Region focus: A deep dive into the MENA games industry

Kickstarting a series of features looking at the opportunity and challenges of the burgeoning MENA mobile games sector, we take a broad look at the reality of the market

Ask anybody with their ear to the rail of the global games industry about the MENA region and they’ll very likely assert that it offers ‘opportunity’.

The vast area has for some time now been associated with market potential that games companies from across the globe would be wise to harness.

However, the detail around what founds that opportunity, how it should be seized and the reality of its distinct challenges can seem like something of a mystery. A thorough analysis, however, reveals a region that might not be as atypical or enigmatic in its machinations as many assume.

As the oft-talked about BRIC region – ‘Brazil, Russia, India and China’ – has blossomed from ‘emerging’ to ‘emerged’, the MENA countries have been quietly building an impressive momentum of their own. And it is the mobile games sector specifically that provides the region with its most striking prospects.

By MENA, of course, we mean ‘Middle East and North Africa’. It is ultimately an area without a firm or agreed definition. But for the purposes of this article – which kickstarts a series of pieces looking at MENA – we’re considering numerous countries, including but not limited to, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates/Dubai, Bahrain, Iran and Lebanon.

Nations such as Israel, Turkey and Egypt also warrant reflection, though those are places with games sectors that are relatively well-known to the outside world and even distinct from the rest of their MENA family.

Speaking the same language

While one could spend a lifetime developing a universally agreed framing of ‘MENA’, the reality is that the opportunity for mobile games developers, publishers, platforms and service providers is significantly defined by a language; not a list of countries. That language is Arabic, and one thing is clear; the Arabic speaking world provides a substantial audience for those that make a living from mobile games to consider.

“The reason why the mobile gaming market [here] is so interesting comes from the fact that Arabic is the fourth most spoken language in the world, yet less than one per cent of all content available online is in Arabic,” offers Hussam Hammo, CEO of Jordanian outfit Tamatem, which specialises in publishing and maintaining mobile games in the MENA region.

“More than 70 per cent of the population of the Arabic speaking countries – around 400 million – use Arabic as their default language on their smartphones. Add to that that countries like Saudi Arabia have the highest ARPPU in the entire world, and you have a perfect opportunity.”

Record-breaking ARPPU alone should immediately prick the ears of industry observers. For while the world’s biggest gaming market China has ARPPU of around $32, Saudi Arabia’s ARPPU is a striking $270. Tamatem’s own figures, meanwhile, point to consumers in MENA spending $3.2 billion on games broadly back in 2016.

And then there are those 400 million people keen to digest Arabic language smartphone titles. They are presently served with a bounty of gaming content; but a great deal more fails to support both Arabic language – and culture.

An appetite for growth

It seems clear there is an underserved and ravenous appetite for gaming in MENA, which means one thing; there is a generous capacity for growth. Indeed, consulting giant strategy& predicts that by 2022, mobile gaming across MENA will stand as a $2.3 billion industry.

Smartphone penetration has also hit alluring levels in many MENA countries. 46 per cent of Saudi Arabia’s 33,554,000 residents own a smartphone, according to Newzoo data. That’s just shy of 15.5 million people.

The United Arab Emirates, meanwhile, can boast of an 80.6 per cent smartphone penetration rate. That is against a relatively modest population of 7.5 million, but it still presents a demographic worth serious attention.

Contemporary data on smartphone penetration on Jordan is a little harder to come by, but the Pew Research Center’s data for 2016 lists a 51 per cent rate. The same study gives Lebanon a slight lead at 52 per cent. Of course, not every country in MENA provides such appealing device penetration, but looking at the region as a whole, growth is forecast.

The global trade body for mobile network operators, the GSMAcounted 375 million unique mobile subscribers across MENA in 2017. They expect that number to reach 459 million by 2025. By that same year, GSMA predicts the area will count 790 million individual SIM connections, not including IoT devices. That’s a striking 118 per cent penetration rate, if you consider the region’s entire population, across all languages.

As for the make-up of mobile device breakdown in MENA, region-specific data is in relatively short supply. StatCounter figures for specific countries in the area do, however, paint a fairly familiar picture.

As of July 2019, in Saudi Arabia specifically Android accounts for 65.6 per cent of in-use handsets, while iOS trails at a still-healthy 34.12 per cent. That leaves a trivial amount of unknown and fringe or legacy OSs, including the likes of Series 40, which still has a 0.01 per cent penetration rate in the country.

