How Jondob Games is redefining survival horror with Libi
For Mo'tasem Zakarneh, founder of Jordanian indie studio Jondob Games, video games offer a way to express ideas that can be difficult to communicate through words alone. His fascination with the medium began in childhood, shaped by classic real-time strategy titles such as Command & Conquer: Red Alert 2 and Red Alert 3. Years later, that early interest would lead him towards game development and, eventually, the creation of his own studio.
Today, Zakarneh is developing Libi, a survival horror game that examines human psychology, moral ambiguity, and the stories people tell themselves to justify their actions. The project reflects his interest in building experiences that challenge players to question their assumptions rather than simply follow a predetermined narrative.
Speaking to Arab Game News, Zakarneh explained that this approach sits at the heart of Jondob Games' creative identity. The studio wants to build a connected fictional universe while exploring different genres and storytelling techniques.
"We believe that games are human experiences and we can really help people understand each other more," he said.
That philosophy informs the development of Libi and the studio's wider ambitions, while offering a glimpse into the creative potential of independent game development in Jordan and the broader Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region.
From Red Alert to founding Jondob Games
Zakarneh's interest in games began at around three years old, when Red Alert 2 became a formative part of his childhood. His enthusiasm continued with Red Alert 3, reinforcing his desire to understand how games were made and what he could create himself.
An important part of that journey came from his difficulty expressing his thoughts to other people. He began to see game development as a possible outlet for ideas that were otherwise difficult to communicate.
"I always found it difficult to convey my thoughts to others, and I thought, maybe I could do it with games," he recalled.
He started his game development journey in 2016, initially inspired by the possibility of creating a real-time strategy game of his own. His interests subsequently expanded into different genres, eventually leading to the narrative-driven horror project that would become Libi.
Jondob Games' long-term vision extends beyond individual releases. Zakarneh wants the studio to develop a sustainable fictional universe in which separate games can share characters, settings, and connections.
The relationship between Libi and Amira, another project from the studio, already reflects that ambition. Although development on Amira has been paused while the team focuses on Libi, the two games are set in the same universe. Zakarneh revealed that Libi herself will appear as an enemy in Amira.
This interconnected approach gives the studio an opportunity to develop its own identity through recurring narrative elements while retaining the freedom to experiment with different gameplay styles.
Libi examines the psychology of violence
At the centre of Libi is a self-proclaimed hero attempting to save her lover while excusing her crimes and confronting an undying jestress. The premise raises questions about how people perceive their own actions, particularly when those actions cause harm to others.
Zakarneh drew inspiration from real-world examples of people who commit crimes yet continue to believe they are acting for the right reasons. "I simply wanted to explore this theme: what goes through their minds, what goes through the minds of the victims, do they give up, or fight, what do they think?"
These questions shape the game's approach to character development. Rather than presenting its protagonist as someone entirely removed from ordinary human emotions, Libi depicts a character who can express affection, happiness, and warmth despite the harm she causes.
That contrast is central to the experience Zakarneh wants to create. As players learn more about Libi's perspective, they also encounter the reasoning she uses to defend her behaviour.
The intention is to leave room for personal interpretation. Players must decide how they understand the protagonist and what that understanding means for their response to her actions.
For Zakarneh, this psychological dimension is essential to the narrative. He wants the story to encourage reflection, allowing players to reach their own conclusions instead of having the game dictate a single moral judgement.
Survival horror gameplay built around atmosphere and scarcity
Although its narrative provides the foundation, Libi also uses survival horror mechanics to reinforce its unsettling atmosphere. As the protagonist's mental state deteriorates and buried truths come to light, the surrounding environment changes.
The studio has placed considerable emphasis on making those shifts part of the player's experience, connecting the game's atmosphere with its developing narrative. Resource management adds another layer of tension. Supplies are scarce, requiring players to make careful decisions about how they approach encounters.
Libi can assemble traps and bombs, using them to lure enemies and turn the environment to her advantage. Players will also have access to firearms and close-range weapons, offering different ways to deal with threats.
Bringing these elements together has taken considerable iteration. At the time of the interview, Libi had spent three years in development and undergone three major rebuilds. Its gameplay systems, environments, and other components changed significantly throughout the process. However, the underlying narrative premise remained consistent.
