RIYADH: Manga Productions, affiliated with the Misk Foundation, organized a special event under the title “XP” in Riyadh to launch a new group of video games on various gaming platforms.
The event focused on interacting with the gaming community in the Kingdom and included gaming experiences, exclusive content, and enriching meetings.
Essam Bukhary, CEO of Manga Productions, told Arab News: “It is anticipated that in 2030 this market will reach SR50 billion ($13.3 billion). According to (the) Saudi government’s goals, e-sports and the video game sector together represent a massive market. Saudi Arabia and the Arab world have been content consumers for a long time.
“These days, we create news content and distribute it to the local community as well as worldwide. Therefore, I believe that Saudi Arabia’s future is quite bright, and we have great confidence in our abilities.”
He continued: “It’s the first time for a Saudi company to publish a game with AAA rating, so I think this is a huge milestone for the industry in the Kingdom. And this is the result of our investments and our talent. For many years we have been sending our students for internship programs in global studios in Japan, the US, and UK and this is the result, so I think the future is very bright. And we’re very confident that we can compete in the global markets.”
The games launched include “Grendizer Space Adventures: Feast of the Wolves,” “The Smurfs 2: Prisoner of the Green Jewel,” and “Flashback 2.”
The first of these will take players on an epic adventure with the giant Grendizer and Daisuke to defend Earth. Players will fight the forces of evil with the most powerful robot known to mankind and embark on a journey exploring the most famous landmarks and characters within an amazing world created by Joe Nagai, the author of the original series.
Video game enthusiasts can also discover a fantasy world full of surprises in “The Smurfs 2: Prisoner of the Green Jewel” and help the famous Smurfs in the mission of ridding their world of the Green Jewel monsters.
Finally, players will embark on a new mission with Conrad and Aisha inside the cyberpunk world full of dangers, mystery, and lost memories in the second part of the game “Flashback.” The first part of the game has sold more than 2 million copies and was launched in 1992.
Gamer Ahmed bin Mahfouz, who runs the channel GameDose Remake, was among the guests. He complimented the games for their modernity, saying: “Manga Production offers what the market wants in a contemporary way, which piques the interest of the audience. Take the Grendizer game, which we saw today in a variety of layouts where the main character walks, flies, and uses various weapons. It also has a deep story with a ton of options, making it a great development.”
The Manga Productions Co. owns the full publishing and distribution rights for its new games in the Middle East and North Africa region, and is proud of the work of Saudi talents and competencies in Arabizing, distributing and marketing its new games.
It aims to provide distinctive gaming experiences and leave a strong impact in the field of game development in the region.
The company produced the games “Dhafer the Hero,” “Ghoul Cave,” the virtual reality experience “AlUla Adventures,” and other works that contributed to changing the Arab entertainment scene on a global level.
It empowers talent in the gamer community through its partnerships with training and development programs with the largest international studios and companies such as Square Enix, Telltale games, and SNK.
Manga Productions launches three new video games
https://arab.news/mz84w
Manga Productions launches three new video games
- The event focused on interacting with the gaming community in the Kingdom and included gaming experiences, exclusive content, and enriching meetings
- The games launched include “Grendizer Space Adventures: Feast of the Wolves,” “The Smurfs 2: Prisoner of the Green Jewel,” and “Flashback 2”
Saudi Arabia secures 14th position in Global AI Index, 1st in Arab world
- Remarkable milestone of 17-rank improvement among 83 countries underscores Saudi Arabia’s rapid progress in AI adoption and development
- Achievement highlights the unwavering support provided by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia has achieved a significant leap in the field of artificial intelligence, securing 14th position globally and topping the Arab world in the Global AI Index for 2024, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Thursday.
The Global AI Index is one of the indicators of the international classification of artificial intelligence issued by UK-based news website Tortoise Media.
The remarkable milestone of a 17-rank improvement among 83 countries underscores Saudi Arabia’s rapid progress in AI adoption and development.
The Kingdom’s continued leadership in the Government Strategy sub-pillar solidifies its position as a global AI leader. Its seventh-place ranking in the Commercial Ecosystem sub-pillar further demonstrates its commitment to investing in AI technologies and fostering a thriving AI ecosystem.
The Global AI Index, a comprehensive assessment of AI capabilities across 83 countries, evaluates performance based on 122 indicators grouped into three pillars: Implementation, Innovation and Investment.
These pillars are further divided into seven sub-pillars: Talent, Infrastructure, Operating Environment, Research, Development, Government Strategy and Commercial Ecosystem.
The achievement highlights the unwavering support provided by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, who chairs the board of directors of the Saudi Data and Artificial Intelligence Authority, the SPA report added.