Over in Jordan, Android dominates with 84.65 per cent of the market, while iOS accounts for 15.15 per cent of smartphones. And in the UAE, Android can claim 77.34 per cent of the market, with iOS holding on to 22.18 per cent. The picture appears reasonably consistent, including looking back over the last year.

The Google Play and Apple App Stores dominate, but that is a topic PocketGamer.biz will return to in-depth later in this series of features.

Cultural localisation

‘Growth’ remains the keyword if you look at MENA as a place to succeed with gaming content. And, when considering mobile specifically, that growth which will likely be significantly facilitated by providing a great deal more games in the Arabic language. Those 400 million handsets set to Arabic by default are active now, and their number is likely to climb.

Not that language is the only factor in localising a game for MENA. The region is culturally a different place from both the West and areas like China or Southeast Asia. Making a game created outside of MENA culturally appropriate for the market will perhaps offer the biggest challenge to companies external to the area.

It’s a perfect example of the distinction between translation and true localisation. As for the key to mastering cultural localisation? Collaboration with resident MENA outfits may be an absolute necessity.

Tamatem is one of a number of companies specialising in publishing to MENA, and it’s certainly not alone in its effort. Babil Games, MENA Mobile and others are striving to connect international games companies with the local market.

And then there are those taking the opposite approach. Saudi Arabia’s Manga Productions, for example, endeavours to deliver ‘animation and video game projects to promote Saudi ideas and messages internationally through unique and professional productions’. As a local market, MENA is culturally distinct, but that doesn’t stop it from being globally ambitious.

Another factor central to the potential of mobile gaming in MENA is, of course, the arrival of 5G networks. GSMA points out that in some parts of MENA, 5G has already been commercially deployed.

“The UAE and the Gulf region are at the forefront globally in terms of 5G launches and plans,” confirms Jawad Abbassi, head of Middle East and North Africa at GSMA.

“Operators in MENA – particularly in the GCC States – are among the first to launch 5G networks commercially. Following these launches, operators in 12 other countries across MENA are expected to deploy 5G networks, covering around 30 per cent of the region’s population by 2025. By then, regional 5G connections will surpass 50 million. Early global 5G pioneers include the GCC countries, South Korea, the United States, Australia and the United Kingdom.”

Clearly, when it comes to infrastructure, much of the MENA region rivals some the rest of the world’s tech leading nations.

Ultimately, of course, MENA is a diverse and multifaceted place. Its various nations all bring their own distinct make-ups, and in taking a broad perspective this round-up has perhaps just served to highlight the fundamentals of a very real opportunity.

The figures speak for themselves. But if you want to move on what MENA offers? You’ll want a little more detail.

That is why this piece is just the start of a series of articles looking at the companies, countries and trends shaping MENA’s mobile gaming future.

So keep an eye on Pocketgamer.biz and consider joining us at Pocket Gamer Connects Jordan on November 2nd and 3rd, where you can come and meet the publishers, developers and game tech outfits that might be the future of your success in MENA.

Article By Will Freeman
Pocket Gamer

Jordanian publisher Tamatem working with NokNok studio to bring I Love Mart to MENA region

Jordanian firm Tamatem has teamed with Korea developer NokNok to publish the studio’s I Love Mart game on mobile devices in the MENA region.

The game will be localised into Arabic and be renamed to Bandar’s Farm to help the title become more culturally relevant.

I Love Mart is a casual-family game that sees players building, managing and expanding their own supermarket while being able to grow and sell ingredients on a farm.

Bandar’s Farm will launch on iOS and Android devices in August this year.

“Experience like no other”

“I truly believe that our users will really enjoy Bandar’s Farm,” said Tamatem CEO Hussam Hammo.

“The game offers an experience like no other and we are looking forward to a fruitful partnership with NokNok.”

NokNok CEO Si-Jin Park added: “We hope more people enjoy the familiar theme of Bandar’s Farm. There are many female users who play this game in Korea and we hope female users from MENA will enjoy it as well.”

We previously spoke with Tamatem UI/UX manager Hanin Suradi about the data-driven nature of the MENA region.Pocket Gamer Connects MENA will be taking place this November. Find all the details right here

Article By Matthew Forde
Pocket Gamer

Hussam Hammo, CEO Of Tamatem Inc. – A DotCom Magazine Exclusive Interview

Hussam Hammo is the CEO of Tamatem Inc.. Hussam Hammo is a thought leader, influencer, visionary, and successful entrepreneur. Hussam provides the leadership and energy that has inspired the creation of Tamatem Inc.. Hussam Hammo joins other leading CEOs and Founders taking part in our Leader Roundtable Interview Series. The DotCom Magazine editorial team has recently awarded Tamatem Inc. with our Impact Company of 2019 award, and we are delighted to have Jawanna join us for our Leader Round Table Interview.

