New Partnerships
Savvy Games Group signs MoU with Unity to boost opportunities for Saudi games developers
Qualifying projects gain free access to Unity’s backend, analytics, ads, and multiplayer tools
Expanding Partnerships
DMCC and Xsolla announce Accelerator and Incubator Programme at Gamescom 2025
The new programme aims to connect MENA talent with global publishers and investors
Funding News
Fahy Studios secures $1.75m to scale its mobile game production
Funds will go towards expanding its capabilities and attracting talent to the kingdom
Investment News
Exel by Merak invests $300,000 each in 17 gaming startups at its first Demo Day
Over 300 applicants competed for a place in the accelerator
Marvellous Mena
Kucheza Gaming CEO Bukola Akingbade on building Africa’s future through play and education
"African studios must build business models that can sustain themselves right from day one"
Winners Revealed
Savvy Games Group and HP conclude GameOn GameJam with winning teams revealed
Winners to join Savvy Academy’s three-month Incubator Program in collaboration with Xsolla
Marvellous Mena
Dubai to host first Middle East government pavilion at Gamescom 2025
Pavilion to spotlight Dubai’s goal of becoming a top 10 global games hub by 2033
Training Camp
Maliyo Games opens applications for 2025 GameUp Africa Bootcamp
12-week remote program covers game art, design, and audio
Jobs In Games
Jobs in Games: Rababa Games' Mohammad Al-Qawasmeh on how to build a career as a programmer
In this series, we highlight the talented team members working in the games industry and how they got their break
Investment News
Impact46 invests $6.7m in five Saudi game studios
Investments align with Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 and National Gaming Strategy
Expansions
Territory Studio partner with Savvy Games Group to expand into the Middle East
Territory will open its first Middle East location in Riyadh later this year
Marvellous Mena
"I was pleasantly surprised that singers actually want to be in video games"
Masseka Games founder Teddy Kossoko on building a mobile game that monetises celebrity feuds
New Partnerships
Clear Angle Studios expands into South Africa via Robot Air partnership
The move eliminates the need to import scanning personnel and gear for South African shoots
Marvellous Mena
Mekan Games founder Evans Kiragu on targeting global markets, prototyping strategy and embracing web-first development
"While funding is good and welcomed, it is a full-time job as well to get it."
Pgc Aqaba
Why you can’t afford to overlook the MENA market
Save $445 with Super Early Bird rates to Pocket Gamer Connects Aqaba
Studio Closure
Sandsoft shuts down Riyadh and Barcelona studios
The Saudi mobile company moves to double down on publishing
Studio Closure
Stillfront shuts down Super Free Games as part of strategic portfolio review
Closures to mark first part of restructure, the company said
New Partnerships
Savvy Games Group and King Abdulaziz University partner to launch diplomas in games and esports
The new academic programmes aim to blend classroom learning with hands-on industry experience
Earnings Report
Stillfront Q2 revenue falls as Europe and North America underperform
Swedish firm aims to capitalise on the slow release of new mobile titles
Expansions
Apple launches online store and app in Saudi Arabia with Arabic support
Flagship Apple Stores also coming to Saudi Arabia in 2026
Pgc Aqaba
Don’t sleep on the MENA games market - Why Aqaba should be your next stop
Explore the MENA games industry at Pocket Gamer Connects Aqaba on November 8th to 9th
Hot Five
Hot Five: Rollic’s 1,000 ideations per month, Coin Master - Board Adventure soft launch, and Uma Musume: Pretty Derby’s post-expansion performance
Our quick-fix roundup of the hottest stories on PocketGamer.biz
Podcast | Episode 61
Zynga's successes and failures, and Moon Active takes the fight to Scopely | Week in Mobile Games podcast
The PocketGamer.biz podcast team give you the state of play every week. Here's where to get it and what's inside this week's episode 61...
