In this episode, Selim Ozturk hosts Meaad Aflah and Muslih Alzahrani, co-founders of Starvania Studio, discussing their journey in game development, the impact of government support in Saudi Arabia, and the cultural significance of their debut title, Bahamut and the Waqwaq tree. They share insights on the challenges faced in the gaming industry, the importance of community involvement, and the evolving landscape for women in gaming. The discussion highlights the studio’s vision for future projects and the lessons learned from their experiences.
Chapters:
00:00 – Introduction to Starvania and its founders
02:53 – The journey of game development in the MENA region
05:48 – The role of government support in game development
09:03 – Building a global identity through local culture
11:53 – Creating Bahamut: the debut title
14:50 – Lessons learned from game development
17:52 – Navigating the challenges of building a game studio
20:55 – The future of Starvania and the gaming ecosystem
42:39 – Hiring for culture and values
45:05 – Overcoming challenges
48:13 – The evolution of Bahamut
51:32 – Funding and growth in the gaming industry
55:04 – Women in gaming leadership
59:16 – Inspiring future creators
01:02:13 – Defining success for Bahamut
01:06:02 – Looking ahead
Links:
Starvania Studio
Meaad Aflah: https://www.linkedin.com/in/meaadaflah/
Muslih Alzahrani: https://www.linkedin.com/in/muslih-alzahrani/
Starvania Studio: https://starvania.com/
Bahamut and The Waqwaq tree: https://bahamutgame.com/
