In the month of Ramadan, we dedicated our efforts to giving back to the community and partnered up with the Orphan Child Welfare Association to help in the renovation of their center in Jabal Al Weibdeh. 

With the help of the Orenda Tribe, we managed to redecorate, refurbish and renovate the space giving the children a chance to create and play in a welcoming and safe environment. We are very grateful for getting the chance to play a small part in giving back to our community. 

Every founder experiences their own bumpy road, and whether the destination turns out as expected or not, there’s no denying that the journey itself is where all the grit and growth is. 

The cornerstone of Tamatem Games’ team spirit, culture, and work ethic is, without a doubt, underscored by founder Hussam Hammo and his entrepreneurial journey. This blog post will give you a brief idea of his entrepreneurial story, covering some stops along the way and Tamatem Games today. 

After completing his studies in Computer Science and programming at the Princess Sumaya University for Technology in Amman, Jordan, Hammo was adamant about pursuing a career in the field. Knowing that he wanted to eventually found his own company, Hammo took the opportunity to dive into a few different projects to start. 

Hussam co-founded his first company in 2006; it was the first of its kind Arabic social network by the name of Faye3.com. From there, Faye3.com was met with huge success, accumulating over 1 million users. It was then that Hammo realized the clear-as-day, painstaking need for Arabic content. Arabic-speakers were severely underserved when it came to consuming quality content in their own native language. 

Coming off the success of Faye3.com, Hussam founded “Wizard Productions”, a gaming studio set on developing social online games targeting the Arab region. After developing and launching the first Arabic 3D game on Facebook, Wizard Productions went on to launch 10 more games and boast a user base of 500,000.

Once again, it was clear that the market was blatantly underserved – with 300 million Arabic speakers and a mere 1% of native Arabic online content, the pain point was apparent. But with that, there was a lack of investment and funding to drive output, so Wizard Productions was eventually shut down. 

From his years-long experience with Wizard Productions, Hammo realized that there was a shift in focus to mobile games and from there, Tamatem Games was born. Tamatem Games was founded in 2013 on the main premise of serving the MENA market with Arabic mobile games. Not only was his mission to create mobile games in the Arabic language, but to also focus on culture-specific elements as well. 

Once this mission was realized, the Tamatem Games business model slowly but surely came to fruition. Hammo positioned Tamatem Games as a mobile game publishing house that partners with global game developers to bring their mobile games to the untapped MENA market. By first assessing the potential success that already-existing mobile games would have in MENA, there would be no time or effort spent on game development.

Working with developers from all over the world to bring their successful mobile games to the MENA region might seem like a simple process on the surface. But it’s not as easy as translating a game from English to Arabic and slapping it on the app store – enter localization. Localization goes beyond translation; it focuses on building a game that is culturally relevant to the audience in every way. 

Having fine-tuned the localization process over the years, Tamatem Games has become MENA’s top mobile game publisher. Today, the Tamatem team is made up of 75 people with hopes of doubling in size over the next six months or so. Our track record includes more than 40 games launched and over 100 million downloads, with lots of our growth having taken place over the past few years. 

With a mission of “making users feel like games were made just for them”, Tamatem Games is on the frontline of the MENA industry’s groundbreaking growth. Having just raised an $11M Series B led by Krafton, Tamatem’s growth trajectory is highly promising. 

Currently operating in a market that is booming exponentially and still largely untapped, with a vastly skilled, passionate, and driven team, Hammo’s entrepreneurial journey has led him exactly where had hoped to be and beyond.

From an industry perspective, the world of mobile gaming has been quite intriguing over the past couple of years. So the question that naturally comes to everyone’s mind is: what’s next?

If anything, MENA mobile gaming has demonstrated its stealth and solidity in the face of uncertainty. The COVID pandemic has wrecked numerous industries across different lines of business, however, the mobile gaming industry has shown promising growth and continuous development.

In looking at the MENA mobile gaming industry’s life span up to this point, we can somewhat predict the future trajectory of its development. As such, this blog post will give you a quick peek into what we can expect for the MENA mobile gaming industry in 2022.

First off, it’s worth noting that the MENA region makes up about 25% of the global online gaming community. When we look at the MENA gaming community’s enthusiasm paired with the region’s rising rates of smartphone penetration, online infrastructure, and spending power, the region makes for a powerful market, to say the least. 

The widespread growth of the MENA mobile gaming market over the past couple of years due to stay-at-home orders is as promising as it is apparent. Users have turned to mobile games as a means of social connection with each other, so the community has become stronger. The market is expected to almost triple in size over the coming years, which would make 2022 a high-growth year for the mobile gaming industry, over which we can expect numbers to climb and rates to peak. 

