, with discussions focused on AI-powered LiveOps, mobile gaming, cloud technologies, and immersive digital experiences, bringing together gaming industry leaders, developers, investors, and policymakers from more than 80 countries.
Organized by VAP Group, powered by Times Of Games, the event focused on technological developments transforming game development, including cloud gaming, augmented reality (AR), virtual reality (VR) and AI-assisted game design. Mobile gaming also emerged as a key theme, reflecting its growing role in the global gaming industry.
Co-located with the Global AI Show Riyadh and Global Blockchain Show Riyadh, the Global Games Show Riyadh 2026 event recorded more than 15,000 registrations, attracted 6,723 attendees, featured more than 100 speakers and 100 exhibitors, and brought together a delegation comprising 70 percent C-level executives from more than 80 countries.
The event convened game developers, publishers, Web3 gaming companies, esports organizations, investors, content creators, technology providers and policymakers to discuss developments at the intersection of artificial intelligence, blockchain, immersive technologies, digital ownership and entertainment.
During the event, VAP Group also announced the launch of VAP Ventures, a strategic initiative aimed at supporting 100 startups by 2030.
Global Games Show explores the future of interactive entertainment
The Global Games Show opened with a keynote by Johnson Yeh, Founder & CEO of Ambrus Studio, who discussed the future of immersive gaming and the role of emerging technologies in reshaping player experiences beyond traditional gaming platforms.
Virginia Villar Arribas, Director of the Private Sector Partnerships Service at the UN World Food Programme, also delivered a keynote highlighting how gaming and interactive experiences can contribute to social impact by supporting awareness, education and humanitarian initiatives.
Throughout the event, participants examined the rapid evolution of gaming and digital entertainment, with mobile-first ecosystems emerging as one of the central themes of discussion. Speakers also explored the growing economic significance of mobile gaming.
Charity Joy CEO – Mirai
“The future of gaming will be defined by immersive experiences, meaningful communities and the incredible talent building them. What excites us most about the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is the ambition, creativity and passion of its young developers. They aren’t just participating in the future of gaming, they’re helping create it!”
Participants at Global Games Show Riyadh 2026 also discussed the expanding role of mobile esports, noting that games such as PUBG and Mobile Legends: Bang Bang have broadened competitive gaming by reducing reliance on high-end gaming PCs and consoles.
Visionaries in gaming defines the next generation
Over the course of Global Games Show Riyadh 2026, industry leaders and experts discussed a range of topics related to gaming, esports, digital ownership, artificial intelligence and emerging technologies.
Among the notable speakers at the Global Games Show Riyadh 2026 event were Johnson Yeh, Founder and CEO of Ambrus Studio, Nayef BinHumaid, Chairman of the Board of the Saudi Baseball and Softball Federation, Nadeem Bakhsh, CEO of webook.com, Virginia Villar Arribas, Director of the Private Sector Partnerships Service at the UN World Food Programme (WFP), Hassan Yusuf, Head of Partnerships at the Real Madrid Foundation – Education Football Program powered by Riyadh Schools, Kanessa Muluneh, CEO of Rise of Fearless, and Yasmina Kazitani, President of the Blockchain Game Alliance.
Image credits: Global Games Show Riyadh 2026 | Cropped by GBN
The Global Games Show Riyadh 2026 exhibition featured participation from several companies and organizations, including ClubMOS Technologies LLC, Cropr Digital Limited, Plotdex, JPYR, Arkonix, TorusChain Association, Smartflow, The Loopcraft, EGS, Setup Master the Art of Gaming and Venn Studio.
Mobile gaming and digital ownership
Sessions at Global Games Show Riyadh 2026 explored how the combination of mobile gaming and digital ownership is influencing the future of digital entertainment. Discussions examined how decentralized technologies are enabling new approaches to player ownership, monetization and community engagement.
Image credits: Global Games Show Riyadh 2026 | Cropped by GBN
Industry leaders also discussed the development of mobile esports ecosystems across the Middle East and North Africa (MENA), Asia and Latin America (LATAM), including evolving tournament formats and revenue models.
Vishal Parmar, Founder & CEO, VAP Group, said that, “The future of gaming belongs to those who can bring together technology, creativity, and community. Global Games Show is where those conversations begin, and we’re excited to see the ideas born in Riyadh evolve into the next generation of global gaming experiences.”
Building the future by addressing the foundational pillars of gaming
The conclusion of the Global Games Show Riyadh 2026 marked the end of the event’s two-day program, with discussions centered on the future of interactive gaming and digital entertainment.
Organizers said that insights from attendees, exhibitors and speakers would contribute to future discussions at the Global Games Show Abu Dhabi 2026.
