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Rabat – The 2nd edition of the Moroccan Gaming Expo opened its doors yesterday with a strong start.
The event offers a program rich in conferences, stands, esports championships, and pitch talks, drawing together developers, creatives, and gaming enthusiasts from across the country.
Organized under Mehdi Bensaid’s Ministry of Youth, Culture and Communication, the expo will run through July 6.
The opening day’s highlight was the announcement that five startups signed a partnership with Huawei after winning a competition launched by the company in collaboration with the ministry.
This move marks a strategic investment in Morocco’s gaming ecosystem and youth potential.
Huawei’s jumpstart for local startups
Nabil Ouchagour, Director of Huawei Morocco, talked with Morocco World News (MWN) on the sidelines of the event.
“We believe in gaming in Morocco because it fosters education, but it also develops creativity, and it’s very strategic for the technological sector in Morocco,” he said.
In that sense, Huawei is investing in human capital by offering these startups advanced tools to help their video games meet their full potential.
The expo provides gamers and developers with countless opportunities in the industry. It aims to introduce newcomers to Morocco’s growing gaming sector while offering a platform for creatives to showcase their video games and pitch ideas to investors and partners.
The exhibition space is packed with high-profile stands, from worldwide brands like Samsung to prestigious schools such as the “1337” coding school of Mohammed VI University Polytechnic (UM6P), International University of Rabat (UIR), and the University of Ibn Tofail.
Morocco leading the continent in gaming and esports
Also represented are leading online game developers like Garena; among many others ready to be discovered by visitors throughout the week.
Soufiane El Filali, Marketing Director of the Royal Moroccan Federation of Video Games and Executive Director of the African Confederation of Esports, spoke to MWN about the significant role the event plays in positioning Morocco as a continental leader in the domain of video games and esports.
He expressed his satisfaction to see an organization of this caliber in Morocco offering a platform that encourages Moroccan youth to embrace innovation, which was on full display through the work of many developers and designers.
Right after pitching the video game projects of her students Houria Kelkoul, Vice Dean and Responsible for the Center of Excellence Art and Design at University Ibn Tofail, Kenitra, who returned to the expo to present her students’ projects for the second time stated: “We are working with our Moroccan students… especially on video games that represent our Moroccan identity,”.
Among the games showcased was “Threads of Time”, a storytelling-based immersive game rooted in Moroccan culture.
Visitors also shared their excitement with MWN “We love the vibe here, the organization, and the stands… even the little robots that are giving us water for free…”
Free Fire battle turns heads
One of the most crowd-attracting events was the “Free Fire” championship battle, hosted in a high-scale arena with dynamic lighting in the theme colors of Free Fire, live commentary that heightened suspense, and two days of intense gameplay that were declared a clear success.
Hans Saleh, MEA Regional Head at Garena, expressed his support: “This is a proof of continuous government investment in the industry, and it’s also an honor to actually support this government event by bringing Free Fire and our new games like Delta Garena Force.”
With strategic industry involvement, and national support, the Moroccan Gaming Expo continues to establish itself as a leading platform in the region’s gaming and esports scene offering a promising space where creativity, culture, and technology meet.
