In many regions across the world, the burgeoning field of game development is both a creative and economic opportunity for many young people. Many governments are seeking to capitalise on and encourage this, and Jordan is no exception. The App Challenge is intended to educate and encourage young people to get into all aspects of game development, such as the coding, pitching and marketing of apps. Students are given equipment, training and support by teachers all the way through the development of their own mobile game app.

The app challenge was created through government policy implemented by the Jordanian King Abdullah II. The App Challenge is available to Jordanian students from 14-16 years old and teaches them about Unity development, art, game design, user experience and business development. Winners will receive $5,000 for their school to help establish a mobile gaming lab in their respective schools, as well as personal prizes for those in the top three teams. As noted on a blog post by the organisers, the purpose of the challenge “...aims to motivate Jordanian youth to unleash their creativity and energies in the digital field and direct them towards a knowledge economy that will benefit local communities.”

Hand of the King

As the organisers note, “With the world in their hands, it’s no wonder that the younger generations are more engaged with technology than any other generation before them,” and the App Challenge has been an important part of inspiring young Jordanians to take on the idea of developing digital apps. Mobile gaming as a whole is accessible, and one of the best ways for young people to get a taste of game development. Especially given that the gaming space in Jordan and the MENA (Middle-East and North Africa) region in general is growing massively, with many such as the Jordanian sibling development duo Sakura Studios who we interviewed back on October 8th.

With how rapidly the MENA region is becoming a formidable force in the mobile gaming industry it’s no surprise that PGC Jordan is set to be a massive event. We’re also conducting MENA Month to further promote stories, studios and business news within this burgeoning market. If you’re familiar with some of the amazing speakers and events we previously had this year at PGC Helsinki, then you’ll be excited to know PGC Jordan is set to be just as great.