Game Devs and Studios in MENA (Regularly Updated)

Image via Starvania Studio

The MENA game development scene is considerably broader than the handful of studios that regularly appear in international gaming coverage. It spans established pioneers in Jordan, a rapidly expanding Saudi ecosystem, emerging PC and console developers in the UAE, Egypt's large technical talent pool, and increasingly visible indie communities in Morocco, Tunisia and Lebanon.

Are you a studio or dev in MENA and want to be added to our list? Get in touch with us here.

Saudi Arabia

Saudi Arabia is currently the fastest-growing major indie-development market in MENA. Government investment, accelerators such as NEOM Level Up, venture capital and initiatives connected to the country's National Gaming and Esports Strategy have created an ecosystem where small independent teams can access mentorship, funding and international publishing networks. Here are some of the most notable devs and studios based in Saudi Arabia:

• MBC Game Studio

  • MBC Game Studio is a newly established Saudi-backed game developer and publisher created by MBC Group, with a globally assembled team of industry veterans from studios including BioWare, Hi-Rez, Ubisoft, and Bungie. Its debut title, 1001 Threads of Mizan, was revealed at Gamescom Opening Night Live 2026 as a cooperative action-adventure inspired by the folklore and storytelling traditions of One Thousand and One Nights.

    The studio is attempting to create a high-production-value original IP that places Arabian folklore at the centre of a globally targeted game. 1001 Threads of Mizan is planned for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X | S, Nintendo Switch 2 and Steam (PC), positioning the project as one of the more ambitious internationally focused games to emerge from Saudi Arabia's rapidly expanding development industry.

  • Most notable titles: 1001 Threads of Mizan (Upcoming)

• Nomadroid

  • Nomadroid is one of Saudi Arabia's earliest dedicated PC and console-focused studios. Established in 2021, it explicitly positioned itself around premium single-player games rather than the mobile-first model that historically dominated MENA development. KoroNeko established the studio's presence internationally, while Fideo's Adventure has attracted attention on the indie pitch circuit. Its importance lies in demonstrating that Saudi developers can build premium PC and console IP rather than concentrating exclusively on mobile games.

  • Most notable titles: KoroNeko

• Starvania Studio

  • Starvania is one of the clearest examples of a Saudi studio attempting to turn regional mythology into globally marketable game IP. Its games draw on Arabian mythology, medieval Arabic cosmography, and folklore while using contemporary 2D adventure-game design. Bahamut and the Waqwaq Tree launched on PC and Nintendo Switch and helped establish Starvania as one of the region's more visible premium studios. The studio was also recognised as the Best Game Startup in MENA at the 2024 MENA Games Industry Awards.

  • Most notable titles: Bahamut and the Waqwaq Tree

• Fahy Studios

  • Fahy Studios represents the more commercially ambitious side of the Saudi ecosystem. The studio began with hypercasual development before moving toward hybrid-casual and deeper multiplayer experiences. Its participation in the NEOM Level Up programme and subsequent funding from Saudi investors illustrate how small Saudi developers are being given a pathway toward becoming larger IP-owning studios.

  • Most notable titles: Heist Party, Arcane Stack

• Spoilz

  • Spoilz is part of Saudi Arabia's newer generation of independent developers. It has combined original game development with localisation and live-operations expertise, while its games have reached audiences outside the region. Its significance comes from showing how Saudi studios can combine culturally relevant development with commercially scalable mobile products.

  • Most notable titles: Camel Run 3D, Bloom: Paint the City

• UMX Studio

  • UMX is one of the region's biggest independent mobile success stories. Its racing games have collectively generated tens of millions of downloads, with a meaningful audience outside MENA. The studio began from extremely small beginnings and subsequently expanded across Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and India. Its success is important because it demonstrated the international potential of games built around regional automotive culture.

  • Most notable titles: King of Steering, Climbing Sand Dune

Jordan

Jordan remains one of MENA's most important game-development hubs relative to its size. Amman has produced some of the region's longest-running studios and internationally successful games. Here are some of the most notable devs and studios based in Jordan:

• Maysalward

  • Founded in 2003 by Nour Khrais, Maysalward is one of the genuine pioneers of Middle Eastern mobile game development. The studio entered mobile gaming before smartphones had transformed the industry and subsequently expanded into VR and AR. The studio's importance goes beyond its own games, with Maysalward playing a major role in developing Jordan's wider game-development ecosystem through boot camps, university partnerships, and developer programmes.

  • Most notable titles: Dominoes: Online Board Game, Treasure Run: Egypt

• Tamatem Games

  • Tamatem has evolved from a developer into one of MENA's most important mobile publishers. The studio has an enormous influence on Arabic-language game development and localisation. The company has published more than 50 games with more than 150 million downloads and has invested heavily in developing regional game-development talent through the Tamatem Academy.

  • Most notable titles: VIP Baloot, Land of Heroes

• Mad Hook Games

  • Mad Hook has built a portfolio of more than 20 mobile games and expanded into PC and console development. It became particularly notable for being the first Arab studio to publish a physical PlayStation 5 release, an important achievement for an independent developer from the region. Its combination of mobile expertise and console ambitions makes it a useful example of MENA studios moving up the production ladder.

