Saudi Arabia is making significant strides in the gaming industry, particularly with Steer Studios, a company under the Savvy Games Group investment arm established in 2022. The nation is set to host the Esports World Cup next month, which is the largest gaming tournament globally, boasting an impressive prize pool of $70 million. This event underscores Saudi Arabia’s ambitions to enhance its gaming sector.

Steer Studios, which began operations three years ago, recently launched its first game, Grunt Rush. This mobile strategy game aims to provide an engaging experience for players and is designed for a global audience. Chief Executive Yannick Theler, a French gaming professional with extensive experience at Ubisoft in China and Abu Dhabi, shared that he was drawn to create a comprehensive gaming hub in Saudi Arabia. He expressed, “After 20 years at Ubisoft, I decided it was time to take a leap of faith and start fresh.”

Theler explained that starting a gaming studio from scratch posed challenges, as there was no existing team or structure. However, he quickly recognized that there was a wealth of talent available for recruitment. After posting job listings, Steer Studios received over 1,500 applications within the first hour, which Theler described as “a huge sign of interest and potential.”

Once the team was assembled, the decision was made to develop a mobile game, allowing the new employees to learn as they progressed. Theler noted that mobile gaming is the most popular format in Saudi Arabia, with research from UK firm YouGov indicating that around three-quarters of users prefer mobile devices for gaming due to their convenience.

Grunt Rush took one year to develop, involving a team of 20, half of whom are Saudi nationals. Theler reported that the game achieved 1.5 million downloads within the first three weeks of its release, highlighting its success. He added that players have appreciated the game’s performance, stating, “It doesn’t overheat their devices.”

While Grunt Rush is developed by Saudi creators, it targets a global market. Theler emphasized the team’s commitment to high-quality production and experience, mentioning, “Our team spent a lot of time optimising it.” Future updates will include regional themes and events to engage players further.

Theler believes that mobile games can continue to gain popularity, provided they capture the attention of dedicated players. He indicated that Steer Studios is ready to expand its team to meet demand, saying, “If Grunt Rush continues to grow, we’ll scale the team accordingly to produce more content and support ongoing development.” He is dedicated to a “learning by doing” philosophy, a method he adopted at Ubisoft, and he noted that Saudi Arabia is enhancing educational opportunities for aspiring game developers.

The Savvy Games Academy, which opened this year, aims to create pathways into the gaming industry by collaborating with universities and providing internships at Steer Studios. Theler stated, “Structured curricula are being rolled out to give aspiring developers a clearer path.”

Following the success of Grunt Rush, Theler announced that the studio would soon begin work on a console game. “Our first console project kicks off this year,” he revealed, indicating a dual focus on mobile and console projects moving forward.

Theler concluded that local gamers take pride in playing games developed by their compatriots, as it fosters a connection within the community.