The Tamatem Inc. story is very interesting. We are very excited to interview Hussam, and also put Hussam through our popular speed round as well. Hussam, thank you so much for taking the time out of your busy day for this interview, and answering some questions about leadership, your vision, and your passion.

1. What is the �elevator pitch� for Tamatem Inc.?

Tamatem is the leading mobile games publisher in the Arabic speaking market. Tamatem works hand-in-hand with international game developers to localize their mobile games and make them culturally relevant for the Arab gamer.

2. Many of our readers are just starting to build a company. What advice can you give CEO�s just starting out regarding keeping a company moving forward, and please tell us the key to your company�s success?

Hiring good people is the key to success, as a CEO you will not be able to do everything on your own, and you will realize that there are many areas you need smarter people than you are to help you cover. Don�t compromise on hiring and don�t compromise on company culture because it�s the best way to retain key employees.

3. For other entrepreneurs seeking to build a business as successful as yours, what advice can you give them when times get a little challenging?

Focus on generating revenue early on. Many companies spend months or even years building technologies before really testing the market. Fundraising is not easy and you need to sustain yourself. Once the company has traction and become sustainable fundraising becomes much easier, and you will have the time to build your dream product.

4. How important is the commitment to client satisfaction at Tamatem Inc., and how do you make sure your customers will become raving fans of your company?

The satisfaction of our users is super important to us, that�s why we have a dedicated community and support team that works 24/7 always be available for our users. We measure satisfaction levels to put targets for the team and so far we have been receiving a lot of positive feedback from all our users.

5. What is the one thing Tamatem Inc. does to have great communication with their customers?

Apart from having a full time customer support team, our social media accounts have very high engagement levels. Saudi Arabia is the most socially active country in the world, that�s we focus on always creating engaging content for our users through channels such as Facebook, Instagram, Youtube and Twitter. We utilize these tools to listen to our users, get feedback and promote the games themselves.

6. In today�s fast changing business environment, how do you stay abreast of things?

Focus. I think it is really important to stay focused and remember the vision you want to achieve. I make sure to keep up with other gaming companies and startups from all around by reading a lot of online publications.

7. What is your �Why�? Why do you get up in the morning, and how do you keep yourself at peak performance to lead Tamatem Inc.?

My why is to see Tamatem grow into the best Arabic mobile games publisher. To do that we need to have a kick-ass team (which we already have), have a lot of patience and to always lead by example.

8. Can you recommend a book that has had an influence in your career? How did it influence you?

One of the books I really like is 22 immutable laws of branding. It made me see the world from a different perspective. I started paying attention to the small details and thinking that, if I ever will have a company, I will try to follow the rules. Another book I really like is the 7 habits of highly effective people. These are timeless rules and can help you become a better person.

9. When communicating with your staff, can you tell us the most important thing you do so that they are able to carry out the objectives that you set forth at Tamatem Inc.?

I spend a good amount of time explaining the �why� instead of how I expect my team to do things. If everyone understands why do they need to do something, what is the purpose of it, they will feel they are part of the solution and will go above and beyond to make sure what they do gives good results.

10. In one sentence, can you give some advice to fellow entrepreneurs wishing to build a company as exciting as Tamatem Inc.?

The only limitation to your success is yourself. You can achieve anything you want by being persistent and having an open mind.

We would like to have some fun and do a �Speed Round� with you! We will ask you ten more questions that we want you to answer in just one to three words only.

Here you go!

1. In three words or less, What makes a successful CEO?
Stay Humble and keep learning everyday

2. Describe your business in one word?
Fun

3. Describe your customers in one word?
Engaged

4. What one attribute do you look for when hiring an employee?
Smart

5. What is the one word you want your customers to say about your company?
The best

6. In three words or less, describe your passion?
Playing Arabic games

7. In three words or less, describe what it takes to be successful?
Believing, persistence and learning

8. In three words or less, describe your first year in business at Tamatem Inc.?
It was the best year! Doing everything from scratch

9. In three words or less, describe how running a successful company has changed you?
Calmed me down and I became more patient

10. What is the one word that you believe has the most power in the English Language?
Success

Hussam Hammo, Thank you so much for sitting down with us at our DotCom Magazine Leader Round Table. We very much appreciate the time you spent helping others learn more about what it takes to be a leader. We hope your interview helps our readers, and we wish you, your family, and of course Tamatem Inc., nothing but the best.

