The first edition of the Morocco Gaming Expo (MGE), held from May 24 to 26, 2024, in Rabat, marked a turning point. The first trade show of its kind in Morocco, the event aimed from the outset to connect the local gaming industry ecosystem to international players.
In all, the first edition of the trade show drew more than 41,000 visitors, 30 investors, 120 speakers, and 70 exhibitors. The Japanese designer Takaya Imamura, the celebrated former art designer at Nintendo, was the guest of honor of this first edition.
A year later, the second edition, held from July 2 to 6, 2025, confirmed the event’s growing momentum. At the opening, the Minister of Youth, Culture, and Communication, Mohammed Mehdi Bensaid, underscored a strategic course and a specific ambition: « the goal is for Morocco to reach 1% of the global video game economy by 2033, which is expected to amount to $500 billion, » he declared.
« The gaming industry represents a significant share of the global economy. And for this reason, Morocco believes it can move into this field to enable Moroccan startups, and the young and the not-so-young, to benefit from this global momentum, » the minister added.
A gradual rise in momentum
From its earliest days, the Morocco Gaming Expo has followed a logic of openness. The event brings together developers, publishers, investors, and startups, with the goal of connecting Morocco to global value chains. This international dimension has grown stronger with each edition. In 2025, more than 70,000 visitors came to the exhibition, alongside more than 30 investors, more than 200 speakers, and 100 exhibitors. In all, 18 countries were represented. That year, the guest of honor was the celebrated Japanese video game creator Yoshiki Okamoto, known for his role in major franchises such as Street Fighter and Resident Evil.
The video game producer Erin Roberts, who has run several « AAA » video game development studios (the « blockbusters » of gaming) for more than thirty-five years, will be the guest of honor of the Morocco Gaming Expo 2026
In 2026, the third edition — scheduled for May 20 to 24 at the Sofitel Jardin des Roses in Rabat — clearly aims to scale up. It is meant to « strengthen Morocco’s position as a regional and continental hub of the gaming industry, » according to the ministry.
Conferences, panels, masterclasses, and workshops structure the program, which will bring together Moroccan and international experts, with themes ranging from innovation to the sector’s business models. This year, the video game producer Erin Roberts, who has run several « AAA » video game development studios (the « blockbusters » of gaming) for more than thirty-five years, distinguishing himself notably through the creation of the highly popular LEGO video games, will be the guest of honor.
The exhibition platform, conceived as a living and interactive space, will highlight the diversity of Morocco’s gaming industry ecosystem, through booths, demonstrations, and encounters among enthusiasts, creators, and professionals. Institutional players, startups, financing operators, federations, foundations, hardware manufacturers, telecom and training operators, cloud gaming providers, and more.
This third edition will bring together a host of professionals from the sector, with the introduction of new themed zones, including MGE PlayTest and MGE Talks, spaces dedicated to showcasing Moroccan talent and know-how in video game development.
The trade show will also host five forums, to discuss public policies, national strategies, and international partnerships around the gaming industry, but also to enable exchanges among investors, publishers, startups, and studios to talk about innovation, business models, and business opportunities.
One of the forums will also be dedicated to safety, ethics, and responsibility in the world of video games, while another will explore the tools, engines, and technologies shaping the future of video game development. Finally, e-sports tournaments will be held within the Arena, allowing a broad audience to take part.
An accelerator for Moroccan talent
The Morocco Gaming Expo thus plays a key role in the emergence of talent. Universities, training centers, and startups rub shoulders there with investors and major groups
The Morocco Gaming Expo thus plays a key role in the emergence of talent. Universities, training centers, and startups rub shoulders there with investors and major groups. In practice, the MGE allows young Moroccan developers to present their projects, to meet partners, and sometimes to access financing. An essential lever for an ecosystem still under construction.
Over the course of its editions, the Morocco Gaming Expo has also asserted itself as an economic tool. Brands, telecom operators, platforms, and publishers find a space there for expression, between visibility, partnerships, and prospecting. The event also aims to stimulate B2B interactions and to strengthen collaboration among the various players in the value chain, from creators to investors.
Beyond the sector, the event contributes to Morocco’s appeal. By attracting visitors, professionals, and foreign companies, it helps to position the Kingdom as an African hub of the gaming industry, in the wake of other major technology events.
One central question remains: beyond its role as a showcase, does the MGE truly accelerate the sector’s industrial transformation? The answer is clearly yes. The MGE today goes beyond the bounds of an event: it acts as a genuine lever, transforming visibility into concrete results, the creation of studios, the generation of jobs, and the development of a structured local production.
Written in French by TelQuel Impact, edited in English by Eric Nielson
