Pocket Gamer Connects Jordan returns on November 9th and 10th, 2024, offering you a chance to gain insights into the world’s fastest-growing games market, MENA. As part of our run up, we spoke with Naphora Games Group co-founder Abdullah Almuhanna to discuss running a private investment and development company in Saudi Arabia.
Almuhanna speaks about the company’s mission to become a leader in the MENA games industry, offered his perspectives on emerging technologies like AI and AR, and discusses the changing consumer behaviour towards games.
PocketGamer.biz: Tell us a bit about Naphora Games Group and what you’re up to right now.
Abdullah Almuhanna: Naphora Games Group is a private investment and development company in the games industry based in Saudi Arabia and we currently operate over four development studios under the group.
Our aim is to become the leading name in the games sector in Saudi Arabia and the Middle East. We function as a game label, similar to a music label, providing financial support, necessary equipment, space, as well as handling legal, financial, strategic and marketing aspects, allowing developers to focus on creating great games.
We aim to innovate the local industry and attract Saudi, Arab and global talents with a modern and flexible work system. Also, Naphora offers services like game services, gamification, consultation, PR and marketing strategy, marketing operations, localisation services, and MENA market entry and development.
Finally, we provide a game development academy in collaboration with local and international partners to enhance local skills and enable young talents to enter the jobs market.
How many staff do you currently employ and where are they based?
Our team at Naphora currently ranges between 50 to 70 employees across various departments and sectors. About 80% of our team are skilled and competent Saudis capable of competing in global markets, while the remaining 20% consists of international and Arab talents whose presence we value greatly.
As a key player in the Middle East games scene, what are you doing to foster collaboration and recruit local talents?
There is significant activity in Saudi Arabia and the Middle East today. We work with our partners in government educational institutions and business incubators to coordinate and participate in training programs, recruit graduates from these programs, and employ them in real projects that are released to the market.
Amidst widespread layoffs in the games industry, Naphora is still hiring. What factors do you attribute to your ability to continue expanding your team during these challenging times?
We believe the games industry has taken a new approach and generation. Personally, we don’t believe in developing a game with a development team exceeding 150 employees over more than two years.
“We don’t believe in developing a game with a development team exceeding 150 employees over more than two years.”
Abdullah Almuhanna
The games market is rapidly changing, with many unpredictable trends, making long-term projects riskier and more costly. We see the new approach of developing games with smaller teams and shorter development periods, focusing on fun and quality, and reusing the development team on other games, enhancing the utilisation of human resources and cost management.
Tell us about the partnership between Naphora and Raheebeen Studio to develop AFRSHO. How did it come about?
Our partnership with Raheebeen Studio was one of the important deals for us last year. The studio graduated from several government incubators like Game Founders KSA and the Saudi Digital Academy.
We are delighted with this collaboration as our first game together achieved first place in action games and third place in free games on the App Store on the first day of release. We look forward to breaking bigger records in the future.
How do you identify and select developers or projects to incubate? What key attributes do you look for?
Currently, we aim to strengthen the Saudi games industry with Saudi talents supported by global expertise.
“Today’s challenges include developing games that meet the professional and quality expectations of Saudi and global players.”
Abdullah Almuhanna
This drives us to incubate development teams or startups, and we have success stories we are proud of, like our collaboration with Raheebeen Studio on AFRSHO. We also have another studio, HOLODOT, which we expect to be the surprise of the season.
What changes have you observed in the local games industry, particularly the region’s games industry and consumer behaviour towards games?
Significant changes are happening, with real activity from both private and public sectors to enhance infrastructure and growth in this sector.
This movement came after Prince Mohammed bin Salman announced Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030, making the games sector a key pillar of this vision. This decision has led all entities to take serious, clear, and confident steps in this field.
What do you see as the current opportunities and challenges facing the games industry in Saudi Arabia and the wider MENA region?
The games market is growing rapidly, presenting numerous attractive opportunities for anyone interested in creativity and seizing these opportunities to be a vital part of this industry.
Today’s challenges include developing games that meet the professional and quality expectations of Saudi and global players, which will happen over time and with models released by the private sector to the market.
What are your thoughts on emerging technologies such as AI, AR and VR in gaming?
We see these as fantastic technologies with many creative opportunities. We have a development team ready to work on these technologies, but we don’t believe now is the optimal time for them, as the market size for AR and VR is still small and not enticing for developers and companies.
“Regarding AI, we use it in our projects to accelerate the development process by assisting our artists, serving as a supportive rather than essential tool.”
Abdullah Almuhanna
However, once this market grows to the size of the mobile, console, or PC games markets, we will see strong and real projects. Regarding AI, we use it in our projects to accelerate the development process by assisting our artists, serving as a supportive, rather than essential tool.
What are your plans for the second half of 2024? Are there any specific initiatives or projects on the horizon that we should look forward to?
We have exciting plans for the second half of the year and are about to announce our biggest game in the fourth quarter of 2024. This game will be unique, featuring competitive 3v3 gameplay, third-person perspective and online play. It will be available on PC and console platforms with global specifications.
We are partnering with major players in the global games market and working with a creative Saudi development studio, HOLODOT. I can’t reveal more details now, but stay tuned for our upcoming announcement.