Thanks again!

Hussam Hammo, CEO of Tamatem Inc., The Leader Roundtable Interview Series

Article By Kristin Ligori
Dot Com Magazine

TOP STARTUPS IN JORDAN TO INVEST IN

The WEF Fourth Industrial Revolution Startups

The World Economic Forum, in partnership with the International Finance Corporation, have selected the top 100 Arab world startups that are transforming the MENA region and reshaping the future in the context of the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR).

“You can see the impact and ingenuity of Arab start-ups everywhere in the Arab world. We see impressive momentum and – with sovereign wealth funds and traditional family businesses – the emergence of a whole new type of venture capitalist. For me, this is the biggest underreported story in the region.” – Mirek Dusek, Head of Middle East and North Africa of the World Economic Forum.

These 4IRStartups were selected in collaboration with the region’s leading authorities on the entrepreneurship ecosystem, including Wamda, Flat6Labs, Kawar Investments and Leap Ventures. Here are the Jordanian startups to keep an eye out for:

LIWWA

SAMER ATIANI & AHMED MOOR

Liwwa is an online lender which improves access to capital for Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in Jordan and the UAE.

HYPERPAY

MUHANNAD EBWINI

HyperPay is the fastest growing payment gateway in the MENA region. It caters to every online merchant’s personal needs with a guarantee for ease-of-use and top security against fraud.

MADFOOATCOM

NASSER SALEH

MadfooatCom operates ‘eFawateerCom’, the Central Bank’s national electronic bill presentment and payment service (EBPPS) enabling clients to inquire and pay securely online, 24/7.

ARABIA WEATHER

MOHAMMED AL-SHAKER

Arabia Weather is the first and largest weather site for all Arab countries.

HELLOWORLDKIDS

HANAN KHADER

Hello World Kids (HWK) is a local native coding curriculum for children offering native programming courses for kids at the young age of 8 as a mainstream class.

AUMET

YAHYA AQEL

Aumet is the first marketplace to sell SME’s medical manufacturers’ products directly to healthcare providers. Aumet disrupt the market by automating assigning distributors to the medical manufacturer and sell the product directly to healthcare providers getting the best price directly from manufacturers.

TARJAMA

NOUR AL HASSAN

Tarjama is a certified translation agency with offices across the Middle East.

JAMALON

ALA’ ALSALLAL

Jamalon is the largest online bookstore in the MENA region selling English and Arabic books in the Arab World with home delivery and localized payment methods.

LUMINUS

IBRAHIM SAFADI

Luminus Education provides equal education opportunities for all. The platform offers short courses, one and two year accredited diploma programs, a three year degree program, and professional training for organizations and individuals.

TAMATEM INC

HUSSAM HAMMO

Tamatem is the leading mobile game developer and publisher in the MENA region. The company localizes globally published mobile games and develops their own games for Arabic speakers.

ALTIBBI

JALIL ALLABADI

AlTibbi is the largest digital health platform in the Arab World, including 1.5M pages of medical content and a 24/7 telehealth service.

OPENSOOQ.COM

ADEY SALAMIN

OpenSooq.com is a marketplace that allows users to buy and sell products and services across a wide range of categories that includes automotive, real estate, jobs, electronics, home, and fashion.

AKHTABOOT

YOUSEF SHAMOUN

Akhtaboot is a leading online career network in the region. The HR software solutions provider caters to the full HR value chain from the “acquire” stage to the “retire” stage. All the software solutions provided are cloud based, easy to use, and customizable.

KHARABEESH

WAEL ATTILI

Kharabeesh is a digital creators platform specializing in the production of Arabic-language animated cartoons, music videos and talk shows that generally tackle political issues in the Arab world.

THE ONLINE PROJECT

RAMZI HALABY

The Online Project is a social media and digital agency working with leading local and multinational brands in UAE, Saudi Arabia and Jordan.

ABJJAD

EMAN HYLOOZ

Abjjad is an online Arabic social network for readers, writers, and publishers to rate, review, publish and sell eBooks.

CASHBASHA

SINAN TAIFOUR & FOUAD JERYES

CashBasha is an online e-commerce platform enabling users to shop from international online shopping sites including Amazon, ebay and AliExpress and pay in cash.

LITTLE THINKING MINDS

LAMIA TABBAA & RAMA KAYYALI

Little Thinking produces educational digital Arabic content for primary age children with the aim of enhancing children’s skills and learning outcomes, and increase their connectedness to the Arabic identity.

