Saudi Arabia Ranks Second Among G20 in ICT Development for Second Year

A night view of Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. (SPA)
A night view of Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. (SPA)
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Saudi Arabia Ranks Second Among G20 in ICT Development for Second Year

A night view of Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. (SPA)
A night view of Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. (SPA)

Saudi Arabia ranked second among the Group of Twenty (G20) countries for the second consecutive time in the 2024 ICT Development Index published by the United Nations International Telecommunication Union (ITU).

The index tracks the digital development and progress of 170 countries in information and communication technology (ICT) services through sub-indicators divided into two axes: inclusive and effective communication.

The Kingdom also ranked first among the G20 countries in the effective communication axis and second in the inclusive communication axis, underscoring the continuous development of the communication and technology sector in the Kingdom, and its efforts to build and strengthen it.

These efforts have helped in achieving the global ranking and boosting the Kingdom's leadership in relevant international indices.

The Communications, Space and Technology Commission (CST) said the Kingdom's continuous progress in the index highlights the strength of its digital infrastructure and its contribution to driving the growth and development of the digital economy, as well as attracting investments.

The Kingdom's communication and technology market is the largest and fastest growing in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, with an estimated value of SR166 billion.

The penetration rate of mobile subscriptions has reached 198% of the population, and the average monthly data consumption per capita in the Kingdom exceeds the global average by threefold.

The ICT Development Index published by the ITU measures digital development and the strength of digital infrastructure, providing comprehensive and transparent data and methodology that were developed in partnership with member states and expert teams in the field.



Ubisoft Unveils ‘Creative Houses’ Model as First-Quarter Bookings Miss Expectations

The logo of Ubisoft is seen in Montreuil, near Paris, France, July 13, 2020. (Reuters)
The logo of Ubisoft is seen in Montreuil, near Paris, France, July 13, 2020. (Reuters)
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Ubisoft Unveils ‘Creative Houses’ Model as First-Quarter Bookings Miss Expectations

The logo of Ubisoft is seen in Montreuil, near Paris, France, July 13, 2020. (Reuters)
The logo of Ubisoft is seen in Montreuil, near Paris, France, July 13, 2020. (Reuters)

France's lead videogame maker Ubisoft announced on Tuesday a sweeping reorganization of its internal structure, shifting to autonomous "Creative Houses" tailored to specific gaming genres, as it reported first-quarter net bookings that fell short of expectations.

The company said in a call that the leadership of each Creative House would be selected based on specific gaming genres, and could include those from creative or technical backgrounds, as part of the new approach.

"These units will reflect our diverse types of gaming experiences and will allow for enhanced quality, focus, autonomy and accountability," CEO and co-founder Yves Guillemot said in a statement.

The first such unit, jointly owned with China's Tencent, will manage flagship franchises including Assassin's Creed, Far Cry, and Rainbow Six. Co-CEOs Christophe Derennes and Charlie Guillemot will lead brand development across multiple platforms.

Ubisoft plans to roll out the full organizational changes by the end of the year.

The company reported first-quarter net bookings of 281.6 million euros ($305.7 million), missing its target of around 310 million euros and marking a 2.9% decline from the same period of last year.

It attributed the shortfall to a weaker-than-expected performance from the Rainbow Six Siege game and the delay of a partnership now expected in the second quarter.

Despite the miss, Ubisoft reiterated its full-year guidance and forecast second-quarter net bookings of approximately 450 million euros.

Upcoming releases include Anno 117: Pax Romana, a Prince of Persia remake, and mobile titles Rainbow Six Mobile and The Division Resurgence.