From a numbers perspective, we can expect the MENA mobile gaming industry to hit an estimated value of $4.4 billion. Comparing this figure to 5 years ago, we see that the industry has tripled in market value. With the KSA and UAE generating hundreds of millions of dollars in gaming revenue, we can expect the MENA’s mobile gaming spending patterns to keep growing.

With that said, we can expect more investments to pour into the MENA gaming market over the next year. As the world’s most promising market in terms of potential revenue, the MENA mobile gaming industry is gaining more and more momentum as an investment opportunity. The potential for high returns is brimming at the surface of the MENA pond – with a largely untapped market, much of the opportunity is ripe for the taking, and investors from all over are taking notice. 

As the MENA mobile gaming industry continues to grow as a whole, we can expect more demand for Arabic content. Naturally, we’ll definitely experience a spike in Arabic content in general, including Arabic mobile games. This means that over the course of 2022 we’ll see increased localization efforts coming in to meet that demand. If you’re interested in localizing your mobile game for the MENA region, Tamatem Games is the ideal partner. 

Mobile games have become a common commodity; both Apple’s App Store and Google’s Play Store are flooded with millions of games all competing for eyeballs and downloads… Cue App Store Optimization – also known as ASO. 

Just like content creators race and wrestle to land on the first page of internet search engines, mobile game publishers face quite a similar battle with boosting their game visibility on app stores. This blog post will give you a brief overview of App Store Optimization, why it’s important, and how it can be approached and applied.

There’s no denying that developing and publishing a mobile game is a complex process on its own, but landing on the first page of app store searches is a battle in and of itself. With that said, App Store Optimization is a key point to consider in the publishing process.

Simply put, App Store Optimization is the process of boosting the visibility of your app or mobile game, with the goal of increasing downloads and conversions. App Store Optimization focuses on specific steps that can be implemented in order to not only increase visibility and ranking in app store search results but also the click-through rate. 

Click-through rate, also known as CTR, refers to the rate at which people click through your mobile game or app on the app store. Some elements that need to be optimized in order to boost your mobile game’s CTR, as well as CTI (Click to Install Rate), include the name, title, icon, description, rating and screenshots.

When working on App Store Optimization for your mobile game, make sure that the visual assets of your listing are high quality. Spend extra time on creating high-quality screenshots and icons that will speak for themselves. Most mobile gamers tend to be very visually driven, so ensuring that all your visual components are top-notch is a great way to start. If you can go the extra mile and create a proper, high fidelity, short yet engaging trailer, then all the better.

A good way to start with optimizing the textual components of your mobile game is to carry out a thorough keyword search. Your keyword search will revolve around the audience you’re targeting; their location, demographic, overall interests, and so on. A general keyword search will give you an idea of what words to use but then you can build combinations of competitive keywords (eg. “free games” or “free to play”).

One aspect of App Store Optimization that you should focus your attention on is getting good ratings. Positive ratings will boost your game’s visibility and ranking, while also boosting gamers’ confidence in your product – the more ratings, the stronger your ASO. 

It goes without saying that a huge part of optimizing your mobile game on app stores actually lies within creating a good, high-quality game. In this case, high quality can refer to not only resolution, but the gameplay, storylines, and so on. While there’s lots you can do to boost your ASO, ultimately there is no way around it – a good game will perform better than a bad one. 

Another step that makes for a good ASO strategy is localization. Localizing your mobile game automatically widens your reach on app stores, allowing you to tap into different countries and rank in their search engines as well. If you’re looking to localize your mobile game with a strong ASO strategy, partnering with a leading mobile game publisher like Tamatem Games is key.

As the mobile games industry continues to grow and evolve, more eyes are wandering towards the MENA region; an underserved market that’s ripe for the taking. Investing in the MENA mobile games market is a sound move with ample potential for return on investment. 

However, penetrating the market successfully with a targeted mobile game that meets the audience’s needs is a more complex and layered process, especially for international developers. 

Tamatem Games and The MENA Region

In short, Tamatem Games provides streamlined, end-to-end solutions for localizing, preparing, and releasing your game for the region. MENA, the fastest growing mobile market in the world, is our bread and butter. 

The MENA mobile games industry boasts the world’s highest ARPPU and a predicted estimation of over $2 billion in market value by 2022 – in numbers, that means MENA is an investor’s gold mine. If it’s a question of the right place and time, the answer is: MENA mobile games, now. 

