The International Mobile Gaming Awards (IMGA) has announced its second annual nominees for games developed in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA).
Its 52 nominees come from 14 different countries, with the most hailing from Iran. The winners will be announced on November 11 at an awards ceremony in Amman, Jordan, and they will also become eligible to be considered for an IMGA Global award early next year.
IMGA is a worldwide competition that started in 2004, and it covers several different regions. In addition to IMGA Global, which is open to all, there’s also IMGA MENA, IMGA Southeast Asia, and IMGA China.
Iran presented a strong showing in the IMGA MENA nominees list, and it’s been making strides in the game industry. It had its first industry event, Tehran Game Convention, two months ago to foster more business relationships with international game companies. Tehran Game Convention was held in partnership with Game Connection Europe and America, and it’s part of the efforts of the Iran Computer and Video Games Foundation, which was founded in 2007 to provide resources for the local game industry.
Mobile games have recently overtaken PC and console titles as the big revenue generators, and it’s a segment that will be worth $65 billion in 2020, according to industry analyst Newzoo. Some players have already started to emerge in the Middle East and North Africa, such as Peak Games, which is the largest game studio in Turkey. It specializes in social games, and its mobile title Toy Blast boasts 52 million downloads.
The IMGA MENA nominees this year are as follows:
- 4Wheelers (Ordibehesht Studio, Iran)
- 6wrni (Red Shark, Jordan)
- Adam World Adventure (Liquid Pinapples, Palestinian Territories)
- Ancients Revival (Anashid Games, Iran)
- Around Mars (Appinu Studio, Iran)
- City Monsters (NewGen, Tunisia)
- Clown: Legendary Theater (Game Origins, Iran)
- Color Tracks: Tap & Switch (Farawla, Jordan)
- Daft Jump (Three Dots Games, Jordan)
- Dino Hunt Land (NewGen, Tunisia)
- Falcon Action (Hybrid Humans, United Arab Emirates)
- Fat Bunny: Endless Hopper (Groovy Android, Lebanon)
- Get Rich (Gamified Labs, Kuwait)
- Grapple Gum (LIVA, Tunisia)
- Halo Ball (Qamar Games, Egypt)
- HERO Unit (Jassim Albuarki, Bahrain)
- iTrix: The Trix Card Game (Diwaniya Labs, Kuwait)
- Klay BBJ Maze (TunisApp, Tunisia)
- Live TV Tycoon (Acid Green Games and Sourena Games, Iran)
- Lost Light (Envast, Tunisia)
- Mafioso (Paeezan Game Studio, Iran)
- Mala’eeb’s Puzzle (Dorgam Games, Saudi Arabia)
- Melody Streaks (Beeble Games, United Arab Emirates)
- MODEY (MANA 3D Games, Jordan)
- My Rights (After Work Games Fz LLC, United Arab Emirates)
- Ninja Switch (Paradox, Tunisia)
- Pass Ball Hard (Bugbiya Game, Morocco)
- PerCity (Turned On Digital, Iran)
- Rhythm Pinwheel (Youmaku Games, Egypt)
- Rooster Wars (Medrick Fze, Iran)
- Shadow Racer (Noa Games, Iran)
- Skelewton’s First Law (Youmaku Games, Egypt)
- Space Cantina: Match 3 Club (MildMania, Turkey)
- Spaceroids (Qalamar, Algeria)
- Spinner Fever (Werewolf, Jordan)
- Spring Farm (Medrick Fze, Iran)
- Stickman Journey (Nescie, Jordan)
- Super Sheep (Appinu, Iran)
- The Ballion (Lexip Games, Iran)
- The Cage (Mental Studio, Iran)
- The Way Up (After Work Games Fz LLC, United Arab Emirates)
- Turbo League (Zerofour, United Arab Emirates)
- WAVy WAY (PinchPoint Inc., Palestinian Territories)
- Wojdan (Light Studio, Saudi Arabia)
- Words Shooter (Gist Technologies, Palestinian Territories)
- YumNumNum (Bug Games, Iraq)
- Alfag3ah (Dohan, Saudi Arabia)
- Run Dehghan Run (TeeToTum Entertainment, Iran)
- Sho’lah – Brain Training (Elektron Games, Kuwait)
- Battle of Legends (Trixmen Studios, Iran)
- Save Castle (Dream Rain, Iran)
- Epidemic Riyadh (Wanas Games, Saudi Arabia)
