Wemade has signed WEMIX PLAY onboarding contracts with INFTY ART FZ-LLC and FYE Software FZ-LLC, developers based in the United Arab Emirates.

INFTY ART is set to introduce ArToys, a metaverse platform that sells character toy NFTs. At ArToys, collectible NFTs using character IPs and utility NFTs used in games will be sold. These utility NFTs will be applicable within games later on.

FYE Software is developing Strifest, an arena shooting game based on Unreal Engine 5. Players participate in combat to gain abilities and destroy the opponent’s base. They can also enjoy various content such as 4 vs. 4 team battles, guilds, and tournaments.

Wemade has established a local office in the United Arab Emirates and is expanding its blockchain business in the Middle East by consecutively signing onboarding contracts with various developers.

Wemade onboarded Whampoa Digital as an ecosystem partner for its $100 million Web3 Fund in UAE. Wemade also partnered with Whampoa Digital for its WEMIX Play center in Dubai International Financial Center Innovation Hub ( DIFC Innovation Hub).

In a recent announcement, WeMade, the South Korean game developer shifting to blockchain, NFTs, and DeFi has signed an onboarding agreement with Saudi Arabia’s Rogue Sentinel Studios for the blockchain game Astra Nova.

Astra Nova, slated for release in the latter half of 2025, represents cutting-edge action RPG development, powered by Unreal Engine 5. The game promises to significantly elevate the player experience by integrating blockchain and AI technologies within an expansive and immersive universe.

In Astra Nova, players will embark on an extraordinary journey on the space planet “Astra Nova,” humanity’s final bastion, engaging with its wild flora and fauna. The game is designed to offer a wide variety of content, including action-based combat with advanced technology, magic, and weaponry.

As per the announcement, Wemade is committed to broadening its WEMIX PLAY lineup and diversifying its genre offerings through ongoing partnerships with leading development studios worldwide.

This doesn’t come as a surprise, given that in February of this year WEMADE, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with KSA based Nine66, a Savvy Games Group (“Savvy”) company, to drive the development of the gaming industry in Saudi Arabia.

In addition WEMIX and Hub71, Abu Dhabi’s global tech ecosystem signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to create and accelerate growth opportunities for their respective portfolio companies and Web3 startups.

Last year WEMIX expanded into the MENA region with an office in UAE.

The gaming industry in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) has been steadily growing over the past few years. It is a dynamic industry that includes the production and sale of video games, gaming hardware, and software. Additionally, it encompasses platforms such as mobile devices, consoles, and PCs.

By 2027, it is projected that MENA’s digital gaming revenue will almost double from its 2021 value of approximately $3 bn.

Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Egypt are the top three gaming markets in MENA. These markets have a high number of gamers, a strong market presence, and significant growth potential.

South Korean, Wemade brings onboard Whampoa Digital as an ecosystem partner for its $100 million Web3 Fund in UAE. Wemade will also partner with Whampoa Digital for its WEMIX Play center in Dubai International Financial Center Innovation Hub ( DIFC Innovation Hub).

Both parties will engage in mutual deal and project referrals, particularly in the Web3 industry, and potentially co-invest in promising projects. In addition, Whampoa Digital and Wemade will also leverage each other’s technical and operational know-how to develop blockchain infrastructure and solutions for the gaming and Web3 industries. The solutions developed will be applied and integrated with financial institutions supporting these industries to promote seamless adoption of digital assets globally.

Wemade operates WEMIX PLAY, an established global Web3 gaming platform with over 250,000 concurrent players. It has developed a suite of blockchain solutions and has an established track record in investing in gaming studios, notably in Lionheart Studio, Shift Up and MADNGINE, the developer behind the massively successful NIGHT CROWS mobile and PC game.

Wemade is also developing the WEMIX PLAY Center, a global Web3 gaming hub at the DIFC Innovation Hub. The US$100 million Wemade Web3 Fund is targeted at promising gaming studios and blockchain projects that intend to set up an office in the WEMIX PLAY Center.

Whampoa Digital is the technology investment arm of Whampoa Group, a privately-held investment company owned by several established families in Asia. It is an early investor in digital assets and Web3 ventures, working with Web2 and Web3 visionaries to propel innovation and drive mass adoption of blockchain technologies.