Marvellous Mena
MENA-3 games market set to reach $2.8bn by 2029
A Niko Partners report found that the region had 72 million gamers at the end of 2024
Expansions
Side signs deal with Savvy Games Group to open Riyadh office
Firm plans to not only support Savvy’s initiatives but also launch its own training programmes in Saudi Arabia
Game Update
Steer Studios pulls Grunt Rush from app stores for planned updates
The studio’s debut title is currently unavailable to new players
Esports World Cup
Esports World Cup 2025 begins in Riyadh with record $70m prize pool
Of the prize pool, $27m will be spread across the top 16 clubs while this year’s winner will earn $7m
Marvellous Mena
How African game studios can compete globally
“We need to attract our diaspora back or collaborate with international partners to upskill and polish local talents"
Marvellous Mena
Gimzat Studios co-founders Khaled Mansour and Ahmed Khalaf talk hybridcasual strategy, platform priorities and MENA opportunities
"To reach Africa’s growing mobile audience, localisation and device optimisation are critical."
New Offerings
Savvy Games Group and PNU’s Applied College sign MoU to equip women for careers in games development
Training will cover areas like concept design, 3D modelling, animation and interactive storytelling
Marvellous Mena
Gamezop commits $4m to expand in the Middle East with a new office in Bahrain
The company plans to onboard 1,000 new apps and hit $6m revenue within 18 months
Studio Closure
Hypercasual game studio Yayy closes
Following Yayy's closure, CEO Ziad Talge co-founded MyLuigi with AI and cloud expert Sukhdeep Johar, securing $125,000 in funding
Developer Learning
Carry1st’s Dominion Ero partners with Udemy to launch game development programme for African youth
The Initiative aims to provide a structured learning path covering industry fundamentals
Annivasery
“We're not just building games, we're building habits”
UMX Studio CEO Ali Alharbi on the developer's 11th anniversary, studio growth, Jetapult funding and lessons learned
Expansions
True Gamers expands in Saudi Arabia with four new esports venues in Riyadh
The agreement marks the company’s first multi-location launch in Saudi Arabia
Lagos Games Week Takeaways
Five takeaways from Lagos Games Week 2025: Strong networking, weak panels, and 'one hit' debate returns
The two-day event had no major announcements, but there were still plenty of talking points around the state of the African games industry
Marvellous Mena
Maliyo Games founder Hugo Obi talks investing in talent, funding challenges and launching MaliyoCon
"Mobile gaming today is more like running a media company than launching a static product"
Lagos Games Week
“There's no big game that's made by just one studio"
Virtuos business development manager Soukayna Ennaji discusses industry outsourcing and growing Africa's games industry
Lagos Games Week
Lagos Games Week 2025 kicks off week of talks, exhibitions and showcases
The event will feature global players like Ubisoft, Ustwo Games and Nintendo’s Digital Schoolhouse
Training Camp
Khalifa Fund opens registration for 8th Venturist Summer Camp focused on game development
“The camp will also prepare students for freelance and future career opportunities in the gaming sector,” said Khalifa Fund acting CEO Mouza Al Nasri
Pocket Gamer Connects Aqaba
Tickets for Pocket Gamer Connects Aqaba 2025 now live
New name, new location - same unmissable two-day event coming to MENA
Marvellous Mena
Dubai’s games industry surges with 260 game developers and 16.6% growth rate
Data shows that 67% of game companies have their headquarters in Dubai
Marvellous Mena
Abu Dhabi University launches region’s first BA in Game Design
The program will offer a wide range of courses including genre-specific studies such as first-person shooters and mobile games
Esports World Cup
Esports World Cup Foundation partners with Amazon in three-year deal
“With Amazon, we are bringing esports into everyday digital lives for millions of people around the world,” said Esports World Cup Foundation COO Mike McCabe.
Market Report
Asia and MENA games markets hit $86.6 billion in 2024
Revenue is projected to reach $96bn by 2029
New Partnerships
Khalifa Fund and Inovartic partner to support UAE games startups
Support will come in form of incubation, specialised training, and financial aid
New Partnerships
Tencent’s Level Infinite and Invest Qatar sign MoU to boost the country's games industry
Both parties will collaborate on talent development initiatives to drive long-term growth
Earnings Report
Yalla Group records $83.9m revenue in Q1 2025 despite 8% decline in paying users
The company's game services generated $30.1m
New Offerings
Why investor Jetapult is building AI platform GamePac
“Our philosophy is that tools should adapt to the studio, not the other way around," said Jetapult CEO Sharan Tulsiani
New Offerings
Moonton has soft launched MLBB Lite in Algeria, Egypt, Nigeria, and South Africa
A streamlined version of the developer's popular Mobile Legends: Bang Bang