Tailored online games prove a good fit

Across the Middle East, young Arabs are increasingly eschewing the traditional pastimes of their parents and instead hunker in front of computer screens, chatting with friends and playing games.

Since 2000, internet penetration in the region has increased more than tenfold to almost 46m users last year, according to Internet World Statistics. Telecoms operators are rolling out high-speed internet to most of the region, and broadband use has exploded.

Increased bandwidth has allowed online computer gaming to take off.