MENA Hero Project 2025 /
Creator of " The Perfect Run": Among the Top 4 Titles Shortlisted Games
When I first heard about the MENA Hero Project, it just felt right, like a natural fit. Sony has always been known for its story-driven games, the kind that make you feel something. From the very beginning, that’s how we defined Lanterns Studios too: a studio built on storytelling and emotion. The alignment was clear from the start. We share the same DNA.
For me, applying wasn’t about the financial aspect, as many might assume. It was about learning and growing as an indie studio by collaborating with people who have set the bar for creativity and quality. Being part of the MENA Hero Project meant working directly with Sony’s producers, having access to mentorship, and connecting with professionals who could challenge and elevate us.
It pushed us to raise our standards even higher, to be more organized, more creative, and more open to the world. But most importantly, it reminded us to stay true to our principles: to make story-driven games that speak to people on an emotional level. In the end, joining the MENA Hero Project wasn’t just an opportunity. It was a mirror. It reflected who we are and who we aspire to become.
Working with Sony through the MENA Hero Project wasn’t just about validation. It was about evolution. From the very beginning, the collaboration gave us access to a wealth of experience and mentorship that changed how we think about making games. Suddenly, we were not just creators in our own bubble; we were part of a larger conversation about global quality and creative excellence.
Every week, our producers at Sony challenged us, not by imposing rules, but by asking the right questions. They helped us refine our processes, streamline production, and think strategically about what we wanted our games to mean, not just how they should look or play.For our team, that mentorship was transformative. It showed us that discipline and creativity aren’t opposites; they’re partners. The MENA Hero Project didn’t redefine who Lanterns Studios is; it helped us express our identity with more clarity and confidence. And maybe most importantly, it reminded us that excellence isn’t just a goal; it’s a habit, one we now try to pass on to the next generation of developers in our region.
It’s the story of someone trying to fix everything and realizing that perfection always comes at a cost. It’s a game about repetition, about obsession, about the illusion that if you just had one more chance, you could make it right this time. But the more you try to perfect the loop, the more human flaws begin to surface. At its core, “The Perfect Run” isn’t about winning. It’s about understanding why we fail and learning to live with the parts of ourselves that we can’t reset.
Adapting a book into a game is never simple. You’re stepping into a world that already exists that readers love. A book has its own rhythm and emotional weight. For “The Perfect Run”, the biggest challenge was balance: staying faithful to the book while letting it evolve into something that plays.
You can’t just copy a novel into a game. A story unfolds in time, but a game has to breathe, to give players agency. So, we spent a lot of time asking ourselves what truly defines “The Perfect Run”. What moments or emotions make it what it is? What can change and what must not? Having the original author, Maxime, on board made all the difference. He helped us see the heart of the story, what matters most and what could be reimagined. That collaboration allowed us to condense more than a hundred chapters in a single, coherent experience without losing the story’s soul.
Of course, not everything could fit. Some side arcs had to stay behind, but we didn’t see that as a loss. For us, it became an opportunity, material for the future, for DLCs (downloadable content that adds new elements to the game), and for other ways to expand the world. In the end, adapting “The Perfect Run” wasn’t about shrinking the book. It was about giving it a new form, a chance to be lived, not just read.
At Lanterns Studios, everything begins with story. Narrative isn’t something we add at the end. It’s the reason we start. Every project begins with a single question: what do we want the player to feel? “The Perfect Run” was our first step toward that vision, a story about real people in impossible situations. I’ve always been drawn to those gray spaces between the ordinary and the extraordinary, where emotion becomes the bridge between the two.
We’re still a small team, but we share the same belief: creativity needs both freedom and structure. My role is to keep the vision clear and give everyone the space to reach it in their own way. Looking ahead, I want Lanterns Studios to stand as a narrative studio from the MENA region that tells stories with authenticity and emotional depth. Our culture carries voices that are both local and universal, and they deserve to be heard. The best stories, I think, are the ones that keep glowing long after the screen fades to black.
The MENA region is evolving at a remarkable pace, faster than many might expect. There is a renewed sense of energy, particularly among independent creators who are beginning to believe in the power of telling stories shaped by their own voices, cultures, and realities. For the first time, we’re witnessing a generation that is not only playing games but creating them with ambition, curiosity, and a growing sense of identity.
Yet it remains a delicate ecosystem. The talent is already here, but the surrounding infrastructure, including funding, mentorship, and visibility, is still developing. What encourages me most is the rise of collaboration as a natural instinct. Developers across Tunisia, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and beyond are reaching out to one another, exchanging knowledge, and building communities that transcend borders.
If we continue to nurture these connections and create spaces that encourage experimentation and risk-taking, the region can move from being a participant in the global games industry to being a true contributor, one whose voice is distinct, authentic, and impossible to ignore.
If there is one piece of advice I could offer, it would be to focus on the craft, not the noise.
It’s tempting to chase trends or visibility, but those things fade. What endures is the integrity of the work, the game, the art, the craft itself.
Patience matters more than speed. This industry rewards those who persist, who learn from every setback, and who keep creating even when no one is watching. Each project and every mistake add another layer to your voice as a creator. Don’t seek applause too early, and don’t create for the spotlight. Create because you have something genuine to express.
If your work is honest, your audience will find you. Perhaps not today, but inevitably.Stay passionate. Stay patient. And above all, have faith in the long process of becoming. That’s where the real art takes shape.
For me, creation begins with emotion. My mission, if I can call it that, is to make people feel something when they play. Games, to me, are not only entertainment; they’re a language, a way to express what words can’t.
I often find that what I cannot say out loud, I can translate through the rhythm of a scene, a sound, or a decision a player makes. That’s where honesty lives, in the emotion that lingers after the screen fades to black.
The games that stay with me are never the ones I merely played, but the ones that made me feel joy, fear, empathy, or loss. That’s the effect I hope to leave on others. I want someone, years later, to remember not the details but the feeling, the quiet echo of a moment that meant something. That’s the voice that keeps me creating. The search for that emotional resonance, the chance to leave behind something that stays with people long after the credits roll.
CEO and Co-Founder of Lanterns Studios, a Tunisia-based game developing company known for its work on narrative AA/AAA titles, including “The Perfect Run”. Under his leadership, the studio also develops XR and VR applications and offers motion-capture services, positioning it as one of the leading production hubs in North Africa. He is also the CEO and Co-Founder of Academy Interactive, an institution dedicated to game developing training. Through this work, he plays a key role in cultivating talent and strengthening the growth of Tunisia’s game industry.
