Tamatem

Tamatem Games emerged in Jordan in 2013 when founder Hussam Hammo saw that Arabic-speaking players had relatively few games designed for their language and cultural context. The company began by pursuing a regional publishing model: instead of limiting itself to games created in Jordan, it worked with studios internationally and adapted their mobile titles for Arabic-speaking users. This approach positioned Tamatem between game development, localization, distribution, marketing, and regional monetization. The startup obtained an early acceleration opportunity from 500 Startups in April 2013 and later participated in a three-month growth-hacking program at WeWork. During that period it signed its first publishing deal with Tapinator. Tamatem also raised a seed round from MENA Venture Investments and 500 Startups in 2013, followed by financing from Arzan Venture Capital in 2015. These early relationships gave the company capital and access to a wider network of developers and investors. Its first major reported title was Awad the Delivery King, a racing game created with Jordanian animation studio Kharabeesh and published in 2014. The game exceeded one million downloads in less than twelve months, helping Tamatem reach six million downloads overall. In 2015 the publisher reported 35 games running on Android and iOS and approximately 40,000 daily downloads. The same year, A Dumb Question became the most downloaded application in Saudi Arabia four days after release, demonstrating the commercial potential of culturally adapted mobile games. Tamatem's scale increased rapidly over the next two years. In 2016, it reported 41 published games, 16 million cumulative downloads, more than 2.1 million monthly active users, and approximately 350,000 daily active users. By the end of 2017, the catalog had reached 50 games and downloads had reached 40 million. The company also reported strong month-over-month growth in downloads and revenue during this period. In 2018, Wamda Capital led a $2.5 million Series A investment, with participation from Discovery Nusantara Capital, Raed Ventures, Vision Ventures, and Seed Equity Venture Partners. Tamatem used its regional specialization to broaden its partnerships, including an agreement with Lithuanian developer Game Insight to publish and localize Airport City for Arabic-speaking markets. The company subsequently extended its Series A financing in 2020, raising another $3.5 million in a round led by Wamda Capital alongside Modern Electronics Company and North Base Media. It also partnered with Croatian developer Nanobit to bring Hollywood Story to Arabic-speaking audiences. During 2020, Tamatem reported that its workforce doubled from 35 to 70 employees in six months. A significant financing milestone followed in 2021, when Krafton led an $11 million Series B round. Venture Souq, Endeavor Catalyst, and existing investors also participated, bringing disclosed total funding above $17 million. The investment strengthened Tamatem's position as a regional mobile-games publisher and supported its international ambitions. The company's expansion later moved beyond the Arab region. In 2022, Tamatem announced a partnership with MSA Novo associated with entry into and expansion in China's mobile-games market. In 2023, it announced cooperation with Tap Payments and ZEGOCLOUD to integrate mobile payments and voice-chat capabilities into its gaming platform. Across these stages, the company's core model has remained a revenue-sharing partnership with game developers: Tamatem publishes and localizes games, while revenues are divided according to agreements with each development partner. Its partner network has included studios from the United States, Brazil, India, China, Indonesia, Bulgaria, and Croatia.

• 2023

  Platform partnerships for payments and voice

  [1]Tamatem Gamesen.wikipedia.org

  The company announced partnerships with Tap Payments and ZEGOCLOUD to support mobile payments and voice-chat features.

• 2022

  Expansion into China

  [1]Tamatem Gamesen.wikipedia.org

  Tamatem announced a partnership with MSA Novo connected with its expansion into China's mobile-games market.

• 2021

  Series B led by Krafton

  [1]Tamatem Gamesen.wikipedia.org

  Krafton led an $11 million Series B round, taking disclosed cumulative funding above $17 million.

• 2020

  Additional Series A financing and workforce expansion

  [1]Tamatem Gamesen.wikipedia.org

  The company raised a further $3.5 million, partnered with Nanobit on Hollywood Story, and reported doubling its workforce within six months.

• 2018

  Series A and Game Insight partnership

  [1]Tamatem Gamesen.wikipedia.org

  Tamatem raised a $2.5 million Series A round and agreed to publish and localize Airport City for Arabic-speaking markets.

• 2017

  Downloads reach 40 million

  [1]Tamatem Gamesen.wikipedia.org

  By year-end, Tamatem reported approximately 50 published games and 40 million cumulative downloads.

• 2016

  Portfolio and audience expand

  [1]Tamatem Gamesen.wikipedia.org

  The company reported 41 published games, 16 million cumulative downloads, and more than two million monthly active users.

• 2015

  Portfolio reaches 35 games

  [1]Tamatem Gamesen.wikipedia.org

  Tamatem reported a 35-game Android and iOS portfolio and released A Dumb Question, which quickly reached the top download position in Saudi Arabia.

