This year's Game Zanga (Special Edition) event has concluded with participation from game developers across the MENA region. Participants were allowed to win prizes of up to 38,000 Saudi Riyals that were distributed amongst 10 categories.

Sponsored by Tanafus Information Technology and Ghares platform, Game Zanga (Special Edition) started on February 29, 2024, with an opening video by manager Danar Kayfi, followed by a speech from co-founder and CEO of Starvania Studio Meaad Aflah, and tips from game developer Ahmed Mohamed.

After the theme, "Gharsa" (Plant/Implant), was revealed, Game Zanga concluded after 72 hours with participation from more than 800 developers from across 12 Arab countries, resulting in the creation of over 200 games!

Game Zanga 2024 results

Here are the summarized results of the awards:

1. First Place: "Nightfall Forest" by Kabreet Games - Award: 10,000 Saudi riyals.

2. Second Place: "Forest Spirits" by Fadrik - Award: 6,500 Saudi riyals.

3. Third Place: "World of Seeds" by AbdrahmanSoliman - Award: 4,000 Saudi riyals.

4. Best Use of Theme: "Florisher" by Ahmed Khalifa - Award: 2,500 Saudi riyals.

5. Most Fun Game: "Zalami Yugharis Qiyam Alzulumia" by DMG4 - Award: 2,500 Saudi riyals.

6. Best Creativity: "Sokopling" by RetroGears - Award: 2,500 Saudi riyals.

7. Best Graphics: "Nightfall Forest" by Kabreet Games - Award: 2,500 Saudi riyals.

8. Best Sound Design: "Fal Yaghrishha" by Sop - Award: 2,500 Saudi riyals.

9. Best Use and Support of the Arabic Language: "Adventure of Gharsoon" by Xerise Studio - Award: 2,500 Saudi riyals.

10. Best Game by Audience Vote: "Implant Mission: The Lost Tree" by HatemMehana - Award: 2,500 Saudi riyals.

Jurys and judging criteria

During the judging moments of the Special Edition event, evaluations were collected from the public as well, surpassing 5,000 assessments. Jury members include:

Issam Al-Shahwan - Video game reviewer and podcast presenter
Fawzi Mesmar - VP of global creative at Ubisoft
Ahmed Majdoubi - Game designer and head of the game design department
Hussein Musa - Game content expert
Ahmad Saqfalhait - Professor of game design at the American University in Cairo
Samer Abbas - Co-founder of the first edition of Game Zanga and an expert in MENA games market entry & developer relations

Games were evaluated based on the criteria of theme integration, entertainment value, creativity, graphics, sound design, and use of the Arabic language.

“Game Zanga has been a beacon of inspiration and motivation for game makers in the Arabic region since 2011, igniting creativity and now, in the recent years, lighting the way for a new generation of game creators," said the event Organisers.

Much like the previous event, this year's Game Zanga (Special Edition) highlighted the exceptional talent and creativity of developers in the MENA region. With over 5,000 public evaluations and expert jury judgment, the event showcased innovation and dedication to inspire future generations of developers to push the boundaries of game design in the region.