HP has launched the HP Gaming Garage Lab at Saudi Electronic University (SEU), aiming to equip Saudi learners with the skills needed for successful careers in the gaming and esports industries. Fadle Saad, MD of HP Saudi Arabia, and Mayank Dhingra, Senior Education Business Leader at HP, discuss the initiative's goals, its alignment with Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030, and HP's broader commitment to sustainable impact and digital equity.

Q: What are the goals of HP Gaming Garage, the new lab, and how will the initiative benefit Saudi learners?

A: HP Gaming Garage is an initiative that promotes and encourages learners from all over the world to gain the skills needed to enter the gaming and esports industries. Upskilling the next generation of game developers and esports leaders is a mission that we at HP are thrilled to bring to KSA. With 23.5 million gaming enthusiasts in Saudi Arabia, the potential for the country's youth to turn that passion into fruitful careers is very exciting.

The new HP Gaming Garage Lab at Saudi Electronic University (SEU) gives students the chance to explore and develop skills in esports management and game development, preparing them for careers in the media, ICT, and esports industries. Students will benefit from the online Gaming Garage education course platform as well as the latest generation OMEN and HyperX devices installed in the new lab at SEU, in collaboration with AMD.

With the education courses available and the cutting-edge gaming devices available to use on-site, we are confident that the newly opened HP Gaming Garage Lab can be the starting point for the next generation of game development talent in Saudi.

Q: Considering the country’s 2030 goal of becoming a global gaming hub, how will HP contribute to the development of the gaming and esports industry in Saudi Arabia?

A: We are proud that the launch of the new HP Gaming Garage Lab can support KSA’s goal to become a hub for gaming excellence by 2030. Alongside SEU, we hope the facility provides the kingdom with a skilled cohort of developers who will positively impact the gaming and esports industry in Saudi Arabia.

Gaming has experienced unprecedented global growth over the past decade and has transformed into a mainstream entertainment industry with significant economic, cultural, and technological influence. The HP Gaming Garage Lab opening can bolster Saudi Arabia's ambitions for the industry by providing the perfect platform for a new generation of game development talent to gain the skills needed to make the country a global gaming force.

Q: Beyond the HP Gaming Garage, why are education initiatives important to HP and its sustainable impact goals?

A: We have a more critical role to play than ever in tackling the global challenges that confront us. HP’s vision is to be the world’s most sustainable and just technology company – we define our efforts here as our Sustainable Impact, which is embedded across all areas of our business strategy. It is part of our DNA.

A key aspect of the impact we want to drive is digital equity. In a world of increasing socioeconomic divides, HP works to accelerate equitable access to education, healthcare, and economic opportunity for those who are traditionally excluded so they can participate and thrive in a digital economy. To date, we have accelerated digital equity for 21.3 million people toward our goal to reach 150 million by 2030.

At HP, we believe that equitable access to education for young people is key for digital equity. That's why we have generated a range of initiatives that enable learning for people from all backgrounds, including the 731,000 new users reached through HP LIFE since 2016. We also continue to run the HP Innovation and Digital Education Academy (IDEA), HP Cambridge Partnership for Education EdTech Fellows, and HP Futures initiatives.

Our latest launch of the HP Gaming Garage Lab at SEU perfectly encapsulates our commitment to digital equity. Gaming now presents a wealth of opportunities for youth employment and can serve as a catalyst for economic development, skill acquisition, and innovation. The free game development and esports management courses available through the HP Gaming Garage curriculum provide a platform for all to enhance their skills and thrive in the digital economy.