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As a kid who was fond of online racing games, I definitely would have been surprised if I had seen Abeya-clad Arab characters on the list of available characters. Sure, Aladdin was great and nostalgic, but it was formula1 racers with their jet-set jackets that dominated the online racing scene.

Girnaas, a local app & game company based in Qatar, has decided to add the Arab spin to the global market. Founded recently last year, Girnaas is the brainchild of Qatari entrepreneurs Munera Al Dosari, Faraj Abdulla and Fatima Al Kuwari. The three founders started off with a goal to make Qatar a leader in producing and publishing games. Less than a year later in November 2013, “Giddam”, their first video game, was launched with the incubation support from the Supreme Council of Information and Communication Technology (ictQatar).

A side-scrolling, racing/platform game, Giddam, which means “forward ahead”, is a lighthearted and quirky gaming experience with a unique Qatari spin. The characters are grumpy Ali, plump-and-round Um AlThahab (Bigmama) who wears the local black Abaya, smirky Rashid or cutie-pie Farawla (Strawberry) with her glossy pink lips and flowery face. They race through cartoon-Qatar on foot, in posh cars or by bicycle, passing through palm-riddle deserts and cities filled with mosques and skyscrapers. Users will definitely pull up a smile at when seeing Ali bicycling with his white “thobe” pulled up slightly, revealing something similar to stockings. Not only are the characters hilariously cultural, but so are their weapons. Players can use Karak tea, a strongly-favored drink popular in the gulf, A’qal , the head-wear local men wear, Zanuba, footwear similar to flip-flops  or the boosting drink Eshrij  to trap and get ahead of their opponents. 

At the core of Giddam is the opportunity for players to compete head-to-head against their friends-they can have up to 5 online partners- and chat with other gamers on Google Android and Apple iOS devices.

Gaming Challenges

The team obviously went through several hiccups to deliver their cherished game to android users. Not any digital entrepreneur can get their venture incubated at ictQatar; winning the first place at the QITCOM Innovation Theatre in 2012 gave them the push they need to be on the center’s list of digital innovators.

Raising funds for their marketing campaign was no easy task either. By Nov 19, less than two months before the launching, the team had managed to raise only half of the $25,000 they needed.

Things evidently worked in their favor, as Giddam’s soft launch on 3 January garnered more than 2000 downloads immediately. Users’ rating and comments are very favorable, averaging 4.1/5 on Play Store.

“Girnaas is an Arabic word that means the highest peak of a mountain or a building,” creator Fatima Al Kuwari told several media sources. “We have chosen a name that reflects this desire and aspiration of our company.”