MCV/DEVELOP News, events, research and jobs from the games industry
Like many of its Middle Eastern neighbours, Jordan has a thriving mobile games business. But it’s also seeing success on more traditional games platforms.
Jordan’s mobile games industry is expected to expand by almost a third (29 per cent) this year, according to casual games firm, Big Fish Games.
The country’s mobile development sector was established in late 2003 by the first mobile studio in Jordan, Maysalward. In 2013, the company expanded its services to include indie game publishing, highlighting the growing interest in smaller-budget titles in the region.
The Middle East is the fastest-growing region for mobile games developmnet in the world, Big Fish Games adds. Jordan is the predominant driver behind this, producing half of the mobile titles in the territory.
Although Jordan suffers from expensive internet costs and the challenge of attracting a wider global audience, there are many initiatives designed to help games studios flourish. These include the Jordan Gaming Task Force, which works with developers across the country, as well as support from the King Abdullah II Fund for Development, which donated $750,000 to the industry in 2014.
Mobile games development is a common sight across the Middle Eastern games industry. However, Jordan stands out from its regional counterparts in its move back into the traditional home console market. Last year marked the first-ever game created for a console platform by a Jordanian game company, Crazy Piranha.
Jordan also stands out from the wider games business in its treatment of female developers and industry members. Major studio Na3m Games reports that women comprise a third of its workforce, in contrast to a global average of 22 per cent, according a 2014 report by the International Game Developers Association.
Population: 8,000,000
Capital City: Amman
Currency: Dinar
GDP (Per Capita): $5,589
KEY RETAILERS
Virgin Megastore, Geekay Games
TOP DISTRIBUTORS
Pluto Games
TOP DEVELOPERS
Crazy Piranha, Na3m Games, Maysalward, Bee Labs, Tamatem
PUBLISHERS IN THE REGION
Microsoft, Sony, Maysalward
