Level Up Gaming CEO Mohammed Habbab on why capital alone won’t build successful studios

• Level Up was founded to bridge the gap between creative talent and commercial execution in a crowded global market.
• Level Up Interactive acts as a strategic holding arm, while Level Up Gaming runs independently as a dedicated publishing business.
• For MENA to become a true gaming powerhouse, the region must move from isolated hits to repeatable, scalable output.
• The global games market is expected to be more polarised in 2026, with rising quality expectations across all tiers.

The Dubai GameExpo Summit powered by Pocket Gamer Connects returns on May 20th and 21st 2026, offering a chance to gain insights into the world’s fastest-growing games market, MENA.

As part of our MENA coverage and run-up to the event, we caught up with Level Up Gaming founder Mohammed Habbab to discuss building a Saudi-based publisher with global ambitions, why execution matters more than hit-chasing and how the region can turn capital and talent into sustainable studios.

PocketGamer.biz: Could you tell us a bit about Level Up Gaming and what you’re up to right now? 

Mohammed Habbab: Level Up Gaming is a Saudi-based games publisher operating with a global focus. We work with independent studios from different regions to help them develop, launch and scale games for worldwide audiences.

Right now, our priority is building a focused publishing slate, strengthening our production and go-to-market capabilities and supporting our teams through key milestones, development planning, quality assurance, marketing execution and launch readiness. 

We’re very deliberate about growth. The goal isn’t volume, but to consistently ship high-quality games that can compete internationally. Our ambition is simple: to be a publisher that helps great teams ship great games for a global audience, regardless of where those teams are based. 

What gap did you see in the market that convinced you this was the right moment to make the shift into publishing? 

We saw a gap between creative talent and commercial execution. Many indie teams can build great games, but struggle with the realities of shipping in a crowded global market, scope control, production discipline, positioning and discoverability. At the same time, a lot of publishers are either very hands-off or overly prescriptive. 

We wanted to build a publisher that is deeply involved where it matters, helping indie studios own their future, not just ship their next game. With the indie market maturing and quality expectations rising, this felt like the right time to focus on execution, sustainability and long-term partnerships. 

How many staff do you currently employ and where are they based? 

Level Up Gaming operates with a core team, supported by a network of experienced external specialists across production, QA, marketing, and community.

We are headquartered in Saudi Arabia, but our team and partners are distributed globally, reflecting the international nature of our publishing business. This structure allows us to stay agile while supporting projects across different time zones and markets. 

How do you prioritise resources between Level Up Interactive and Level Up Gaming as both continue to grow? 

Level Up Gaming is owned by Level Up Interactive, but the two operate as separate entities with distinct mandates. Level Up Interactive functions as the holding, consulting and strategic arm, while Level Up Gaming is run as a dedicated publishing business with its own roadmap, priorities and operational focus. 

From a resource perspective, publishing is treated as a long-term product investment, so Level Up Gaming has ring-fenced resources aligned to game milestones, production needs, and launch cycles.

Level Up Interactive supports at a strategic level, consulting, governance, long-term planning, and shared expertise without interfering in day-to-day publishing decisions. This structure allows Level Up Gaming to stay fully focused on shipping and scaling games globally, while benefiting from the broader experience and strategic oversight of the group. 

With several games already signed, what do you look for when considering new titles? And how does your publishing model work? 

We look for games with a clear hook, strong execution potential, and realistic scope. Beyond the concept itself, we pay close attention to the team: how they plan, iterate, communicate, and respond to feedback. Key things we evaluate include: 

• The strength and clarity of the core gameplay idea.
• Early proof of quality or engagement.
• Market fit and positioning.
• Production feasibility and timeline.
• The team’s ability to ship and improve the game over time.

Our publishing model is flexible, but typically includes funding where appropriate, production oversight, QA, marketing, community support and platform coordination. We aim to act as a partner that strengthens the project without compromising the studio’s creative vision. 

Talk to us about the Poysky Productions acquisition. Why was acquiring them the right move rather than a publishing partnership? And are there any more acquisitions in the works?

Taking over Poysky Productions was a strategic decision driven by long-term alignment. Rather than focusing on a single title through a publishing deal, we saw an opportunity to build something deeper, multiple projects, shared processes and long-term IP development. 