Whampoa Digital was also approved in Bahrain to set up a digital Bank and has committed to investing $50 million in the country.

Whampoa Group Senior Partner Aureole Foong said,“We are excited to be joining forces with Wemade, a powerhouse in the gaming space. This partnership will allow us to pioneer new horizons in the digital asset industry beyond our already established sectors, as well as foster innovation in the Middle East, one of the world’s fastest-growing regions in the Web3 space.”

“Through our partnership with Whampoa Digital, a leading investment firm in Singapore, we strive to share valuable insights related to blockchain technology, each party bringing their unique expertise to the partnership,” said Wemade CEO, Henry Chang. “We are committed to consistently expanding collaborations with outstanding global partners.”

South Korean game developer, Wemade, and UAE DIFC (Dubai International Financial Zone), Innovation Hub partner to build WEMIX Play web3 gaming community to support Dubai Program for Gaming 2033.

The Wemade-DIFC Innovation Hub collaboration plans to focus on core initiatives, including establishing WEMIX PLAY Center within the DIFC Innovation Hub for WEMIX PLAY. Wemade and DIFC Innovation hub will onboard game companies and facilitate the raising of $100 million Web3 gaming fund to  support the developers, studios and entrepreneurs.

Dubai is a leading business hub with advanced financial services and policies for fostering economic growth, investor attraction, blockchain, and cryptocurrency. Aided by DIFC Innovation Hub, Wemade aims to maintain close communication with UAE crypto-regulating bodies for making the Middle East business strategy as per up-to-date trends.

Wemade is also working on an application for Crypto Token Recognition from the Dubai Financial Services Authority, the DIFC’s Financial Regulator. Tokens conferred with this status will allow financial institutions in the DIFC to carry out transactions with them, to be used by over 4,900 companies in the special economic zone.

South Korea’s Blockchain, NFT, metaverse game developer and publisher WeMade  has signed onboarding agreements with several domestic and international game companies for the blockchain game platform “WEMIX Play.” One of those is a UAE game company, Project Seed, which will be working on a fantasy action role playing game RPG titled Outland Odyssey.

The game should be released in third quarter of this year.

WeMade added that WEMIX Play has currently over 100 blockchain games linked in its network.

Earlier this year WEMADE, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with KSA based Nine66, a Savvy Games Group (“Savvy”) company, to drive the development of the gaming industry in Saudi Arabia.

Furthermore, in January 2023, WEMADE announced the establishment of a subsidiary in Abu Dhabi in the UAE, another gaming hub and plans to open another branch in MENA region and work with local projects and companies.

South Korean blockchain developer WEMIX and Hub71, Abu Dhabi’s global tech ecosystem, have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to create and accelerate growth opportunities for their respective portfolio companies and Web3 startups.

WEMIX startups will have the opportunity to join Hub71’s community of over 200 startups and gain access to its range of value-add programs and incentives. Select startups will also benefit from the ability to scale globally through Hub71’s web3 and digital assets specialist ecosystem, Hub71+ Digital Assets, to unlock access to a host of programs, initiatives, and wide network of corporate, government and investment partners in the UAE and global markets.

 At the same time, startups within Hub71+ Digital Assets will be able to leverage the deep technical knowledge and expertise of WEMIX and its parent, Wemade, in different areas of blockchain technology including GameFi and DeFi.

“Developing strong partnerships with key stakeholders like Hub71 is an important part of our commitment to growing the blockchain ecosystem in the MENA region,” said Shane Kim, CEO of WEMIX Pte Ltd. “We are confident that this partnership will accelerate the creation of more opportunities for blockchain startups from across the world looking to expand into the Middle East and help realize our vision of developing a global blockchain economy powered by a wide spectrum of innovative applications that evolve past traditional technology barriers to drive sustainable future innovation.”

Elodie Robin Guillerm, Head of Growth and Strategy at Hub71, said: “The addition of WEMIX to our Hub71+ Digital Assets ecosystem is testament to the growth potential there is to be seized from Abu Dhabi. Hub71 truly values partnership and collaboration and by joining forces with leading blockchain companies like WEMIX, we can work together towards developing industry leading blockchain technologies to give rise to more opportunities for Web3 startups.” 

