European esports organisation Fnatic has signed an exclusive retail partnership with Xcite by Alghanim Electronics, Kuwait’s largest electronic retailer.
The partnership marks the first time Fnatic Gear products will be available in the Middle East. The organisation’s gear will be obtainable in over 50 stores across Kuwait and the KSA by next year.
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Middle Eastern consumers will now have access to Fnatic product lines including the REACT headset, miniSTREAK keyboard, and the new STREAK65 compact keyboard.
This partnership builds off of other key distribution deals made this year in Japan, Singapore and India.
Sam Mathews, Founder and CEO at Fnatic commented: “We are always looking for ways to seek out, level up and amplify every gamer on the planet, and having Xcite as our exclusive retail partner allows us to reach and interact with the growing esports market across the Middle East. We are thrilled to get our products in the hands of gamers who haven’t been able to experience them before.”
X-cite by Alghanim Electronics is the largest multi-brand electronics retailer in Kuwait with a collection of over 300 global brands. Alghanim Industries is one of the largest, privately-owned companies in the Gulf region, operating more than 30 businesses.
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Waseem Sultani, Category Manager for Kuwait and the KSA at Xcite, added: “The launch of Fnatic across Xcite showrooms in Kuwait and the KSA will allow gamers to experience the best in class gaming products.”
Fnatic has had no shortage of strategic partnerships this year ranging from talent (Not3s) to vehicles (BMW) to education (GamerzClass), not to mention a multitude of global retailers.
Nishant Sharma, Category Head at Xcite commented: “We are excited to launch Fnatic across our stores. This will provide a quality offering for gamers and esports enthusiasts.”
According to Newzoo, the number of gamers in the Middle East and Africa outpaced the number in North America in 2019. By 2022, the Middle East and Africa are expected to surpass Europe in terms of players.
Esports Insider says: Fnatic may be based in esports, but it is a lifestyle brand at heart. Partnerships in countries that are experiencing a growing interest in esports are especially timely for longterm success.