Tamatem, a mobile games publisher in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA), said it has fully acquired Playable Factory, expanding into interactive advertising and advancing its push to build an AI-driven gaming platform.
The deal gives Tamatem access to interactive advertising technology used by gaming companies globally, enabling users to trial games before downloading them. Playable Factory, founded in Istanbul in 2018, has developed more than 90,000 interactive ads and delivered over 30 billion ad impressions.
The acquisition allows Tamatem to integrate interactive advertising into its platform and expand its services beyond publishing and operations to include advertising, as it seeks to build a more integrated gaming ecosystem.
“This is a defining moment in Tamatem’s journey,” Chief Executive Hussam Hammo said, adding the deal would integrate content, distribution, payments and advertising technology within a unified platform based in Abu Dhabi.
Tamatem, founded in 2013, focuses on Arabic-language mobile games and has published more than 70 titles, generating over 300 million downloads and more than 3 million monthly active users.
The company also operates Tamatem Plus, a digital payments platform that supports more than 45 local payment methods through a single API, enabling developers to monetize across the region.
Playable Factory Chief Executive Berat Oğuz said the acquisition would help scale its technology globally while continuing to serve partners in Europe and the United States.
With the deal, Tamatem said it is entering a new phase as an AI-first gaming platform, investing in artificial intelligence to accelerate game development, optimize advertising and deliver more personalized player experiences.
In 2024, Tamatem partnered with the Abu Dhabi Investment Office (ADIO) to relocate its headquarters to Abu Dhabi, part of efforts to expand the emirate’s gaming ecosystem and develop talent.
“Abu Dhabi is focused on establishing itself as one of the world’s most competitive and forward-looking hubs for gaming companies,” said Hasan Al Hashmi, head of media, entertainment, gaming and sports sectors at ADIO.
The emirate is positioning itself as a destination for gaming publishers, studios and technology firms, supported by infrastructure, access to capital and regulatory frameworks, ADIO said.
The announcement coincides with new investors including Next Ventures and Square Enix, alongside increased investment from Krafton, bringing Tamatem’s total funding to more than $25 million.
Tamatem operates across six offices in Amman, Riyadh, Abu Dhabi, Cairo, Istanbul and Baghdad, employing 180 staff, and plans to expand beyond the Middle East and North Africa into global markets.
