MENA Games Industry Awards 2025 Announces Finalists Across 13 Categories

The MENA Games Industry Awards 2025 has revealed its finalists, showcasing the best talent in the Middle East and North African gaming sector.

The awards highlight games, developers, publishers, and service providers that have made significant contributions to the region's growing gaming industry.

Following an extensive nomination process, the organizers have announced shortlists across 13 different categories.

The winners will be revealed on Thursday, May 8th, during the Dubai GameExpo Summit 2025.

Complete List of Finalists by Category

DUBAI GAMES STAR

• BoomLand

• DMCC Gaming Centre

• Elevatix

• Foxrito Studios

• Oneness Labs

• Sawa Group

• TapTap Games DMCC

• Yalla Group

BEST GAMES STARTUP

• Aya Games

• Classy Games

• Digital Dunes

• Hajem Sports

• Holodot Studio

• iBLOXX Studios

• Light Studio

• Majestic Mind Games

• Raheebeen Studio

• Sphereka Studios

• Steer Studios

BEST GAME INNOVATION HUB/DISTRICT

• AD Gaming

• Create Apps Championship 2025 (Dubai Chamber of Digital Economy)

• DIFC Innovation Hub

• DMCC Gaming Center

• in5 Tech

• MENA Hero Project (Sony)

• NAPHORA GAMES GROUP

• NEOM

• Sharjah Media City

• Tamkeen

MOST INNOVATIVE MENA GAME

• AFRSHO (Naphora)

• Cat's Vote (Danar Dev)

• Lefty (Light Studio)

• Lobah Play (Lobah)

• SHOTBALL (Naphora)

• Veil of Sanity (Sphereka Studios)

• Grunt Rush (Steer Studios)

BEST SERVICE PROVIDER

• Elevatix

• Endless Studios

• Futura Digital

• Lobah Play (Lobah)

• Pay1st (Carry1st)

• Playgama.com

• Polygonflow

• SocialPeta

• Tamatem Plus (Tamatem)

• The Game Company

• Xsolla & Niko Partners

BEST ARABIC LOCALISATION

• Babil Games

• Raheebeen Studio

• Stellar Gate Games [Blood Strike MENA]

• Tamatem Games

• Tiny Minies Preschool Learning

BEST IN ESPORTS

• Arabhardware

• Emirates Esports Federation (EEF)

• The Esports & Gaming Agency (EGA)

• Esports World Cup

• FATE Esports

• Gamers Hub

• GBarena

• Power League Gaming (2024 UCI Cycling Esports World Championship)

• True Gamers

• YaLLa Esports

• Zain Esports

• Zawaya Gaming

BEST WEB3 GAMING

• BoomLand

• Everdome

• Farcana Studio

• iBLOXX Studios

• Kiraverse (Param Labs)

• PiP World

• PlanetQuest (Galactic Entertainment)

• The Game Company

• WEMIX PLAY Center (Wemade)

INVESTOR OF THE YEAR

• Beam Ventures

• BITKRAFT

• GEM Capital

• Jetapult

• Level Up (NEOM)

• Merak Capital (+ Exel by Merak)

• Saudi Social Development Bank

• Savvy Games Group

• Shorooq Partners

• The Games Fund

BEST DEVELOPER

• 2024 Studios

• Chickmania

• Evolite Studio

• Game Cooks

• Hypemasters

• Jawaker

• Mad Hook

• Rababa Games

• Remal Ventures – Kammelna

• Shanab Games

• Spoilz

• Tarboosh Games

• UMX

• YallaPlay

BEST PUBLISHER

• Babil Games

• Maysalward

• MBC Group

• Naphora Games Group

• Sandsoft

• Sawa Group

• Tamatem Games

• Yalla Group

• Yayy

MENA GAME OF THE YEAR

• AFRSHO (Naphora)

• Amer: Fighting (Mad Hook)

• Blood Strike MENA (NetEase)

• DriftX هجوله ملك (UMX)

• Grunt Rush (Steer Studios)

• Jackaro (Chickmania)

• Jawaker: Games & Friends (Jawaker)

• Kammelna (Remal)

• Nida Harb III (Babil)

• Pro Car Driving Simulator (Mad Hook)

• Rage of the Brave (Tamatem)

• SHOTBALL (Naphora)

• أرض الشجعان (Tamatem)

The MENA Games Industry Awards builds on last year's successful debut, where "DC Heroes & Villains" by Jam City and Sandsoft won Game of the Year.

"MENA Market Legend" award is a special lifetime achievement recognition that will be selected directly by the organization committee rather than through nominations. Last year, Nour Khrais, Founder and CEO of Maysalward and Chairman of Jordan Gaming Task Force, received this honor.

Full list and details: menagamesawards.com