In an exclusive interview with Falafel Games and Nifty Craft founder Vince Ghossoub, we delve into the dynamic landscape of the MENA region's games industry with a spotlight on The World of Nifty Craft, a 2D fantasy sandbox multiplayer RPG featuring a real-time card battler combat system and high stakes real-time PvPvE battles.
Ghossoub shares insights into the game's innovation and its impact on the local gaming scene. Beyond product discussions, he elaborates on his company's commitment to nurturing local talent and explores how the MENA games industry is poised to evolve over the coming years.
PocketGamer.Biz: Could you tell us a bit about Nifty Craft and what you’re up to right now?
Vince Ghossoub: We are building The World of Nifty Craft, a first time mashup between deckbuilder and MMO. Importantly, it utilises our own solution Craftware, used to develop meta features fast and enables interoperability, which we will be sharing with other studios after The Wonc is released - currently scheduled for June's Steam Next Fest.
How many staff do you currently employ and where are they based?
We currently have 14 people on the team. Seven in MENA and seven others in various countries.
What sets The World of Nifty Craft apart from other card battler titles? And do you plan on releasing the game on mobile in future?
For now it is the only Card Battler MMO I'm aware of! Also it has a player-driven economy.
What inspired the creation of Craftware, your own game economy backend? How does it enhance the gameplay experience for both players and developers?
We're a long-lived team with experience mostly in RPGs and strategy, two genres that represent $50 billion yearly and utilise many meta-features. We decided to put a bow tie on our own internal libraries and offer them to other studios. Craftware will help them accelerate development and focus on the game, and the development of more games on the Craftware platform will help improve it.
Also, in the past, we always had power players appreciate the items that carry benefits in multiple games. They asked us to provide them with items with benefits in games that we don't even control! Hence came the idea of interoperability enablement, which fits Craftware very smoothly since we orchestrate the account items anyway.
What factors led to your decision to focus on Nifty Craft, and what are your plans for Falafel Games? Will the team develop more mobile titles in future?
Falafel Games is in work-for-hire mode, leveraging our expertise and libraries in strategy games. Nifty Craft has a larger target market (global), utilises state-of-the-art technology, and is innovating in game design. What more can I ask for?
What do you see as the current opportunities and challenges facing the games industry in the wider MENA region? And how do you see the region evolving in the coming years?
Consumer opportunities are plenty as long as the content is world-class. Localisation is great but comes as a cherry on top, unlike the old days. The main challenges are talent and investor fluency with the industry and, secondarily, the dire disposable incomes in North Africa. Proximate successes could help alleviate the first issue while we have to wait for macro factors to unlock the floodgates of the second issue.
Is there anything that you are doing to help develop and nurture local industry talent?
Building a successful team in the region is, in my opinion, the most noble contribution one can make to local talent. It generates learnings, new content, and funds from which the rest of the environment could benefit.
Can you share on the role of Alphalabs Capital and your other investors in supporting the growth of Nifty Craft?
Nifty Craft's shareholder base is diverse and provides valuable insight and expertise in gaming, tech, and web3.
What are your plans for 2024? Are there any specific initiatives or projects on the horizon that we should look forward to?
We are releasing The World of Nifty Craft in the summer - please wishlist or join our discord! Craftware will utilise The Wonc's success as a showcase of our tech abilities after that. Some projects are currently on the design board that complement this tech-based strategy.
Be part of our next MENA event!
After a triumphant first year in 2023, The Dubai GameExpo Summit powered by PG Connects returns on May 1st to 2nd, 2024 alongside the Dubai Esports and Games Festival at the Dubai World Trade Centre.
The summit will feature more than 100 renowned games industry speakers from all over the globe delivering insightful talks, panels and seminars across a number of themed tracks.
There will be extensive networking opportunities for anyone looking to get established in the region, whether you're a developer looking for a local publisher, or interested in exporting a hot new game from MENA to find a global audience.
The event kicks off this week grab your tickets on sale now!
