Gaming, Kuwaiti style: Developers showcase talent at NCCAL expo
KUWAIT: Young Kuwaiti game developers are getting the spotlight at the 'Made in Kuwait Video Games Expo,' which kicked off Friday at The Avenues mall as part of the National Council for Culture, Arts and Letters' (NCCAL) Summer Cultural Festival 17.
The three-day exhibition features locally developed video games that blend modern gameplay with Arab identity and traditional values. Visitors can try out the games firsthand, share feedback directly with developers, and engage with the creative process behind these digital experiences.
'This event is the result of past game development competitions we held as a national cultural challenge,' said Omaima Al-Saad, founder and director of NCCAL's gaming programs. 'They brought together talented Kuwaitis - developers, musicians, artists, storytellers, and designers - to create games within 72 hours.'
The games on display were born from those time-limited challenges, and many are still in development. According to Al-Saad, this allows players to give real-time input, building a stronger connection between game creators and audiences. 'This direct feedback helps improve the games while encouraging a culture of collaboration between developers and players,' she said.
Looking ahead, Al-Saad announced another initiative: a 'Game Development Bootcamp' will launch later this month at Kuwait National Library. It will feature eight intensive training programs, led by specialists in the field, aimed at teaching the basics and skills of game creation. Dalal Al-Fadhli, Director of Culture at NCCAL, emphasized the broader goal of the exhibit: 'It's part of our mission to present cultural content that's both entertaining and educational - content that's free from violence and promotes national tech culture.'
Al-Fadhli noted that the game development challenge ran for two consecutive seasons and drew strong interest from Kuwaiti youth. 'What you see today at the expo reflects the progress of our local programmers and designers,' she said. 'This platform highlights the talent of young Kuwaitis in a field that's growing rapidly worldwide. It also shows how they're capable of producing high-quality digital content rooted in their identity and values,' she added. — KUNA
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