Submit your nomination
There are 12 awards in total open for nomination in the MENA Games Industry Awards 2026, celebrating all aspects of our amazing industry. The nominations will open soon to give all applicable companies the chance to enter.
We typically have a huge number of nominations for our awards. All eligible entries are put forward for the next phase of the process, during which a core judging team of media and independent professionals create a shortlist from the submitted games, services, and companies, to be voted on by selected, respected industry representatives.
NOMINATIONS FOR THE 2026 AWARDS ARE NOW OPEN
There are a total of 12 awards open for nomination, celebrating all aspects of this dynamic industry, and nominating is quick and easy.
Select the award you’d like to nominate for from the list below and fill in the form.
Please note: unless specified otherwise in the awards description, the period for consideration is from January 1, 2025 to March 31, 2026. Only games, services, company performance released or achieved within that timeframe are eligible for the awards.
Following the nomination phase we’ll present the Finalists, which will then be voted on by a select group of respected industry representatives.
The MENA Games Industry Awards 2026 take place on May 21, exclusively as part of the Dubai GameExpo Summit.
(Submissions after March 31, 2026 will not be counted.)
NOTE: We’re aware of a small issue that some people have experienced when submitting a nomination, in that they are not seeing a confirmation afterwards. If the page reloads when you click the submit button, we’ve almost certainly received your nomination (but you should be able to see this confirmation by clicking on the category you nominated for). Apologies for any confusion caused.
NOMINATIONS ARE NOW CLOSED – thank you to everyone who submitted. (The system may continue to accept entries but please note these will not be processed.)
This year there are 13 awards in total up for nomination, celebrating our amazing industry.
These are now being put forward for the next phase of the process, during which a core judging team of media and independent professionals create a shortlist from the submitted companies and games, to be voted on by the MENA Games Industry Awards judging panel.
The finalists will be revealed soon.
Nominate your choice using the forms below:
This special award recognises a Dubai-based games company who has demonstrated a considerable amount of success, influence, and impact despite their relatively recent arrival within the industry.
Dubai Games Star
Showcasing the innovation hubs that support developers with centres that cultivate creativity, enable locally produced content, and accelerate the MENA gaming space.
Best Game Innovation Hub/District
Any MENA-based game, released in the past 18 months, that pushes the boundaries of the game dynamics – whether through play mechanics, technical achievements (or use of technology itself), and more – to deliver a unique experience for players.
Most Innovative MENA Game
This accolade is for companies that support the MENA ecosystem through dedicated service provisions – monetisation, analytics, middleware, advertising, localisation, marketing, legal, etc – thereby helping developers create their games and grow their audience.
Best Service Provider
This accolade awards studios that have supported games last year in the areas of localisation, ensuring that both new releases and updates go live with as few hiccups as possible, and are localised appropriately for target MENA markets.
Best Arabic Localisation
This award recognises and celebrates the most impressively implemented and strategically sustained MENA esport-related support service of the past 18 months.
Best in Esports
Showcasing the company that is bringing the most impactful use of, or support for, web3 technology to the MENA game development scene.
Best in Web3
Celebrating the most impressive use of, or support for, AI technology within the context of game development by a MENA-based company.
Best Use of AI
This award showcases an investment within the MENA games industry that has played a vital role in the success and growth of a company in the region during the past 18 months.
Investor of the Year
Any MENA games company that has released a game, or successfully grown an existing game, during the past year, as well as expanded their business and made an impact on the industry through innovation, creativity and other initiatives.
Best Developer
Celebrating a MENA company that has assisted developers in releasing a game during the past 18 months, whether through publishing support, marketing, co-development, or investment.
Best Publisher
This award recognises the finest games experience released in the past 18 months based on creativity, play mechanics, technological, artistic and aural achievement, innovation, audience engagement, and both critical and commercial success. To be eligible for this award, games must have been given a full release, received a significant update, or maintained substantial live ops activity, during the January 2025–March 2026 period.
MENA Game of the Year
This illustrious lifetime achievement award recognises a person from the MENA region who has achieved a considerable amount of success in their career and has acted as a pioneer in, and made an outstanding contribution to, the regional games space.
The MENA Market Legend is a special award, selected directly by the organisation committee of the MENA Games Industry Awards.
NOMINATIONS FOR 2023 WILL OPEN SOON.
NOMINATIONS ARE NOW CLOSED.
Lobbying for the 23 categories of the Pocket Gamer Mobile Games Awards 2020 has now ended – our thanks to the huge number of industry members who nominated.
The shortlist will now be determined and subsequently presented to a judging panel made up of more than 100 industry experts for voting.
The finalists will be announced in December, with the winners revealed at a gala dinner event in central London on Tuesday, January 21st.
SEE THE WINNERS OF 2019