The New Game Masters: When the Moroccan Gaming Scene Tells Its Story in Virtual Mode

At first glance, Aya Es-Saadaoui appears to be a young architect passionate about heritage. But behind her calm gaze lies a pioneer of inclusive immersive gaming. With Inclusive Medina, she transforms the medina of Fès into a virtual exploration space, faithful to reality yet designed to welcome all audiences, with or without disabilities.  

Whether wearing a virtual reality headset or simply holding a controller, the player navigates a meticulously recreated environment guided by characters inspired by local artisans. “I wanted everyone to experience the medina, even without physical access to it,” she explains.  

A project at the intersection of architecture, storytelling, and technology, supported by several cultural institutions. Aya and her team have also modeled iconic monuments like the Al Quaraouiyine Mosque. In this narrative game, two AI-driven avatars accompany the player through a playful, educational exploration filled with puzzles.  

The setting, true to reality thanks to 3D scanning, becomes a tool for transmission, memory, and emotion—a novel way to bring heritage to life, pixel by pixel. “We work on digitizing Moroccan heritage sites with the goal of promoting and preserving their legacy. To achieve this, we use 3D scanning techniques to faithfully reproduce these spaces while generating content usable in developing educational, narrative video games. These games enable immersive, seamless navigation through the sites while remaining faithful to their historical and architectural authenticity,” she emphasizes.  

She adds: “A concrete example is our work on the Al Quaraouiyine Mosque. Starting from a precise 3D model of the site, we designed a narrative game centered on the story of Fatima El Fihriya, the mosque’s founder. The player navigates in third person, guided by two AI avatars, and progresses through the game’s universe by solving puzzles and challenges integrated into the journey.”

Ayman Jbari: The Art of Poetic Thrills

Shift in scenery, heading to Tétouan. Here, another name energizes Morocco’s gaming scene: Ayman Jbari. A self-taught visionary and fervent enthusiast, he founded AJB Studio in 2017 with a clear mission: to craft narrative-driven games marked by a bold artistic imprint.  

Graphic minimalism, polished soundscapes, dreamlike storytelling… Each creation is a self-contained experience where the player contemplates as much as they interact. With titles like Uncursed, Martha’s Dolls, Poké Khabar, and the The Moroccan Castle trilogy, the studio has carved out a formidable reputation in the indie gaming world.  

Other projects such as Error, Regretting, and Escape reinforce the AJB signature: refined aesthetics and international ambition—yet always rooted unapologetically in Moroccan identity. Present at the Morocco Gaming Expo, Ayman showcased his creations, gauged market interest, and forged connections with investors and developers.  

“The goal is to demonstrate our capabilities while fostering genuine collaborative energy. The talent exists, the skills are here—we just need to connect them,” he asserts. His dream? A unified Moroccan gaming ecosystem where local creativity can shine globally.  

For him, all the ingredients are present: a curious youth, untold stories, and a hunger to express through innovative formats. “We aim to blend our culture with gaming’s DNA to forge a distinct Moroccan identity in this universe,” he adds. And the gamble appears to be paying off.

Issam Chentoui: The Power of Collective Action

In Rabat, Issam Chentoui adds another layer to Morocco’s digital landscape. A bioclimatic architect, he is also the founder of Arti.sty.ma, a co-creation platform dedicated to video games.  

His diagnosis is clear: too many Moroccan developers work in isolation, struggling to bring their ideas to fruition. He proposes a collaborative alternative, open to coders, artists, writers, and musicians.  

With Arti.sty.ma, the goal is explicit: pool talents, break down disciplinary barriers, and create collective works that are richer and more ambitious. “We must break free from isolation and build bridges between creators. That’s how we’ll cultivate a true industry,” he declares.  

Issam is developing multiple projects steeped in Moroccan culture. Street Adventure, his first open-world game set in Marrakech, has been in development for five years. Another project, Match Fl Houma—a Moroccan-style FIFA set in a working-class neighborhood—and The Lost Key, a collaboration with the Mohammed VI Museum of Modern Art blending music, storytelling, and virtual reality, round out his portfolio.  

Nothing comes easy. Timelines stretch long, resources remain limited. But Issam remains undeterred. “Creation takes time. But if we succeed in building a community and working together, then anything becomes possible.”  

This trio represents just a glimpse of an emerging scene gaining visibility. Since the launch of the Morocco Gaming Expo and the rise of public digital initiatives, the country envisions itself as a regional gaming hub. Balancing inclusion, art, and heritage, Moroccan developers are carving an original, committed, and singular path forward.

Expert Insight: Adil Amouri, Commercial Development Manager-Executive Education at the International University of Rabat (UIR)

“A Moroccan Creative Touch is Beginning to Emerge”  

The Video Game Creator Program (VGC) aligns with Morocco’s national strategy to position itself as a key player in the gaming industry. Driven by ambitious initiatives like Rabat Gaming City and supported by a nascent ecosystem uniting public, private, and academic stakeholders, the program reflects the Kingdom’s commitment to building a competitive, innovative, and culturally grounded sector.  

Mentored by ISART Digital, a renowned school for video game professions, and supported by the International University of Rabat, young Moroccan developers trained through the VGC already demonstrate promising technical and creative skills. They stand out for their mastery of development tools, prototyping acumen, creativity infused with Moroccan cultural references, and teamwork capabilities—a critical asset in production pipelines. Key strengths include: technological curiosity, a flair for narrative innovation, and a team-oriented mindset. However, areas for growth remain, particularly in strengthening the ecosystem: studios, funding, entrepreneurial support, and international visibility.  

On the creative front, a distinct Moroccan signature is starting to take shape. Prototypes like Arcade and Beta integrate local cultural elements—medina architecture, culinary and artisanal references, mythological inspirations—with subtlety and inventiveness. This dialogue between technological innovation and cultural legacy shapes an original aesthetic, aligned with Morocco’s values of openness and diversity.