Under his guidance, the SDAIA has been instrumental in advancing the field of data and AI, developing national capabilities and fostering innovation. This strategic approach positions Saudi Arabia as a leading data-driven and AI-powered economy.
Saudi students’ water-saving device wins top prize in sustainability contest
- Team Magic AI’s gadget can help people reduce waste at home
- ‘Building a sustainable future begins today,’ Princess Nouf bint Muhammad bin Abdullah says
RIYADH: A group of Saudi students have developed an award-winning device that can be attached to household taps to conserve water.
Team Magic AI, from King Faisal University, King Khalid University and King Saud University, took first place and a SR20,000 ($5,330) cash prize in the inaugural TCS Sustainathon competition with their device.
The competition, organized by Tata Consultancy Services, challenged students to develop sustainable solutions for urban environments.
The winning device monitors consumption and detects leaks, allowing users to reduce the amount of water they waste in their homes.
Abdulrahman Al-Hassan, one of the winning students from King Saud University, said: “Our goal was to make water conservation achievable for everyone.
“The TCS Sustainathon provided a platform to collaborate and bring our idea to life. We’re excited to see how this solution can evolve and contribute to a more sustainable future.”
The competition drew over 300 participants and more than 65 submissions, with the top 12 teams presenting their ideas to a panel of judges at the King Khalid Foundation headquarters in Riyadh.
The event was held in the presence of Princess Nouf bint Muhammad bin Abdullah, CEO of the KKF.
As well as the cash prize, Team Magic AI won an internship at TCS, where they will have access to the resources they need to develop their product.
The second- and third-place teams won SR15,000 and SR10,000 respectively, while all of the other finalists received SR5,000 and gift vouchers in recognition of their contributions.
The competition, which is supported by the KKF, the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology, King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology and the Research, Development and Innovation Authority, focused on using technology to address pressing sustainability issues in Saudi cities.
Sumanta Roy, president and regional head of TCS Middle East & Africa, said: “Saudi Arabia is rapidly urbanizing and TCS is committed to supporting the development of urban environments where people and nature coexist. The innovative solutions presented reflect a deep understanding of the challenges facing our modern-day cities.”
Princess Nouf emphasized the competition’s alignment with Saudi Vision 2030.
“Building a sustainable future begins today through decisions that improve the environment, economy and society together. Sustainability is a deep commitment to our communities,” she said.
Royal order approves bylaws of King Salman Non-Profit Foundation
- The foundation is an extension of the charitable and humanitarian works of the king, SPA said
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s king issued a royal order approving the bylaws of the King Salman Non-Profit Foundation, Saudi Press Agency reported on Thursday.
The foundation is an extension of the charitable and humanitarian works of the king, SPA said.
“Investing in people and developing their culture and pride in their identity is a permanent approach that we will always continue,” King Salman wrote on X.
“Because we seek to confront human challenges and sustain the prosperity of societies, we are launching the King Salman Non-Profit Foundation, and we look forward to making a lasting impact on individuals and society,” he added.
KSrelief delivers food aid to Yemen, Sudan
- The deliveries are part of the 2024 food aid project for affected populations in Yemen and Sudan
RIYADH: Saudi aid agency KSrelief delivered almost 1,400 food aid parcels to thousands of people in Yemen’s Taiz Governorate and Sudan’s Red Sea State, state news agency SPA reported on Thursday.
In the Mawasit District of Taiz, 381 food parcels were delivered, benefiting 2,667 people from 381 of the neediest families affected by flooding.
Sudan’s Red Sea State received 1,000 food parcels for 5,791 people.
The deliveries are part of the 2024 food aid project for affected populations in Yemen and Sudan.
Meanwhile, KSrelief delivered 3,104 cartons of dates to the needy, orphans and people with special needs living in Wadi Al-Ain and Hawra in Yemen’s Hadramout Governorate.
Saudi minister visits Kuwait to pass on Saudi leaders’ condolences after royal’s death
- Prince Abdulaziz bin Saud conveyed the messages of sympathy to Kuwait’s emir and the country’s prime minister
KUWAIT: Saudi Arabia’s interior minister, Prince Abdulaziz bin Saud visited Kuwait on Wednesday to convey to the country’s emir, Sheikh Meshal Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah, the condolences of King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman following the death last week of Sheikh Bader Nasser Al-Hamoud Al-Jaber Al-Sabah.
Prince Abdulaziz also offered the Saudi leaders’ condolences to Prime Minister Sheikh Ahmad Abdullah Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
The officials who welcomed the minister included Kuwait’s deputy prime minister, the minister of defense and the minister of interior.
Sheikh Bader, a member of the Kuwaiti royal family, died on Sept. 10 at the age of 70.
