Interview with the Head of the Commission for Entertainment Software and Computer Games of the Professional Computer Systems Organization

As reported by IDEA, in an Interview with the head of the Commission for Entertainment Software and Computer Games of the Professional Computer Systems Organization in Tehran, the issue of Iranian game developers’ exclusion from Google Play facilities was discussed.

Google Play, one of the largest and most popular global app stores, is currently filtered in Iran. Many foreign and Iranian applications were available on this platform before its filtration and accessible to Iranian users.

Now, due to the filter on Google Play, many Iranian game developers are unable to release their products on the world’s largest app store. This issue not only harms game developers but also affects local app stores, as all games on these stores are domestically developed.

Users resort to VPNs to access foreign games on Google Play, which not only comes with the disadvantages of using VPNs but also restricts the target audience of domestic app stores.

In recent months, the game industry in the country has faced serious challenges due to the filtering of Google Play.

The public relations office of Nasr interviewed Abolfazl Sadegh, the head of the Commission for Entertainment Software and Computer Games of the Professional Computer Systems Organization in Tehran. In this interview, he explains the major problems of the gaming industry.

Considering the published statistics, the country’s gaming industry is not in a good state. To what extent does the filtering of the Google Play app contribute to this situation?

According to the statistics of the National Foundation for Computer Games, we have around 32 million gamers in Iran. This statistic demonstrates the significant role of video games in people’s entertainment. With the restrictive conditions that the government has imposed on game developers, the industry has practically been pushed toward destruction. This means that we are in the process of losing the country’s most important cultural tool.

Unfortunately, Google Play’s filtering in the past year has caused irreparable damage to the country’s gaming industry. It has essentially disrupted the businesses of active companies in this field. Advertising costs on local platforms are not economical and do not yield positive ROI. In fact, we are stuck in a flawed cycle that worsens every day.

Unfortunately, with the filtering of Google Play, not only the marketing sector has been affected, but also the development tools that Google Play provided to developers have been taken out of reach. We can no longer utilize these capabilities. The reason for this issue is the blockage of our users’ access channels in this section. As a result, we also face difficulties in the process of game development and optimization.

Some supporters of the Google Play filter believe that this filter leads to the growth and prosperity of domestic app stores. Can domestic app stores be a replacement for Google Play?

Domestic app stores should coexist with Google Play. The notion that domestic app stores can replace Google Play is a completely mistaken idea. The long-term filtering of Google Play also harms domestic app stores. Most of the games available in local stores such as Bazaar and Myket are Iranian-made. If this trend continues, Iranian users will not be the target market for developers, and eventually, the revenues that could have been generated through the creation and development of new games for local stores will be lost. It’s time for domestic app stores to make changes in their business model. Currently, the share of domestic stores in-game sales is 30%, a share that is not proportional to the services they provide. Domestic app stores should focus on generating revenue through advertisements, and the developers’ share should be reduced to zero. Through this process, developers will allocate a larger budget to attract users through domestic platforms.

in this interview you can also read: Last year, many problems arose for companies in the country’s startup ecosystem, and many industry professionals decided to migrate from the country. Considering these challenges and the upward trend of skilled professionals’ migration in this field, how do you evaluate the future of this industry in Iran?

Iranian startups experienced their toughest days last year. We are still facing problems such as filtering and the threat of the government’s partial ownership in large startup companies. Raising these issues not only does not discourage us but also motivates us to strive harder to obtain our rights. Those who raise these issues are the true enemies of the growth and development of the country’s digital economy, youth, and talents. We hope that within the government there are individuals who will make the right decisions so that we can soon witness the removal of filters on Google Play, YouTube, and other platforms.

Currently, countries in the Persian Gulf region have allocated substantial budgets for games and entertainment and are seeking revenue generation through this industry. In fact, these countries aim to replace their oil revenues with income from this industry. Most of these countries are sourcing their workforce from Iran, which has led to problems in attracting skilled personnel for game development. Unfortunately, migration among professionals in this field has become very common.

Due to the high-income potential of the gaming industry, many European countries provide significant support to game developers. This support includes tax exemptions or covering 50% of the game development costs. In Iran, not only do such support measures for game developers not exist, but with the filtering of multiple platforms, we are effectively witnessing the destruction of the gaming industry.