  • Most notable titles: Highway Drifter: Hajwala Simulator, Arabian Hero

• Chick Mania Entertainment

  • Chickmania has become one of Jordan's strongest independent multiplayer developers. Jackaro became a major regional hit, while the studio has built a broader catalogue around board, racing, and action games. It is particularly significant for its emphasis on multiplayer communities and talent development in Jordan.

  • Most notable titles: Jackaro, FameGame: My Influencer Life

• Rababa Games

  • Rababa's Hajwala is one of the most important commercially successful games to emerge from MENA. The culturally specific driving game has reportedly surpassed 120 million downloads and more than 500,000 PlayStation sales. Its success demonstrated that a game heavily influenced by Gulf and Arab automotive culture could appeal to a worldwide audience.

  • Most notable titles: Hajwala Drift

United Arab Emirates

The UAE, particularly Dubai and Abu Dhabi, has developed a different kind of ecosystem. It combines local studios with international founders, startup programmes, accelerators and a strong commercial/creative-services sector. Here are some of the most notable devs and studios based in the United Arab Emirates:

• YallaPlay

  • YallaPlay has carved out a distinctive niche around traditional card games adapted for modern online multiplayer. Tarneeb Masters reportedly reached more than three million users, while Spades Masters subsequently expanded into the US market.

  • Most notable titles: Spades Masters, Tarneeb Masters

• 2071 Games

  • 2071 Games is a strong example of the UAE's newer PC-focused indie movement. The studio describes itself as an Emirati indie developer creating games rooted in the stories and worlds its team grew up with. Its debut action RPG Ironweld is scheduled for a 2026 release on Steam, making the studio one to watch as UAE developers move toward internationally marketed premium PC games.

  • Most notable titles: Ironweld

• Blue Bag Studios

  • Blue Bag is a small independent mobile studio founded in 2023. It focuses on polished, accessible games and represents the grassroots end of Dubai's increasingly diverse development scene. Its emphasis on tactile puzzle and arcade mechanics distinguishes it from the UAE's much larger development sector.

  • Most notable titles: Orbital, Tricky Blocks

Qatar

The significance of Qatar's scene lies less in its current scale than in the range of development models emerging within the country. The regional devs and studios are moving Qatar beyond being primarily a gaming consumer and esports market and toward becoming a place where original games are conceived, developed, published and exported to international audiences. Here are some of the most notable devs and studios based in Qatar:

• COREGAME Studios

  • Founded in 2024, COREGAME Studios is an independent game development and publishing studio based in Doha and operating within the Media City Qatar ecosystem. COREGAME is particularly significant because it is among Qatar's early independent studios building original IP for international audiences, while deliberately incorporating elements of Qatari identity into its games. Beyond Solar has also given the studio an international showcase, including an appearance at Gamescom 2026.

  • Most notable titles: Beyond Solar, Khawi

• Digital Dunes

  • Digital Dunes is a Qatar-based mobile gaming company operating from Media City Qatar. The company announced Project Soccer Legends in February 2025 at the Games Majlis held during Web Summit Qatar, presenting it as a football experience designed specifically with MENA players and Arab cultural influences in mind. The project is significant because it places Qatar's emerging game-development ecosystem in one of the world's most commercially competitive mobile genres while attempting to differentiate itself through regional culture and football heritage.

  • Most notable titles: Project Soccer Legends

• Mezan Studios

  • Founded in 2021, Mezan Studios is an independent Doha-based developer focused on creating games inspired by Middle Eastern history, culture and traditions. Its flagship project, Nightscape, is a 2.5D atmospheric adventure in which players follow Layla, a young stargazer, through a world where the stars have fallen from the sky. The game draws on ancient Arabian constellations and folklore and was selected for the Tribeca Festival in 2023, giving the Qatar-based studio an important international platform.

  • Most notable titles: Nightscape

Egypt

Egypt has one of MENA's deepest pools of software, engineering, and creative talent. Its indie scene is fragmented, but Cairo and Giza have produced a substantial number of small studios and developers. Here are some of the most notable devs and studios based in Egypt:

• Mind Invaders Games

  • Mind Invaders is an independent studio focused on handcrafted puzzle games. Its debut Eggway features more than 1,000 handcrafted levels, multiple visual themes, and a level editor. The studio is a useful example of Egypt's emerging premium-minded indie development culture, with original IP being built alongside client work.

  • Most notable titles: Eggway

Morocco

Morocco's development scene has accelerated significantly in recent years, supported by events such as Morocco Gaming Expo and an expanding training ecosystem. Here are some of the most notable devs and studios based in Morocco:

• June Studio

  • Founded in 2023, JUNE STUDIO focuses on story-driven experiences and began its game-development work with EXPLOITATION, a project centred around corporate greed. Its development is notable because it represents Morocco's growing PC/console-oriented community.

  • Most notable titles: EXPLOITATION: Corporate Greed

Rest of MENA devs

• Game Cooks

  • Game Cooks is one of Lebanon's best-known independent game studios. Founded by Arthur and Lebnan Nader, the studio has produced mobile games across several genres and has also explored locally inspired horror through Douma. Its longevity and breadth make it one of the most recognisable names in Lebanon's game-development scene.

  • Most notable titles: Highway Madness, AVO II: Echoes of the Void