Why Publish With Us

Our track record speaks loud and clear. With almost a decade of industry experience in the world’s fastest booming mobile games market, over 55 million downloads, several top games in the Middle East, and an unwavering, team-wide thirst to continue pushing boundaries, Tamatem Games is the publishing partner for you. 

At Tamatem Games, we understand what developers and other publishers might not – as such, working with us comes with a unique competitive advantage. As a top mobile games publisher that specializes in the MENA region, we focus on localizing mobile games and making them more tailored to the Arab gamer. In doing so, we solve massive pain points faced by developers who are looking to bring their game to the region through our services. 

The areas we specialize in include: 

• Localization 
• App Store Optimization
• Design Analysis
• User Acquisition
• User Support
• Whales Management
• Influencer Marketing
• Data Analytics
• Social Media

The Right Match

As a longtime publisher in the region we’ve narrowed down our focus over time; we carefully look for the right game developers to partner with in order to ensure a promising outcome. When it comes to game genre, we look for:

• Racing
• Drifting
• MMO-RPG
• Strategy
• Puzzle / word
• Story-based 
• Trivia

Other aspects that lay the foundation for a successful partnership include traction – we look for games that have had proven success in other markets. That way, we know that, with the right localization efforts, we’ve got a hit on our hands. Most importantly, we look for partners that we can build long-lasting relationships with. We like to make sure that our goals and values align with our partners’ so that our teams can work together in synergy.

Whether you are looking to enter the MENA market with a new game that has already achieved international success or with a reworked revision of a cult classic oldie, Tamatem Games is the publisher for you. Reach out to us to explore how we can partner to launch your mobile game in the region. 

A monetization strategy is like the Rubik’s cube of developing and publishing a mobile game; it can be hacked but it takes time and experience. If you know it well enough, you can implement it with success.

The market is saturated with good mobile games – great ones, even – that don’t manage to stay afloat due to poor monetization strategies. This blog post will give you a simplified rundown of some top tips to help you ace your mobile game monetization strategy. 

Tip 1: Model It Out

Having a successful mobile game is not carte blanche for you to leverage every possible revenue stream out there. The more specific your monetization streams are, the more likely they will generate a bigger payout. 

This involves choosing the monetization model that your mobile game will be built on; you can combine models and create one that fits your goals. Some monetization models include in-app purchases, subscription models, ads, and more. 

Tip 2: Don’t Annoy The Player

Monetizing your mobile game is a tricky balancing act. On one hand, you want your mobile game to generate revenue, and on the other hand, you want your players to stay happy. Regardless of the monetization model you have decided to go with, the bottom line is to not be annoying with implementing it; a great mobile game puts user experience before anything else.

Don’t let your game’s monetization features get in the way of the player’s experience, especially not right off the bat. Overloading players with a pop-up or purchasing prompt every few minutes will not drive revenue – in fact, it will probably push players away. Allow your players the time and space to download your game, play and experience it uninterrupted, and form a relationship with it before you bug them about paying for anything. 

Tip 3: Use The Sandwich Method

The sandwich method is commonly referred to as a way to cushion “bad news” or criticism; you give someone a compliment, then you share your criticism with them, and then you follow up with another positive comment. While this method may seem like it has nothing to do with mobile game monetization, it’s rather relevant. 

Use the “good news, bad news, good news” sandwich method and think of your in-app purchase pop-up as the “bad news” here. Share something positive with players, like a free level-up bonus, before you cue your in-app purchase pop-up. Afterward, follow up with a positive message like: “You’re awesome!” to close out. This way, you’re more likely to ensure that you monetize your mobile game without undermining the player’s emotions. 

Tip 4: Know Your Players

Knowing your players should be a rule of thumb from day one but it especially matters when considering factors that might cause any inconvenience, like ads. It’s true that ads can negatively impact user experience, but not all ads are created equal. 

As a player, there’s nothing more offputting than having to view ads that are completely irrelevant. Well-targeted and localized ads can go a long way as opposed to random ads that are completely unrelated to a player’s interests. The mobile game ads you run will be an indication of how well you know your players – that’s why it’s critical to be selective with the content you choose to advertise.

Tip 5: Engage and Incentivize

Keeping your players engaged should be one of your lifelong missions – after all, an engaged player is more likely to be a return user, and return users translate to loyalty and happiness. You can engage players by providing them with exclusive updates, discounts, rewards, etc. 

When your players are engaged, they’re more likely to respond positively to your monetization tactics especially if you include appealing incentives. Examples of incentives that promote engagement include rewards, extra lives, surprise bonuses or boosts, and so on.

