The State of Streaming in MENA: Arabic and Turkish

The live-streaming landscape in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) has undergone a significant transformation, characterized by rapid growth and a major shift in platform preference. Total quarterly hours watched in the region surged from approximately 95 million in early 2022 to 490 million by the first quarter of 2026. This expansion is driven by a young, digitally native population and substantial regional investments in gaming infrastructure.

Kick has emerged as the dominant platform, capturing 81.4% of all regional viewership by Q1 2026. This shift followed regulatory challenges in Türkiye that led to restricted access to Twitch, prompting a migration of the Turkish streaming community to Kick. Consequently, Twitch’s regional viewership declined by roughly 75% between Q1 2024 and Q1 2026. While YouTube Gaming maintains a consistent presence, it relies heavily on Turkish audiences, who account for over 72% of its regional viewership. In contrast, Arabic-speaking viewers primarily utilize Kick and Twitch, which together host the region's most prominent creators, such as Absi and Maherco.

Content consumption in MENA favors shooters and role-playing games, with GTA V—specifically its role-playing servers—and the PUBG franchise leading in engagement. The region also demonstrates a strong appetite for esports and creator-led events, exemplified by the success of the Kings World Cup Nations 2026. The analysis, which covers a broad geographic scope including countries from North Africa to the Middle East, suggests that the MENA market is in an early growth phase. With continued investment and the anticipation of major game releases, the region represents an increasingly vital territory for global game publishers and brands.