Young online gamers without access to credit cards account for a majority of revenue on
cashU, the largest Internet payment system in the Middle East and Africa.
cashU’s prepaid cash card model enables users to make payments on the biggest names in online multiplayer gaming – World of Warcraft, Maplestory, and Runescape, which have a multi-million user base globally, and a loyal fan base in the Middle East. Multiplayer games have a strong social aspect and are therefore regionally dominant, similar to social networking websites that are dominant in certain countries. With over 5 million users, Maplestory is one of the fastest growing MMORPGs (Massively Multiplayer Online Role Playing Game) in the Middle East, and one of the biggest draws for
cashU.
Acknowledging this growing niche, a Middle East version of Maplestory is planned in Q4 this year. Massively multiplayer games have explored many different distribution models, and many of them can be freely downloaded and experienced for a trial period. Typically the user only pays for a subscription fee, but there exists a third party market for virtual gold, which can be used to buy armor, weaponry, and spells.
cashU has a vast offering of gaming merchants in this niche as well – Offgamers and Guy4game being one of the most reputed ones. Browser based multiplayer games have a distinct advantage over traditional games as they do not require any software installation and target casual gamers. With over 500,000 users, Travian – an online multiplayer strategy game is one of
cashU’s top gaming merchants, as it supports Arabic.