Middle East’s first location-based AR game launched in Abu Dhabi

Abu Dhabi-based game publisher MENA Mobile is to release the region’s first Pokémon GO-style augmented reality mobile game.

Arabian Nights: Genie’s Treasures is based on the popular Arabic folk tales “The Thousand and One Nights”. The game includes maps from different regional cities including Abu Dhabi. Various 3D designs, both fantastical and realistic, showcase the city’s landmarks. Players can explore these attractions through physical travel or virtually on their “magic carpet” as they search for treasures, unlock secrets, make friends, and fight monsters.

As part of the game’s Ramadan launch, the publisher is offering a total of Dhs1.5m in prizes, in addition to an additional “jackpot” prize of Dhs3.67m ($1m).

“The secret behind choosing ‘The Thousand and One Nights’ as inspiration for the game is that the book is full of amazing adventures and stories that are already well known,” said Baker Ma, founder and CEO of MENA Mobile. “We wanted our players to go out into the world and experience these stories for themselves.”

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MENA Mobile is the studio behind the popular strategy game “Salah Al Din – War of Gold”. The company is based at Abu Dhabi’s twofour54 innovation centre, supported by its AD Gaming industry growth initiative.

“We are delighted at the release of the first location-based AR game to be launched under the new AD Gaming initiative,” said James Hartt, director of Strategic Partnerships, twofour54. “The government of Abu Dhabi through the AD Gaming initiative actively supports the growth plan of game development studios like Mena Mobile, helping them to grow their businesses using locally-based talent to produce games such as Arabian Nights”.