As the MENA’s leading mobile games publisher, Tamatem Games is a great resource for game developers looking to build a monetization strategy as part of their publishing process. 

Smart entrepreneurs are those who learn from their own mistakes so as to avoid them in the future. But the wisest entrepreneurs are those who save time, money, and effort by going the extra mile to learn from others’ mistakes.

Tamatem Games founder and CEO, Hussam Hammo, embodies one of the region’s most prominent success stories. As a serial entrepreneur who has built one successful venture after the other, Hussam’s advice rings true with pretty much everyone. 

Today, as captain of the Tamatem Games ship, Hussam Hammo leads a team of many talented individuals with entrepreneurial aspirations. His stature as founder and CEO of the region’s top mobile games publisher places him at the forefront of an industry that’s flooded with innovation, tech, and new ventures. However, his journey as an entrepreneur has resulted in many learning experiences along the way.

Just start

As such, here are Hussam’s top tips for entrepreneurs of all ages and industries…

Start with small projects that can be taken from idea to execution fast so that you get your foot in the door and jump into the market. Once you’ve got an idea nailed down, test and launch it fast then adjust later, and learn from your mistakes along the way. 

Don’t waste time finding your passion

There’s a widely-spread infatuation with “finding your passion” and “waiting for a calling” that, in many cases, turns into a limitation. Start with something you know and enjoy, even if it’s not your end-game. Don’t let the obsession with “finding your passion” stand in the way of getting your entrepreneurial journey started – you’ll find it along the way. 

Take calculated risks

Take this as a rule of thumb that any entrepreneur must live by: there’s no reward without risk. This is not to say that you should blindly jump into the riskiest opportunity that comes your way, but just that entrepreneurship is doused with risky decisions – that’s why it isn’t for the faint of heart. Get comfortable with weighing your options, calculating risks, and making decisions based on what you’re willing to have at stake. 

Manage your time or it’ll manage you

Make a habit of mindfully managing your time early on into your entrepreneurial journey. The sooner you know the value of your time, the faster you’ll adopt tactics that’ll help you manage it efficiently. There are loads of helpful time-saving smart tools that are designed to enable you to get the most out of your day.

Focus on what works

As you move through the motions of building your own company, don’t fall prey to the trap of always pursuing the next “best” thing. Many entrepreneurs make the mistake of constantly adding new features, services or products to their business that they miss viable opportunities with what already works. Take time to pause and assess what is already working and what is already driving revenue, and give it the attention it needs.

Adapt quickly and be agile

Simply put, there will always be some sort of setback. Whatever it may be, train yourself to get back up and dust yourself off. Assess what needs to be done and what changes need to be made to avoid the same issue occurring again, and implement it fast. Practice agility; let obstacles and changes challenge you to keep moving forward instead of crippling you.

Know your skills and know your shortcomings

Don’t be ashamed to seek advice and help where needed. You will probably be on a tight budget at first, so hiring a specialist may not be the most viable option. That said, do not refrain from asking friends, peers, and mentors for advice or opinions on things you may not know enough about. Be confident enough to be vulnerable about what you don’t know, but choose wisely who you seek advice or help from.

Don’t rely on funding from the beginning

While the idea of a successful entrepreneurship story may be synonymous with investment rounds and acquisitions, don’t let that be your one and only measure. Prove that your business is profitable on its own before rushing into seeking funding. Chances are, investors will be more interested in financing a business that is proven viable rather than taking a shot in the dark, so just focus on increasing revenue on your own. 

Once you start hiring, surround yourself with people who are smarter than you

Never let your ego be threatened by people who are more skilled, talented, and knowledgeable than you are. A company’s biggest asset is its people; think of your business as a compound of all the human talent it has rather than a competition of individuals. Once you’re big enough to start hiring, always look for people who bring things to the table that aren’t already there.

Know your goals and keep going

Persistence beats talent any day. If you get up and show up every single day for long enough then you’re more likely to achieve your goals than someone who just has talent. Know where you’re headed and keep moving towards it no matter what; the most successful entrepreneurs don’t succumb to the hardships of persistence. 

To the everyday consumer, not much thought goes into the production process behind a mobile game. You hear about a mobile game, search through the app store, download, play, and repeat. But on the back end, there are lots of processes, systems, and entities that go into creating and launching a great mobile game. 

One commonly confusing aspect in the mobile game industry is the difference between developers and publishers. Many people are unaware of the purpose behind a mobile game developer versus that of a mobile game publisher. In long-story-short style, this blog post will explain the difference. 