The next priority is ensuring that players experience the story as intended. With a public Steam page available, Jondob Games is focused on the narrative and environmental details woven throughout the game.
The opportunities and challenges facing MENA game developers
Developing an independent game studio in Jordan has given Zakarneh a close look at the practical considerations facing creators across the region. He identified three broad areas that have shaped his experience: access to international payment systems, reliable development knowledge, and funding.
Access to payment processors and global markets has improved significantly over approximately the past five years, according to Zakarneh. The growing availability of international payment options has helped more people participate in digital commerce, creating better conditions for developers and players alike.
Access to useful technical knowledge remains another consideration. While aspiring developers can find enormous amounts of information online, identifying reliable guidance can be difficult, particularly for those who are still learning the fundamentals of game production.
Funding is a further concern, with Zakarneh pointing to the limited number of opportunities available to emerging studios and aspiring developers looking to build the skills required to establish their own businesses.
He highlighted the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia as countries making efforts to strengthen support for game development. He hopes these initiatives continue to grow and inspire further investment across the region.
Publishing relationships can present their own difficulties. Zakarneh noted that publishers may seek to restrict creative decisions, making it important for developers to consider how external partnerships align with their vision.
At the same time, he sees room for MENA studios to establish themselves internationally. The challenge is finding the right audience and connecting with players who appreciate what a particular game offers.
"I think there really is more than enough space for everyone, whether MENA or not, and horror or not; the gaming industry is simply that massive, everyone has a place," he said.
Why Arab developers should explore their cultural heritage
Despite its setting in a modern MENA country, Libi ultimately moved away from some of the supernatural elements that might be expected from a regional horror game. Those influences are explored more directly in Amira, which remains part of Jondob Games' broader plans.
For Zakarneh, this reflects a wider principle: developers should choose their genres according to the experiences they want to create, rather than following trends or attempting to fit an assumed market expectation.
He believes Arab developers have considerable scope to draw on their heritage, history, and personal experiences when creating games for audiences around the world. Such influences can enrich a project regardless of whether it belongs to horror, strategy, adventure, or another genre.
The key is approaching cultural material with care. Developers working with religious beliefs, traditions, or culturally sensitive themes should research their subjects, test their work with players, and remain open to making adjustments where necessary.
Zakarneh's advice is to accept that a game will not appeal to everyone and to focus instead on the people who are interested in the experience being offered. He also sees an opportunity for regional creators to shape how their cultures are represented in global media, bringing more authentic perspectives to audiences who may have limited exposure to them.
For the MENA gaming industry, this presents a creative opportunity to develop distinctive intellectual properties rooted in the experiences of the people making them.
Zakarneh's advice for aspiring game developers
For people hoping to enter the industry, Zakarneh emphasises the importance of developing strong technical foundations rather than constantly switching to the latest development tools. His recommendation is to evaluate technologies according to what they contribute to a project, including the trade-offs involved in adopting them.
He believes developers benefit from establishing a consistent workflow that reflects their studio's objectives and the kinds of games they want to create. Chasing every new tool can distract from the underlying skills needed to build and maintain a successful development process.
That advice also reflects the approach he has taken with Jondob Games. The studio's projects have evolved considerably, but its creative direction remains centred on the stories and experiences it wants to deliver.
What's next for Jondob Games?
Beyond Libi, Jondob Games is considering several avenues for growth. Amira remains the most likely candidate for the studio's next game, while another project is currently being prototyped.
The studio also plans to expand its work in console porting and custom multiplayer backend solutions. Additionally, it is preparing to publish an interaction system for the Godot game engine.
These initiatives suggest a development strategy that combines original game production with technical services and tools. They also leave room for the studio to explore different genres as its portfolio grows. "We’re not tied to a specific genre; the next game’s genre will be dictated by the story we want to tell," Zakarneh explained.
Looking ahead, he wants Jordan and the wider MENA region to offer more hands-on guidance from experienced professionals, alongside funding programmes that support developers at different stages of their careers.
For Jondob Games, the immediate task is to bring Libi to players while laying the groundwork for future projects. Its longer-term ambition is to establish a sustainable studio capable of building a connected universe of original experiences.
The approach begins with the questions driving Libi: how people understand themselves, how they justify their decisions, and how their actions look from another person's perspective. By leaving those questions open to interpretation, Zakarneh hopes to give players something to consider long after they finish playing.
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