JAWAKER

MOHAMAD HAJ HASAN

Jawaker is the first Middle Eastern card gaming network. The platform hosts games including Jackaroo, Banakil, Baloot, Tarneeb, Trix and Hand.

MAWDOO3

RAMI AL QAWASMI & MOHAMMAD JABER

Mawdoo3 is a comprehensive online Arabic content publisher that provides premium quality Arabic content. Mawdoo3.com created more than 130 thousand unique articles to fill the gap in Arabic content online. Today, it has more than 36 Million unique users who visit the website monthly.

Article By Haya Issa
Venure Magazine

1,000 leaders to convene at Dead Sea Saturday for WEF

AMMAN — More than 1,000 leaders of government, business, civil society, faith and academia from across the world will take part in the 17th World Economic Forum (WEF) on the Middle East and North Africa that will kick off on April 6th, shedding light on climate change, peace and reconciliation, youth unemployment and the fourth industrial revolution, among other topics.

The forum, which will run through April 7th, is the 10th WEF meeting to be held in Jordan and the 17th in the region and will witness the participation of a group from the top 100 Arab starts-ups in a special session to discuss the fourth industrial revolution.

Held in partnership with the King Abdullah II Fund for Development (KAFD) at the Dead Sea, the forum will be held under the theme “Building New Platforms of Cooperation”. 

The event will focus on four transformational imperatives; shaping a new economic and social model for the region, environmental stewardship in the Arab world, finding common ground in a multiconceptual world and the fourth industrial revolution in the Arab world.

With the full support of Jordan and in the presence of Their Majesties King Abdullah and Queen Rania and HRH Crown Prince Hussein, the meeting will bring together leaders from Gulf Cooperation Council countries, the Levant and North Africa, as well as key international stakeholders from East Africa, Europe and the United States, according to a statement by the WEF e-mailed to The Jordan Times.

Entrepreneurial dialogue

For the second time, the WEF is partnering with the Bahrain Economic Development Board to bring 100 Arab start-ups to the meeting, under an initiative that aims to further integrate entrepreneurs into a national and regional dialogue on pressing challenges. 

More than 400 applicants representing 17 countries and spanning numerous sectors including finance, energy, health, environment, media and education have applied to take part in the event, according to the statement. 

Among the selected start-ups are Careem (UAE) — also included in the 2017 selection — which was recently sold for $3.1 billion; Coded (Kuwait), the first coding boot camps for the Arab world; Proximie (Lebanon), a company that uses augmented reality for surgeons to contribute remotely to clinical procedures; and Wahed (UAE), the world’s first halal investment platform.

They also include MonoJo (Jordan), a biotech company that uses camel milk to develop antibodies, and FalconViz, a company conducting a range of mapping, including that of cultural heritage sites, with autonomous drones.

Start-ups from Jordan taking part in the WEF also include Tarjama, which is specialised in providing a wide array of translation services and language solutions to global clients, with offices across the Middle East established in 2008. 

Nestrom, another Jordanian start-up taking part in the meet, is an agra-tech company focused on delivering high-end, easy-to-deploy agricultural software products and solutions, according to the WEF website.

Jordanian start-ups also include Tamatem, the leading mobile games publisher in the Arabic-speaking market, and Whyise, which is an impact analytics software solution that allows organisations to aggregate their data and analyse it for exponential impact, as well as map their operations against international frameworks — such as the UN sustainable development goals — and comply with frameworks such as the International Finance Corporation’s ESG (environment, social and governance) standards and GRI (Global Reporting Initiative) among others.

Representing young people, the WEF’s “Global Shapers” (aged between 20 and 30) and “Young Global Leaders” (under the age of 40), will take part in the discussions. Social entrepreneurs will also contribute to the dialogue on innovative local and regional action to address pressing problems.

Agenda

“The region is at a pivotal time of taking the bold decisions necessary to future-proof its societies and economies,” Mirek Dusek, deputy head of Centre for Geopolitical and Regional Affairs and member of the executive committee at the WEF, was quoted as saying in the statement.

“At this meeting, we will hold several strategic dialogues, with particular attention on the relationship between the public, private and civic sectors, the impact of the fourth Industrial Revolution on kills and jobs, and new initiatives to help resolve long-standing conflicts,” Dusek noted.

Chairman of KAFD’s Board of Trustees Alaa Batayneh said that “having Jordan host the WEF on the Middle East and North Africa for the 10th time reaffirms the importance of Jordan’s political and economic position within the region”, according to the statement.  

