Xsolla and the Dubai Films and Games Commission Create a Strategic Partnership to Connect Dubai-Based Developers to Global Markets

LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May 20, 2026--

Xsolla, a leading global video game commerce company, and the Dubai Games Commissioner, in coordination with the Dubai Films and Games Commission, announced a multi-year strategic partnership to accelerate the development of the video game industry and expand commercial access for developers operating across the Middle East and North Africa. The announcement was made at GamesBeat Summit 2026 in Los Angeles, California. The partnership will unite Xsolla's global commerce infrastructure, including direct-to-consumer storefronts, intelligent payments across 1,000+ payment methods in 200+ geographies, and player engagement tools, with DFGC's mandate to establish Dubai as a world-class destination for video game development and publishing.

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Together, the organizations will launch a joint studio accelerator program in Dubai, co-produce authoritative market intelligence on the games industry, and create reciprocal pathways for developers and industry leaders across their global networks and flagship events.

"The games industry is increasingly shaped by markets that invest seriously in building the right commercial infrastructure," said Rytis Joseph Jan, SVP of Global Strategic Initiatives & Partnerships at Xsolla. "Dubai has made these investments for the future of the industry. This partnership is about converting that ambition into real, lasting opportunity for developers based here and for the international studios who want to be part of what is being built."

"For the Dubai Films and Games Commission, this partnership is a direct expression of our mission to make Dubai one of the world's leading destinations for game development and publishing," said Faisal Kazim, Games Commissioner, Dubai Films and Games Commission. "Xsolla's global reach and commercial infrastructure give our market something it has not had before: a proven, scalable pathway to the world."

"The MENA region is one of the fastest-growing video game markets right now, and Dubai is at the center of this growth," said Berkley Egenes, Chief Marketing & Growth Officer, Xsolla. "Together, we are building all the things to help local developers of all sizes turn regional success into global reach."

The announcement builds on a growing relationship between the two organizations. Kazim also participated in GamesBeat Summit’s Global State of Play panel alongside Egenes, where the two examined key trends and shifts reshaping the games industry worldwide, a conversation that reflects the kind of peer-level engagement driving the partnership forward.

The partnership arrives as the UAE games market continues its rapid expansion, driven by strong consumer engagement, increased government investment in creative industries, and Dubai's vision to operate as a regional hub for technology and entertainment. Both organizations expect to announce further details on joint programming and regional activations in the months ahead.

To learn more about Xsolla's strategic partnerships and market expansion initiatives, visit: https://xsolla.pro/DFGC

About Xsolla

Xsolla is a global commerce company that builds and provides all the things developers need to launch, grow, and monetize video games. Headquartered in Los Angeles, California, the company supports studios of every size, from indie to AAA, with solutions across direct-to-consumer commerce, intelligent payments, entertainment-based IP, and player engagement products. Xsolla helps developers fund, distribute, market, and monetize their games at scale. Trusted by more than 60% of the top 100 highest-grossing games, Xsolla operates as the merchant of record across 200+ geographies with access to over 1,000+ local payment methods worldwide. Grounded in a deep belief in the future of gaming, Xsolla is resolute in bringing opportunities together and unlocking growth for creators everywhere.

For more information, visit xsolla.com

Faisal Kazim, Games Commissioner, Dubai Films and Games Commission

Rytis Joseph Jan, SVP of Global Strategic Initiatives & Partnerships, Xsolla

Left to right: Rytis Joseph Jan, SVP of Global Strategic Initiatives & Partnerships, Xsolla; Faisal Kazim, Games Commissioner, Dubai Films and Games Commission; Berkley Egenes, Chief Marketing & Growth Officer, Xsolla

Berkley Egenes, Chief Marketing & Growth Officer at Xsolla

Xsolla and the DFGC partner to connect developers to global markets.

PHUM BOEUNG, Cambodia (AP) — Hundreds of Cambodians on Thursday morning honored their village’s guardian spirits by holding a colorful centuries-old ceremony to pray for good fortune, rain and prosperity.

The “He Neak Ta” ritual has been celebrated annually for several hundred years by the villagers in Phum Boeung, about 25 kilometers (15 miles) northwest of the capital, Phnom Penh.

The ceremony, which has become increasingly rare in modern times, coincides with the onset of the summer monsoon as farmers prepare for planting rice, a particularly water-intensive crop.

Although most Cambodians are Buddhist, the ritual reflects a widespread faith in animism, the belief that spirits can inhabit all types of living and inanimate objects.

Chamrouen Ratha, a 26-year-old blacksmith, said he was taking the day off from work to join other villagers in honoring the same spirits celebrated by his ancestors.

“The significance of this ceremony is to pray for happiness and prosperity for all the villagers in this area and the participants who have joined this ceremony,” he said.

Villagers of all ages congregate about 2 kilometers (1.2 miles) from the local monastery dedicated to their guardian spirit. Young village men paint scenes inspired by local folklore on their faces and bodies, dress as spirits and don grass skirts. A few wear painted oversized heads atop their costumes.

Many young woman wear traditional silk clothing, with gold-colored necklaces and flowers tucked behind their ears. Some dance elegantly to the beat of handheld drums and small gongs.

The ragtag procession, including some participants traveling on motorbikes and even on horseback, slowly makes its way to the guardian spirit's shrine.

There, villagers light incense sticks and offer various types of fruit, food, soft drinks, and alcohol while praying for good fortune, adequate rain, prosperity and the prevention of disease within their community.

The half-day ceremony concludes with the spraying of holy water on the cheerful participants.

“I pray for enough rainfall with abundant rice production ... so that villagers would enjoy their harvest,” said one of the costumed marchers, 30-year-old driver Sim Pov.

Neak Mao, 64, who brought two horses with him, said he has attended the ceremony since he was young.

"This celebration is to ensure that the traditions of our ancestors are not lost, which they have tried to preserve and we continue to do so every year,” he said.

A boy with a ghost painting takes part in a ceremony to invoke rain amid the rice planting season in Pring Ka-ek village, northwest of Phnom Penh, Cambodia, Thursday, May 21, 2026. (AP Photo/Heng Sinith)

A man representing a ghost rides on a horse during a ceremony to invoke rain amid the rice planting season in Pring Ka-ek village, northwest of Phnom Penh, Cambodia, Thursday, May 21, 2026. (AP Photo/Heng Sinith)

Villagers march to mark a ceremony to invoke rain amid the rice planting season in Pring Ka-ek village, northwest of Phnom Penh, Cambodia, Thursday, May 21, 2026. (AP Photo/Heng Sinith)

Boys representing ghosts participate during a ceremony to invoke rain amid the rice planting season in Pring Ka-ek village, northwest of Phnom Penh, Cambodia, Thursday, May 21, 2026. (AP Photo/Heng Sinith)

A man with a ghost painting takes part in a ceremony to invoke rain amid the rice planting season in Pring Ka-ek village, northwest of Phnom Penh, Cambodia, Thursday, May 21, 2026. (AP Photo/Heng Sinith)