MBC Game Studio, a new developer backed by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund, announced its first project during the Opening Night Live presentation at Gamescom in Germany. The game, titled “1001 Threads of Mazin,” is an action-adventure title set within the world of “One Thousand and One Nights,” the classic collection of Arabic folk tales. Rather than focusing on well-known characters from the source material, the game introduces three original protagonists—Yusra, Malik, and Sufyan—who embark on a quest to recover the lost power of the Mizan and defeat an ancient jinn king.
The studio is led by CEO Daniel Engelhardt, a former gaming executive at Lionsgate, alongside COO Trevor Williams. The development team comprises veterans from major studios including BioWare, Hi-Rez, Ubisoft Montréal, and Bungie. A distinctive aspect of the studio’s approach has been prioritizing the hiring of Arabic developers, folklore experts, and actors to guide the project’s creative direction. Engelhardt emphasized that these team members function as core designers rather than consultants, influencing decisions across mechanics, narrative, aesthetics, and world-building.
The game features cooperative gameplay for up to three players and centers on flying carpet traversal as a core mechanic. Players navigate the game world aboard flying carpets to confront large-scale jinn enemies. Engelhardt noted the studio’s commitment to authentic representation, including casting decisions that require all voice actors to be native Arabic speakers performing both English and Arabic versions of the dialogue. The team drew inspiration from the oral storytelling traditions of the region when conceptualizing gameplay elements.
The title is in development for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X and S, Nintendo Switch 2, and PC. No official release date has been announced. The studio is conducting hands-on demonstrations at Gamescom for attendees, press, and content creators.
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