• 2014

  Awad the Delivery King is published

  [1]Tamatem Gamesen.wikipedia.org

  The racing game, developed with Kharabeesh, became an early download success and helped Tamatem pass six million total downloads.

• 2013

  Tamatem is founded and enters acceleration

  [1]Tamatem Gamesen.wikipedia.org

  Hussam Hammo founded the company in Jordan, and Tamatem received an early acceleration opportunity from 500 Startups before participating in a growth program at WeWork.

• 2013

  First seed financing

  [1]Tamatem Gamesen.wikipedia.org

  MENA Venture Investments and 500 Startups provided Tamatem's reported initial seed investment.

A specialist Arabic-language mobile-game publisher and developer that connects international game studios with players in the Arab world through localization, publishing, regional marketing, and monetization partnerships.

• Mobile racing game · 2014

  Awad the Delivery King

  A racing game produced with Jordanian animation studio Kharabeesh and published by Tamatem in 2014. Its locally relevant character and setting helped it become an early showcase for Tamatem's approach to Arabic-focused mobile entertainment. The game exceeded one million downloads in less than a year and contributed to the publisher's early growth in cumulative downloads.

• Mobile game · 2015

  A Dumb Question

  A Tamatem game released in 2015. It became the number-one downloaded application in Saudi Arabia four days after launch, making it one of the company's clearest early indicators that Arabic-language and regionally marketed games could achieve strong rankings in major Arab mobile markets.

• Mobile simulation and management game · 2018

  Airport City

  A mobile title developed by Game Insight and localized and published by Tamatem for Arabic-speaking markets. The partnership illustrates Tamatem's core publishing model: an international developer supplies the game while Tamatem adapts its language, presentation, distribution, and market execution for the Arab region.

• Mobile narrative and simulation game · 2020

  Hollywood Story

  A mobile game developed by Croatian studio Nanobit and launched in Arabic-speaking markets through Tamatem's publishing partnership. The title expanded Tamatem's localized catalog through a collaboration with an established international mobile-game developer.

• 2022

  Expand into China's mobile-games marketStrategy

  Background

  Tamatem had primarily focused on Arabic-speaking markets but sought additional international growth opportunities.

  Action taken

  The company announced a partnership with MSA Novo connected with entry into and expansion in China.

  Aftermath

  The move extended Tamatem's geographic ambitions beyond its core Arab-market publishing base.

  Source

• 2021

  Raise Series B funding led by KraftonStrategy

  Background

  After building a substantial Arabic mobile-game catalog, Tamatem sought funding to continue scaling its publishing business and international reach.

  Action taken

  Krafton led an $11 million Series B investment, with participation from Venture Souq, Endeavor Catalyst, and existing investors.

  Aftermath

  The round brought disclosed cumulative funding above $17 million and strengthened the company's position in regional mobile gaming.

  Series B investment. $11 million (2021)

  Source

• 2020

  Extend financing and broaden international content partnershipsStrategy

  Background

  Tamatem continued expanding its localized catalog and reported rapid employee growth during 2020.

  Action taken

  The company raised a further $3.5 million in Series A financing and partnered with Nanobit to publish Hollywood Story in Arabic-speaking markets.

  Aftermath

  The additional financing and partnership increased Tamatem's capacity to publish international mobile games for its regional audience.

  Additional Series A investment. $3.5 million (2020)

  Source

• 2018

  Scale the regional publishing model through Series A investmentStrategy

  Background

  Tamatem had built a growing portfolio of Arabic-localized mobile games and needed additional capital to broaden its developer network and regional distribution capabilities.

  Action taken

  The company raised a $2.5 million Series A round led by Wamda Capital and expanded its international publishing relationships, including the Game Insight agreement for Airport City.

  Aftermath

  The financing supported continued catalog growth and reinforced Tamatem's role as a specialist publisher for Arabic-speaking markets.

  Series A investment. $2.5 million (2018)

  Source

• Unconfirmed

  Reported2021.12.06

  Tamatem Games raises $11 million in Series B funding[3]Tamatem Games完成1,100万美元B轮融资arabnews.com

  Tamatem Games raised $11 million in a Series B funding round led by KRAFTON, with Venture Souq, Endeavor Catalyst and existing investors also participating. The investment is intended to support the company's regional expansion, initially focusing on Saudi Arabia.

Read more

1. 1Tamatem Gamesen.wikipedia.org
2. 2Tamatem official websitetamatem.co
3. 3Tamatem Games完成1,100万美元B轮融资arabnews.com
4. 4Tamatem Games Raises $11 Million in Series B Funding Round led by KRAFTON, Inc.prnewswire.com