Following a competitive first phase which saw over 23 studios receive mentorship across a variety of topics, the five strongest studios have now been selected.
Neom has announced the five Saudi game studios chosen to receive funding under the latest cycle of its flagship gaming accelerator, Level Up, marking the programme’s largest cohort to date. The announcement follows an initial mentorship phase that supported a further 18 studios, making this the most expansive edition of Level Up since its launch.
Run by Neom Gaming, Level Up is the Kingdom’s longest-running gaming accelerator and a key pillar of Saudi Arabia’s National Gaming & Esports Strategy under Vision 2030. With the gaming sector forecast to contribute more than SAR 50bn ($13.33bn) to the national economy by 2030, the programme is designed to help local studios overcome the challenges of scaling a sustainable game business through tailored funding, mentorship and global industry access.
The latest cycle began with a competitive first phase in which more than 23 studios received mentorship across a wide range of business, creative and technical disciplines. From this group, five studios were selected to progress to the next stage, where they will receive funding to accelerate product launches, along with an additional seven months of intensive support amounting to around 600 hours of mentorship per studio.
Participants will also gain access to Neom’s expanding Publisher Partner Network, which includes international and regional players such as UK-based publisher Kwalee and Tamatem Games, the Middle East and North Africa’s leading mobile games publisher. The network is designed to help studios connect with publishing expertise, market insights and global distribution opportunities.
The selected studios reflect the growing diversity of Saudi Arabia’s game development ecosystem. Aiqona Productions focuses on combining animation, storytelling and interactive design to create narrative-driven experiences. Fourcast Studio, an early mover in the Kingdom’s indie gaming scene, is developing a social PC multiplayer title built around distinctive gameplay mechanics. Makera specialises in user-generated content, providing tools that allow communities to build and shape their own gaming experiences. OFF BOX Studios is an emerging developer working on innovative and immersive game concepts, while Phys is centred on creating high-quality games that blend technology and design with a focus on movement and physical activity for children.
By expanding both the scale and scope of Level Up, Neom aims to strengthen the local games industry, support homegrown talent and position Saudi Arabia as a regional and global hub for game development as part of its wider economic diversification goals.
Toby Evan-Jones, Executive Director and Head of Gaming at Neom, said: “Over the past three years, Neom’s Level Up Accelerator has been instrumental in supporting Saudi Arabia’s first generation of game developers through pre-seed funding and mentorship. This latest cycle builds on that success and reflects Neom’s commitment to empowering talented studios who bring fresh thinking to the Kingdom’s gaming ecosystem. We’re proud to be playing a key role in driving forward the National Gaming & Esports Strategy and building sustainable, globally competitive businesses as part of Saudi Vision 2030.”
Sultan Alobaishi, Ministry of Communications and Information Technology, added:“The Level Up Accelerator powered by Neom is a pillar of our gaming ecosystem, equipping startups with the tools, mentorship and global exposure to thrive. Since 2023, it has become the ideal next step for teams graduating from MCIT’s incubation programmes, creating a seamless pipeline that transforms early ideas into globally competitive studios. The results speak for themselves: young Saudi startups are now winning awards, attracting investment and emerging as successful companies.”
To date, the programme has resulted in the creation of more than 170 jobs with 100% portfolio survivability and substantial growth of investee entities. Several startups from previous cycles have gone on to achieve further global recognition and success. This includes Fahy Studio, which secured the first ever international publishing deal for a Saudi start-up game developer with Kwalee, alongside investment of $1.75m from Impact46 and Merak Capital. Other Level Up graduates – Starvania Studio and Majestic Mind Games – consecutively won the ‘Best Games Startup’ award at the 2024 and 2025 MENA Games Industry Awards.
