Roblox has disclosed that it will set up a new regional headquarters in Riyadh, a step designed to strengthen its creator ecosystem across the Middle East and North Africa (MENA). The announcement, reported by Pocket Gamer, highlights that the project enjoys backing from several Saudi entities, including the Ministry of Investment, the Riyadh Creative District, and the General Authority of Media Regulation.
Mohamed El Sheakh, Roblox’s General Manager for the MENA region and Turkey, explained that the decision to locate the hub in Riyadh underscores the company’s enduring commitment to Saudi Arabia and its broader digital‑economy ambitions outlined in Vision 2030. “Our decision to establish our regional headquarters in Riyadh is a reflection of Roblox's long‑term investment in Saudi Arabia and our commitment to supporting the Kingdom's digital economy objectives under Vision 2030,” he said. El Sheakh added that the new office will build on existing collaborations in education, creator development, and the gaming sector, and will enable Roblox to fund programmes that help Saudi Arabia evolve into a worldwide gaming hub.
The Riyadh office follows a strategic partnership announced earlier this year with Savvy Games Group, a joint venture that aims to bring Roblox’s development tools and support services to the Saudi gaming infrastructure. Dave Baszucki, Roblox’s chief executive, described the alliance as a means to "enable anyone anywhere to become a creator by lowering the technical barriers to entry traditionally associated with game development." He noted that the partnership will help realise the vision for creators throughout Saudi Arabia and will dovetail with the Kingdom’s broader creator‑economy strategy under Vision 2030. Roblox’s expansion aligns closely with Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 plan, which seeks to diversify the national economy away from oil reliance and to position the country as a leader in digital innovation and cultural production. Part of this vision includes a substantial push into the video‑games sector, with targets to launch 250 gaming and esports companies and to generate roughly 39,000 new jobs by the end of the decade.
By establishing a physical presence in Riyadh, Roblox hopes to contribute directly to these goals, offering local talent access to its platform, educational resources, and a global marketplace for interactive experiences. The new headquarters will serve several functions. First, it will act as a regional hub for creator support, providing workshops, mentorship programmes, and technical assistance to aspiring developers across the MENA region.
Second, it will facilitate partnerships with Saudi educational institutions, integrating Roblox’s learning tools into curricula that teach coding, digital design, and entrepreneurship. Third, it will work with local gaming studios and esports organisations to co‑produce titles that reflect regional culture and narratives, thereby enriching the global Roblox catalog with content that resonates with Middle‑Eastern audiences. Beyond direct creator services, Roblox plans to invest in community‑building initiatives. These may include hosting regional hackathons, sponsoring gaming tournaments, and launching scholarship schemes aimed at under‑represented groups, particularly women and youth from rural areas.
By nurturing a diverse pipeline of talent, Roblox intends to ensure that the Kingdom’s creator ecosystem is inclusive and sustainable. Economic analysts view Roblox’s move as a signal that international tech firms are increasingly confident in Saudi Arabia’s regulatory environment and its investment incentives.
The Ministry of Investment has offered tax breaks and streamlined licensing processes for foreign digital‑media companies, while the Riyadh Creative District provides state‑of‑the‑art infrastructure, co‑working spaces, and networking opportunities for creative enterprises. Together, these factors create a fertile ground for Roblox to scale its operations and to embed itself within the local digital‑economy fabric. The partnership with Savvy Games Group also opens doors for cross‑border collaboration. Savvy Games, which is jointly owned by Saudi investors and global gaming veterans, brings deep knowledge of regional consumer preferences, regulatory nuances, and market distribution channels.
By leveraging this expertise, Roblox can tailor its platform features, monetisation models, and community guidelines to better suit Saudi users while maintaining the safety and openness that define the Roblox experience worldwide. In summary, Roblox’s decision to open a Riyadh headquarters marks a strategic investment that aligns with both the company’s growth objectives and Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 aspirations. Through targeted creator programs, educational outreach, industry partnerships, and job‑creation initiatives, Roblox aims to empower a new generation of Saudi developers, diversify the Kingdom’s economy, and cement Riyadh’s status as a burgeoning hub for interactive entertainment. The initiative promises to generate significant economic impact, foster cultural exchange, and expand the global reach of the Roblox platform, all while staying true to the original mission of enabling anyone, anywhere, to become a creator.