“The forum offers an international platform to highlight the priorities and plans of Jordan and the region, in the fields of development, energy, technology applications and natural resource management,” Batayneh added.

This year’s meeting is co-chaired by Khalid Al Rumaihi, chief executive of Bahrain’s Economic Development Board; Thani Ahmed Al Zeyoudi, UAE’s minister of climate change and environment; Rania A. Al Mashat, Egypt’s minister of tourism; Alain Bejjani, CEO of UAE-based Majid Al Futtaim Holding; Wafa Ben Hassine, MENA policy counsel at the US’ Access Now; Sumantra Chakrabarti, president of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development; Tony F. Chan, president of Saudi King Abdullah University of Science and Technology; and Sigrid Kaag, minister for foreign trade and development cooperation of The Netherlands.

Among the public figures taking part in the meeting are UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres, President of Nigeria Muhammadu Buhari, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, Armenian President Armen Sarkissian, Turkey’s First Lady Emine Erdogan, Afghanistan Chief Executive Abdullah Abdullah, Saudi Minister of Energy, Industry and Mineral Resources Khalid Al Falih, UAE Minister of State for Artificial Intelligence Omar Al Olama, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Oman Yusuf Bin Alawi Bin Abdullah, Lebanese Deputy Prime Minister Ghassan Hasbani and Bahraini Foreign Minister Khalid Bin Ahmed Al Khalifa.

The meeting will also focus on highlighting long-term approaches to responding to systemic issues, the statement said.

“The Humanitarian Investing Initiative, launched at the forum’s annual meeting in Davos, will showcase innovative approaches to investing that respond to the long-term challenges of protracted humanitarian crises. Taking this long-term approach, other sessions will feature solution-based, forward-looking dialogues on issues of healthcare, energy, water, gender equality, the future of jobs, cybersecurity and more,” the statement added.

Article By Mohammad Ghazal
Jordan Times

How to publish your mobile gaming app successfully? Meet Tamatem!

Phone in hand, you scroll around different online platforms and suddenly notice a few ads here and there for historical wars, dystopian worlds or just car driving mobile games spoken in a language that surprisingly isn’t English. You observe with interest the language, and wonder when did Arabic mobile games become popular? Well, the increase in the representation of this content in our language is thanks to none other than Tamatem

Tamatem, which is an Arab word for tomato, is the leading mobile games publisher in the MENA market. They localize their games and enrich it with familiar culture for Arab gamers by partnering up with international studios and developers.

The founder, Hussam Hammo, started out Tamatem after his previous company, Wizards Production halted its works back in 2012. He remained resilient and determined though his peers became reluctant of supporting him in a path that they perceived as risky. Nonetheless, he was accepted into 500 Startups and Tamatem became the first Arab company to get into the program in 2013. This encouraged him to further pursue and persuade a few American-based investors successfully before moving back to Jordan and opening up their new offices. Some of the business’ most popular games are:VIP BalootShake the Metal OnlineShake the Metal: Rush and Death Road.

We asked Hussam about Tamatem and what he has in store for it: “Although we have been expanding rapidly, I expect more for Tamatem in 2019.” he shared, “We are launching a number of new games and opening up new offices for marketing and user support purposes around the region. As for the future, I wish to see Tamatem become the best workplace in the region. We have an incredible team that believes in our vision and cultivated a company culture that is simply unique in Jordan.” We wish Tamatem the best too!  

Hussam also shares with us a fun fact about their team: They’re a total of 55 employees that are all local Jordanians working across departments including Product Management, Marketing, Design, Public Relations, User Acquisition and Community & Support. But that’s not the exciting part yet! Hussam tells us that females make up 70% of Tamatem’s team and most of them are in senior positions. Amazing, right?!

According to Hussam, finding local talented people was not an easy task, as there is no awareness about the job prospects that could be found in the gaming industry. To solve this issue, the Tamatem team are currently teaching university students in Jordan about the job market and how the gaming industry can open up doors for them.

Before concluding, the founder Hussam shares with us some valuable advice to fresh-faced entrepreneurs: “Have an MVP that works to the best of its capability, and only after gaining traction for a period of 3 months or so, approach investors,” He states. “Always make sure your idea is defensible and isn’t a plagiarized version of another idea,” he advises.   

Learn more about Tamatem, and how you can become partners with them on their official websiteTwitter and Instagram

Article By MARYAM MALIK
Startup MGZN