The opportunity for anime games in MENA

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Anime's popularity around the world has been on the rise in recent years.

According to research firm Bernstein, the anime streaming market could be worth $16 billion by 2030, up from $5.5bn in 2023. Whether those ambitious forecasts come to fruition, the prediction is indicative of its trajectory.

MENA games publisher Tamatem recently launched Land of Heroes, one of the first Arabic anime RPGs available in the region on mobile.

We spoke with the company's group product manager Shorouq Ghneim to find our more about the project, localising it for Arabic speakers, and just how popular anime is in the MENA region.

PocketGamer.biz: Anime games haven’t traditionally been a major focus in the Arabic gaming market. Why did you decide to publish Land of Heroes? 

Shorouq Ghneim: While anime-style games haven’t traditionally been a major focus in the Arabic gaming market, we’ve seen a clear shift in player interests at Tamatem.

The demand for RPGs in MENA has grown steadily, and anime, in general, has had a strong cultural presence in the region for decades. Despite this, many high-quality anime RPGs have never been fully localised for Arabic players.

Land of Heroes is a game that bridges that gap. It offers deep RPG mechanics while still being approachable for casual players, which makes it a great fit for the region.

More importantly, we saw an opportunity to properly adapt the game for Arabic-speaking players and not just translate it. By handling localisation, cultural adjustments, and community engagement the right way, we’re making sure Land of Heroes actually feels like it belongs in the MENA market.

How popular are anime-style games among Arabic-speaking gamers? Are there specific trends or data points that suggest a growing demand for them? 

Anime has been a part of Arabic pop culture for decades. Many players grew up watching Japanese anime dubbed into Arabic, with classics like Grendizer and Captain Tsubasa shaping entire generations.

More recently, the rise of anime streaming platforms, conventions, and local anime events has made anime even more mainstream.

From a gaming perspective, we’re seeing clear signs of growth:

• 5% to 10% of MENA mobile gamers identify as anime fans.
• Anime-themed gaming communities on social media are expanding rapidly.
• Saudi Arabia has one of the highest anime consumption rates in the world.

We’ve also noticed that some anime RPGs have gained traction in the region, but they often lack full Arabic localisation.

That creates a barrier for players who love the genre but want a smoother, more immersive experience in their own language. Land of Heroes is filling that gap.

How big of a project was Land of Heroes compared to your other localized games? 

Land of Heroes has been one of the biggest and most complex localisation projects done at Tamatem. 

Unlike casual games, which mainly require UI translation, RPGs come with huge amounts of text, intricate game mechanics, and deep storytelling, all of which need careful adaptation.

This project required:

• A full UI/UX localisation, ensuring that right-to-left (RTL) text works seamlessly.
• Cultural adaptation for in-game events, characters, and themes to feel natural for Arabic players.
• Community-driven engagement strategies, including partnerships with regional influencers and anime content creators. 
• By the launch of the project, we localised almost two million words, 5,000+ voice over files, and almost 1,000 UI assets.

The amount of dialogue, menus, quests, and in-game systems we had to localise made Land of Heroes one of the most time-intensive and detail-oriented projects we’ve tackled.

Does Tamatem see anime games as a long-term opportunity in MENA, or is this more of a test to gauge interest?

This isn’t just a test, we see anime games as a huge long-term opportunity in MENA.

Anime culture in the region is growing every year, and gaming is naturally following that trend.

Land of Heroes is our first step into properly localised anime RPGs, and we see a lot of potential in this space.

If this launch performs well, we plan to expand our portfolio with more anime-style games, whether through partnerships with global developers or possibly even original IPs tailored for Arabic audiences.

What are the biggest challenges in adapting anime RPGs for Arabic audiences?

Adapting anime RPGs for the MENA region comes with unique challenges:

1. Cultural sensitivity: Some character designs, themes, or outfits need adjustments to better align with the region’s preferences.

2. Language and storytelling: RPGs have heavy dialogue and intricate storytelling, and simple translation doesn’t cut it – we need to rewrite and adapt many parts while keeping the anime charm intact.

3. Right-to-left (RTL) UI adjustments: Arabic is an RTL language, which means everything from menus to button placements must be adjusted for readability. 

4. Monetisation and player behaviour: Players in MENA engage with RPGs differently than those in Asia or the West. Monetisation mechanics have to cater to the Arab player’s interests while still maintaining fair gameplay without having rigid paywalls.

5. Market Education: While anime RPGs are growing, they’re still not fully mainstream. A big part of this launch is educating players who might be used to more traditional mobile games.

These aren’t just one-time fixes, they require ongoing effort, testing, and adaptation.

What factors do you think determine whether an anime RPG succeeds in the MENA market?

There are a few key things that can make or break an anime RPG in MENA:

1. Strong localisation: Arabic players expect a game that feels native to them, not just translated. Everything from the UI to the character dialogue needs to feel natural.

2. Cultural adaptation: Certain visuals, themes, and in-game events should be tweaked to resonate better with MENA players.

3. Live operations: The game has to have a variety of in-game events ranging from PVE to PVP for players to participate in as individuals, but also part of teams, alliances, and kingdoms. 

4. Community engagement: Strong social media engagement, online community pages, and influencer partnerships make a massive difference.

5. Smart anime marketing: Anime fans aren’t just gamers, they’re part of a bigger entertainment culture. Tapping into anime influencers, conventions, and trends helps make these games stand out.

When all these elements align, an anime RPG has a high chance of success in MENA.

Are there plans to publish more anime-style games in the future, perhaps even original IPs developed for Arabic audiences?

Yes, at Tamatem we are actively exploring opportunities to expand our portfolio with more anime-style games.

This includes collaborating with international developers to localise popular titles and investing in the creation of original IPs that cater specifically to the tastes and preferences of Arabic-speaking gamers.

Our goal is to blend the captivating elements of anime with narratives and characters that reflect the rich tapestry of Arab culture.