The WEMIX and Hub71 partnership will offer key advantages including  WEMIX ability to join Hub71+ Digital Assets and its ecosystem of leading regional and global partners of digital asset exchanges and service providers, technology providers, venture studios, venture capital funds, and blockchain platforms.

It also includes fast tracking of applications by WEMIX startups to join the Hub71 Incentive Program, designed to alleviate the cost and processes of setting up in Abu Dhabi, and dedicated resources for mentorship and technical support will be provided by WEMIX to Hub71 GameFi and DeFi startups

Finally the partnership will allow  Hub71 startups to access WEMIX’s global Web3 community and blockchain companies within the WEMIX ecosystem will also gain access to Hub71+ Digital Assets. 

This is the second MOU signed by WeMADE in the region. Prior to this WEMADE signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with KSA based Nine66, a Savvy Games Group (“Savvy”) company, to drive the development of the gaming industry in Saudi Arabia.

Earlier this year WEMIX expanded its presence into MENA with the opening of its office in UAE.

KSA based Nine66, a Savvy Games Group company and South Korean Blockchain game developer Wemade jointly participate in the first edition of University Gamedev League which finals will be held in Riyadh KSA.

The University Gamedev League is a competition for university student game developers from across the world. Over 50 teams from 30 universities and 10 countries have registered to participate in the five-month contest. The initiative provides a unique opportunity for aspiring game developers to showcase their talents, collaborate with others, network, and receive mentorships from globally recognized gaming experts.

The top two teams will fly to Riyadh in Saudi Arabia, to compete in the final held during Gamers8, an esports tournament and gaming festival which runs for eight weeks and previously gathered over 1.5 million visitors in 2022.

This partnership comes after the two entities signed Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between Wemade and Nine66 and is in line with both parties’ ambitions for the gaming industry in Saudi Arabia. The middle east gaming market is also expected to grow by 56% to $2.79 billion by 2026, with Saudi Arabia’s 21 million gamers constituting an untapped demographic, according to analysts at Niko Partners

In an effort to become the next global hub for the gaming industry, Savvy Games Group is investing $38 billion into the gaming sector. Wemade is intensifying its effort to develop the booming gaming ecosystem in Saudi Arabia and increase its local presence by participating in this initiative. It is also the first Korean company to sponsor the competition. Through its role, Wemade will facilitate knowledge transfer and skills building for the new generation of game developers combining blockchain technology within the Saudi Arabian gaming ecosystem.

WEMADE, the South Korean game developer shifting to blockchain NFTs, DeFi and metaverse has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with KSA based Nine66, a Savvy Games Group (“Savvy”) company, to drive the development of the gaming industry in Saudi Arabia.

Savvy’s long-term objective is to drive the long-term growth and development of the games and e-sports sectors in Saudi Arabia. The group consists of five independent entities covering areas such as game development, e-sports, investments and more.

KSA based Nine66 is committed to building and investing in the thriving gaming ecosystem in Saudi Arabia. Nine66 is driving growth and success in the region’s gaming industry through a range of initiatives and partnerships, such as publishing, incubator and accelerator programs, training and events, as well as supporting virtual and real-life game development communities.

Saudi Arabia is a strong foothold in the Middle East’s gaming market, with over 80% of its 36 million population identifying as gamers. The partnership between WEMADE and Nine66 will support the local gaming ecosystem through training and educating Saudi game developers. 

Additionally, the partnership will explore various programs aimed at knowledge transfer, sponsorship of regional events, and expanding networks in the region to help grow the Saudi gaming industry and create new opportunities for developers and gamers alike.

WEMADE recently launched its new flagship game MIR M Global on January 31, which currently tops the ranks of video games in RPG category in multiple Middle Eastern countries including Saudi Arabia. 

Furthermore, in January 2023, WEMADE announced the establishment of a subsidiary in Abu Dhabi in the UAE, another gaming hub and plans to open another branch in MENA region and work with local projects and companies.

The announcement comes at a time when KSA will be hosting for the first time the Web3 Delight Summit in Riyadh KSA on March 6th 2023 at the Riyadh International Convention and Exhibition Center.

The event, which aims to engage, empower, and support a proactive, customised, collaborative, and secure advanced economy, will be attended by over 3,000 people in person and online from more than 40 countries.