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Attention economy shaping trends in gaming industry
UAE-founded Exscape recently crossed 10m downloads, reflecting growing uptake of engagement-led gaming models as experts say acquisition is no longer sufficient to build durable gaming businesses
- PUBLISHED: Thu 23 Apr 2026, 7:41 PM
The global gaming industry is increasingly being shaped by what analysts describe as the “attention economy,” as platforms pivot away from download-led growth toward models focused on retention, time spent and repeat engagement.
With user attention fragmented across social media, streaming, gaming and short‑form video, industry metrics such as daily active users, session length and return frequency are taking precedence over raw installation numbers. This shift has prompted gaming platforms to rethink design, incentives and progression, moving away from isolated gameplay toward ecosystems built around continuity and participation.
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This trend is gaining momentum across mobile-first markets, where gaming competes directly with other forms of digital entertainment for user time. In these markets, retention has emerged as a key commercial driver, influencing monetisation strategies and long-term platform valuation.
For gaming platforms navigating this shift, the challenge is no longer how many users they can attract, but how effectively they can hold attention over time — a recalibration that is reshaping the next phase of the industry
According to a recent report by McKinsey & Company, a 10 per cent increase in consumer focus correlates with a 17 per cent increase in spend. “Gaming already operates at the high end of the spectrum; the challenge is not to generate more—or higher quality—attention, but to more effectively monetize the attention it already commands,” the report said.
Manu Rosier, the Director of Market Intelligence at Newzoo, a Netherlands-based insights provider on PC and console gaming, added that growing gap between revenue success and sustained engagement is becoming one of the defining challenges for publishers, a pattern clearly reflected in the 2025 performance data.
Within this broader shift, UAE-founded interactive media platform Exscape recently crossed 10 million downloads, reflecting growing uptake of engagement-led gaming models. The company positions itself around sustained participation rather than one-off play, aligning with wider industry efforts to extend user lifecycles.
Industry executives note that acquisition alone is no longer sufficient to build durable gaming businesses. While downloads can be accelerated through marketing spend, long-term value increasingly depends on how consistently users return and interact.
Exscape’s model reflects this thinking, with its platform designed around continuity, allowing user identity, progress and rewards to persist across multiple experiences. This approach mirrors a wider move within gaming toward connected ecosystems that blend gameplay with social interaction and competition.
Faisal Zaidi, President, Exscape, said: “Gaming is no longer competing with just other games, it’s competing for attention across the entire digital ecosystem. The platforms that will lead are those that create environments users return to consistently, not just experiences they try once. This shift is redefining how value is built across the industry. At Exscape, we’re seeing that when experiences are designed around continuous engagement, users don’t just play, they stay, often spending several hours a day on the platform.”
The emphasis on retention is also reshaping partnerships and distribution strategies. Telecom collaborations, in particular, are becoming more common as platforms seek to reduce access friction and widen reach in emerging markets, where mobile connectivity underpins gaming growth.
The Middle East is playing a growing role in this evolution. As a high-growth, mobile-first region with a young, socially connected user base, it is increasingly influencing how engagement-driven platforms are designed. Products developed in the region are beginning to inform global approaches to gaming and digital interaction.
As gaming converges with social platforms and digital ecosystems, the industry is moving toward environments where users are encouraged to participate regularly rather than consume passively. In the attention economy, sustained engagement rather than scale alone is becoming the primary indicator of success.