By bringing Poysky into Level Up Gaming, we can invest more heavily in the team, align roadmaps more closely and build a sustainable multi-title pipeline. We’re open to additional acquisitions, but we’re very selective. Any future move would need to align culturally and strategically, and support our long-term publishing vision rather than short-term growth. 

As an industry veteran who spent over 15 years at Microsoft, what do you think needs to change for MENA to become a true powerhouse in gaming, on par with regions like China or the US? 

The biggest shift needed is moving from isolated success stories to sustained, repeatable output. Regions like the US and China didn’t become powerhouses because of a few hit games. They built deep operating muscle across production, publishing and commercialisation. 

For MENA, that means focusing less on potential and more on execution at scale: stronger production discipline, experienced leadership at the studio and publisher level, and a culture that values shipping, iteration, and post-launch support just as much as creativity. 

Another critical factor is building global-first thinking into development from day one, designing for international audiences, platform standards and commercial realities, while still allowing room for authentic creative voices. 

The region has capital, talent, and momentum. The real unlock is converting that into consistent pipelines, globally competitive IP and companies that can ship repeatedly, not just once. Saudi Arabia is a good example of how quickly momentum can turn into execution/investing not just in games, but in studios, publishing capability and global operating standards. That’s how true gaming powerhouses are built. 

Given your work with Merak Capital and the Excel gaming accelerator, how do you think game studios can attract more investment? And what do you wish more investors understood about backing gaming ventures in the Middle East? 

I’ve seen both sides of the equation very closely, capital and execution. The main thing studios need to do to attract more investment is reduce uncertainty.

That means going beyond creative ideas and showing real operational credibility: a clear market thesis, proof of execution through demos or traction, realistic production planning and a strong understanding of how their game becomes a business, not just a product. 

What many investors still underestimate is how operationally complex gaming really is. Success depends far less on the originality of an idea and far more on production discipline, iteration speed, quality thresholds and launch execution.

These are the areas where most projects either succeed or fail. In the Middle East specifically, there is a major opportunity right now. We’re seeing serious ambition, not just to fund individual games, but to build studios, pipelines and long-term IP. 

The region has capital, talent and government-level momentum behind gaming, especially in Saudi Arabia, which creates a rare window to build globally competitive companies from the ground up.

The investors who will win here are the ones who treat gaming as a long-term asset class, not a short-term content play, and who back teams that think globally from day one while building sustainable operations locally. That combination of capital, structure and global ambition is where the real upside lies. 

What are your predictions for the global games industry in 2026, and what gaps do you see as most urgent to address over the next five years? 

By 2026, the global games industry will be more polarised. At the top end, large franchises and proven studios will continue to absorb a disproportionate share of player attention and platform support. At the same time, the indie and mid-tier space will remain vibrant but significantly more competitive, with far less tolerance for unfinished or poorly positioned releases. 

Quality expectations will keep rising, not just in visuals, but in stability, onboarding, performance and post-launch support. Players now expect a complete experience at launch, regardless of team size, and early access alone won’t compensate for weak execution. The most urgent gaps to address over the next five years are: 

• Discoverability and audience building: Getting noticed will remain the single biggest challenge, especially for PC and premium indies. Publishers and studios will need to invest earlier in community and positioning, not just marketing at launch. 

• Sustainable production models: Many teams still overscope or underestimate timelines. Healthier planning, smaller but more polished releases and better milestone discipline will be essential. 

• Commercial and operational expertise: There is still a shortage of strong producers, monetisation designers, live ops planners and marketing operators roles that directly impact a game’s success. 

• Long-term thinking: The industry needs fewer “one-game bets” and more studios built around multi-title roadmaps and IP longevity. Overall, success in 2026 won’t come from chasing trends, but from consistent execution, smart positioning and disciplined publishing, and that’s where we believe publishers can add the most value. 

What should we expect from Level Up Gaming this year? And are there any specific initiatives or projects on the horizon that we should look forward to? 

This year is about shipping, scaling, and strengthening our publishing platform. Of course, you can expect new announcements around our signed titles, continued expansion of our publishing capabilities, and a strong focus on delivering successful global launches. 

Our platform strategy is driven by fit rather than trends, with a strong focus on PC and other global platforms where our games and audiences align best. We’re also working on initiatives designed to help studios scale more effectively, and we’ll be sharing more as those plans mature.