Shams Media Services – the commercial arm of Sharjah Media City (Shams) – is partnering with UAE-based Esports organiser and production company Calyx to bring local gaming communities together by organising Esports tournaments.

Calyx has planned a multi-tournament cycle set to take place over the next six months in an effort to develop the local gaming community and cater to the ever-growing Esports audience in the UAE and the region.

For its part, Shams Media Services – the entity responsible for delivering an array of media products and services for Shams and building a network strategic partnerships – will provide partners at Calyx with the logistical and regulatory support needed to hold the tournaments and develop the local and regional gaming and Esports industry.

His Excellency Dr Khalid Omar Al Midfa, Chairman of Sharjah Media City (Shams) and Managing Director of Sharjah Media Services, said: “Shams was launched with the ambitious objective of not only developing the media and creative industries in Sharjah, but also to transform and position the emirate as a global centre for innovation. Gaming has solidified its place at the heart of creative industries; we are excited to play a part in its national and regional expansion and to see the UAE become a hub for gaming and Esports in the Middle East and North Africa.”

Meanwhile, Fagr Kassim Ali, Director of Shams Media Services, noted: “As part of our mandate to deliver winning media products and services for Sharjah Media City and its members, we are involved in an array of creative sectors and Esports is a promising industry with tremendous potential. We are always on the lookout for opportunities to build strong partnerships that can help grow the creative and media industries in Sharjah, and with that in mind, we are delighted to be joining hands with local companies like Calyx and Hockwood Games to bring local gaming communities together in Esports tournaments.”

Calyx has been committed to building the presence of Esports in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA), and has made great progress in the past two years in their plan to build an international Esports platform for the region.

“The MENA region has shown incredible potential, with a revenue share accounting for a significant percentage of the global Esports market cap,” said Yahya Habib, Co-Founder and Global Head of Business Strategy and Operations at Calyx. “The advent of multiple brands and local partners now recognising the importance of Esports as a medium for tapping into previously hard-to-reach demographics has significantly improved prospects for all involved”.

A subsidiary of Hockwood Games, Calyx has set expansive development strategies for the gaming industry, selecting the UAE set as their staging ground. From conceptualisation to execution, Calyx has broadcast and executed more than 100 Esports events across multiple gaming titles.

Hockwood Games Chairman Ishan Saksena said:“Going forward, the drive to bring across more local Esports tournaments and media opportunities in the country is an important step in the development of Esports solutions in the region, and our partnership with Shams is one of many such plans for the future.”

As the commercial arm of Sharjah Media City (Shams),Shams Media Services handles all aspects around film production, gaming, public relations, marketing, and social media influencing.It has built numerous partnerships that have resulted in the filming of Shams’ first movie, the launch of Connected Circles Middle East, the release of the Omnes Influencers platform, and numerous other projects.