"The market, both in MENA and at a global scale, is becoming increasingly competitive"

• Steer Studios eyes major 2026 milestone with second game launch.
• CEO Yannick Theler named among Saudi Arabia’s Top 100 business leaders.
• Entertainment and gaming cemented as pillars of Vision 2030.
• Tom & Jerry Blast global launch targeted for this year.

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 Saudi Arabia’s games industry gathers momentum under Vision 2030, few studios sit closer to the centre of that transformation than Savvy Games Group subsidiary Steer Studios. 

Following a milestone year that saw CEO Yannick Theler named among the Kingdom’s Top 100 business leaders, we caught up with him to discuss what the recognition means for gaming’s place in Saudi Arabia’s broader economy, progress on the studio’s next title and how Steer is thinking about long-term opportunity across an increasingly competitive market.

PocketGamer.biz: We last spoke in December. Now that we’re into the new year, how are you feeling about the road ahead for Steer? 

Yannick Theler: I’m feeling positive about what 2026 will bring for the Studio and for our players. We are working hard and making positive progress toward the release of our second game, which will mark a significant milestone for the entire team. 

You were the only representative from the games industry recognised among Saudi Arabia’s Top 100 business leaders. How did that feel personally? 

It is an honour to be recognised within the broader KSA business landscape. There are excellent advancements happening here in all kinds of industries, so to be part of that list makes me very proud of the hard work invested into Steer Studios, not just by me, but by everyone working here. 

It is a strong indicator of the success of the entire games industry here in KSA as we continue to build on our goals at a national level. 

What do you think the award signals about gaming’s place within the Kingdom’s broader business landscape? 

It is, of course, very clear that entertainment at large and gaming specifically are a significant industry for the Kingdom and a key pillar of Vision 2030’s economic diversification strategy. Being recognised alongside leaders from other sectors demonstrates how far the industry has come. 

We see this with both the Esports World Cup and with how Savvy has gone from strength to strength since being founded half a decade ago. There is an immense pool of talent within the Kingdom, both from expats and Saudi nationals, and I’m looking forward to continuing to contribute to the growth of KSA’s video games industry. 

Tom & Jerry Blast has already generated interest in the region. Can you share any updates on the timeline for a broader global release? 

We’re targeting a release this year, and the team is hard at work. Working with an iconic IP like Tom & Jerry demonstrates the calibre of projects we’re able to attract to the region and we’re committed to delivering the best possible experience for players.

Right now, our primary focus is on development, and we’ll share more details when we’re ready. 

Where do you see the greatest long-term opportunity for studios in the MENA region, and how is Steer thinking about platform focus at this stage? 

The market, both in MENA and at a global scale, is becoming increasingly competitive. Working within an attention economy makes live service lucrative, but also riskier, with consistent updates a requirement. 

For MENA studios, as for all studios, it is important to find balance within your portfolio. In my opinion, it is important to showcase the region's creative identity, focusing less on the platform but on building recognisable IP that can travel across them.