Mobile Game Developers

Just like it sounds, mobile game developers develop the game. Regardless of whether they’re a large industry magnate or a solo, one-person operation, a mobile game developer is the entity behind the actual creation of the game. They build the mobile game from the ground up; this involves creative aspects, such as storyline and gameplay, as well as technical structures, such as code. 

The main tasks carried out by mobile game developers include coming up with the game’s storyline, characters, and visuals on the creative side, but also overseeing and carrying out the programming needed to bring the game to life. Essentially, a mobile game developer’s job involves the process of taking a mobile game from idea to execution. 

Mobile Game Publishers

A mobile game publisher is an organization or entity that takes a finished, already-developed mobile game to market. The job of a mobile game publisher involves aspects such as launch strategy, marketing, product management, and other steps involved with officially publishing a mobile game. 

In addition to steps related to the actual publication of a mobile game, mobile game publishers have a lot of industry experience to offer. A top mobile game publisher can offer expert services, such as market research, app store optimization, and more business-focused processes that are valuable. 

Today, game developers can choose between one of two routes: going solo and self-publishing or partnering with a seasoned mobile game publisher who has industry experience. It’s easier than ever to beat to the tune of your own drum and self-publish a mobile game and, in some instances it may be less costly. However, partnering with a leading mobile game publisher has unparalleled advantages and perks that ensure every single thing is thought of from the get-go. 

When you partner with a leading mobile game publisher, you can rest assured that every other aspect outside the development of your game will be taken care of. From locally-informed marketing strategies to well-thought-out monetization avenues, publishers are meant to cover the business side of launching a mobile game. 

You can work with a mobile game publisher to localize an existing mobile game that you’ve gained success with or to release your ready, unpublished game. Another way would be to join forces with a mobile game publisher at the beginning of the mobile game development process, to implement an A-Z process of giving the audience what it wants. 

If you’re looking to partner with a top mobile game publisher in MENA, reach out to Tamatem Games for nothing but the best services the region has to offer. 

If you’re here reading this, you’ve shown the first sign of interest in working at Tamatem Games – so thanks! For those who want to take the next step and get the real deal on what it takes to get hired at Tamatem Games, this blog post will give you the short and sweet rundown. 

The process of landing a job can be stressful from start to finish; whether it’s the search phase, application process, or in-person interviews. However, if there’s one thing you should keep in mind when applying to work at Tamatem Games, it’s this: the human aspect. 

Although we do focus on hiring people with the right experience, skills, and track records, we also give ample consideration to their human side – what makes them unique, what excites them, and what they’re like on a day-to-day basis. 

Tell us who you really are

We’ve been in the industry for quite some time and, by now, we know how much authenticity matters. Drop the preconceived personality traits you think are right for the job and just be yourself. 

Don’t build a persona that you think will get you hired – you’re better off being honest and just showing us your genuine, true self. When you’re writing that resume, updating your LinkedIn, proofreading your cover letter, and preparing for your interview, just be yourself all the way through and that’s how you’ll up your chances of getting hired. 

Show us what you can do

Relying on your resume to list all your qualifications and skills won’t do you justice. Instead, try getting creative; showing us what you can do is far more powerful than telling us. If you’re a UI/UX designer, try going the extra mile and building a visual interface to showcase your talent. The fact that you’re willing to put in the extra effort, that on its own, would be impressive evidence of dedication on your part.

Let your energy speak for itself

Again, if you’re listing “passionate”, “energetic” and “engaged” as personality traits on your resume, then you should make sure they come through off paper too in your interview.

At Tamatem Games, we take our company culture and office environment seriously so the in-person aspect of the hiring process is pivotal. Not only should you prepare to hit all the right talking points in your interview, but you should also be yourself and let your energy speak for itself. Try to make sure that the person you’re describing in your resume is the same person who shows up in person – that way you’re not overpromising and underdelivering.

Follow all the right steps

As someone looking to work at Tamatem Games, you could follow every piece of advice up to this point but if you’re not taking the actual steps then it won’t really matter. 

To kick off your road to working at Tamatem, start by heading to our careers page. Browse our open positions and follow the application steps as listed. If you come in for an interview and you think you’re right for the position, send over a follow-up email and tell us why you won’t take no for an answer. 

Regardless of what job you’re interested in or which company you’re applying to work at, there’s always a way to get your foot in the door or to put yourself on the radar. In addition to applying, try reaching out to your personal connections, send out a few messages through LinkedIn, and attend more events where you can broaden your network, and remember: when there’s a will, there’s a way!