Plans to revive Jordan Gaming Taskforce ‘under way’

AMMAN — Plans are under way to revive the Jordan Gaming Taskforce and boost activities to increase the competitiveness of the Jordanian digital gaming sector, Nour Khrais, chairman of the Jordan Gaming Task Force, said on Sunday.

More than 50 per cent of apps and digital games developed in the Arab world are produced by Jordanian companies and developers, yet, there is no major positive impact in terms of revenues generated, Khrais told The Jordan Times, noting that a plan was in the pipeline to look into the situation.

“We plan to revive the taskforce and its activities to help startups and developers in the sector…We will also conduct a study on points of weakness and strength and assess what needs to be done to improve the situation,” he said, adding that the taskforce will be revived in collaboration with five of the most active digital gaming companies in the country.

According to Khrais, there are some 15 digital gaming companies as well as hundreds of indie-developers.

“Although Jordanian companies and developers in this area are ahead of others in terms of quality and quantity of apps produced, they are still not making money as they should,” he said.

More programmes and activities will be launched during the upcoming period to enhance the sector in line with an action plan that is being drafted with key players in the field.

The digital gaming sector, whose revenues exceeded $100 billion in 2017, is a promising field for startups in Jordan, according to Khrais, who said that the plan entails maximising the benefits of the sector’s startups and entrepreneurs.

“Jordan is a key player in the industry, but more efforts are needed to at least maintain the Kingdom’s ranking amidst competition,” he said.

Founded in 2011, the Jordan Gaming Taskforce is an open and independent coalition of Jordan’s premier gaming companies, according to its website. 

Operating under the umbrella of Information and Communication Technology Association of Jordan — Int@j, the Task Force’s objective is to advance Jordan’s gaming development capacity and help propel Jordanian gaming at a local, regional, and international level.

Various stakeholders have voiced their belief that Jordan stands a serious chance at becoming the Interactive Games Development capital of the Middle East, meaning original content meant for the local and global market would be generated in Jordan.