Jordanian company's smartphone games are all the rage with Arabic-speaking gamers

Audio 01:15

Hussam Hammo, the director and founder of Tamatem - which means tomato, here in his office on September 30, 2021. In just eight years, the Jordanian company has already taken a good market share in the lucrative games sector, in Arabic, on smartphone.

Khalil MAZRAAWI AFP

Text by: RFI Follow

1 min

In eight years, the Tamatem company, founded in Amman, has become one of the leaders in the Arab mobile entertainment market.

And for good reason: its 50 games in Arabic have already been downloaded more than 100 million times.  

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With our correspondent in Amman

Hermine Le Clech

This melody, Khaled knows it by heart.

It's the soundtrack to his favorite game Tahadi Al-Molouk.

His particuliarity ?

It is fully translated into Arabic.

An asset for this thirty-something. 

“ 

Because the allies also come from Arab countries,” he

explains.

So it's easier to talk, to create alliances between us.

Most people use English games and therefore have to play while translating texts and voices.

This game facilitates interactions between players. 

Yaman, an e-marketing student, is also won over.

He plays the game Awad Abu Shefe.

And what he appreciates is seeing the scenarios adapt to his daily life.  

 I can relate more to the characters,

” he says.

I like the missions that are in the game. There is one that I particularly remember where you had to grab a falafel sandwich and work as a delivery guy.

You wouldn't find that in the GTA video game.

 " 

Speaking to an Arabic-speaking audience and adapting its offer to the culture of the Middle East, this is the bet of the Tamatem company.

Hussam Hammo is the founder.

And for him, all the lights are green.

“ 

The company has grown 150% in terms of revenue and we are now at 80 employees.

We hope to reach 100 employees by the end of the year. 

"

To continue to grow, the company relies on the 400 million smartphone users in the Middle East. 

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