Riyadh-Headquartered FLOATY Wraps Up US$1 Million Funding Round Led By KSA-Based Merak Capital

Riyadh-headquartered mobile game developer FLOATY Studio has raised US$1 million in a funding round led by KSA-based investment firm Merak Capital through its Merak Gaming Fund. 

Founded by Abdullah Salah, Fahad Qaysi, and Zeyad AlMalki in Riyadh in 2023, FLOATY Studio develops casual and hybrid-casual mobile games for international audiences, focusing on accessible gameplay and long-term player engagement. FLOATY aims to use the fresh capital to accelerate game development, strengthen its production capabilities, and support its international expansion strategy.  

FLOATY was established on the belief that games developed in Saudi Arabia can compete globally through strong gameplay, clear creative direction, and a deep understanding of players. The new investment is thus also set to support the studio's efforts to build original Saudi-developed intellectual property for global markets. FLOATY is currently developing two flagship titles: Pirasea, a pirate-themed strategy game, and Hero Squad, a sci-fi action title centered on assembling heroes to battle robotic enemies.  

In an interview with Inc. Arabia, Salah, co-founder and CEO of FLOATY, reflected on how his startup secured Merak Capital's backing amid an increasingly competitive mobile gaming market. "What sets FLOATY apart is the way we combine creativity with a strong focus on the player,” Salah said. “In mobile games, a good idea isn't enough. You need to understand why someone would download your game, what makes the first few minutes enjoyable, and what gives them a reason to come back. Our team brings together experience across game design, art, engineering, production, and growth, and we work closely across those disciplines from the start. That allows us to prototype quickly, learn from player feedback, and improve our games throughout development. I believe Merak Capital saw a team with complementary strengths, a player-first approach to development, and a clear understanding that building successful games comes from continuous iteration."  

Having gained the support of Merak Capital, FLOATY is now looking to extend its reach beyond its home market. "Our international growth will start with the markets where mobile gaming is already highly competitive and where players are open to discovering new games: North America, Europe, and Asia,” Salah said. “At the same time, the MENA region remains important to us. It is a fast-growing market with a large gaming audience, and we believe there is a real opportunity to build games that resonate locally while still being designed for global players from day one. For FLOATY, international expansion is not only about publishing in more countries. It is about building the right relationships with publishers, platforms, investors, and experienced industry partners who can help us improve our games and reach the right audiences.” 

Salah also placed FLOATY's next phase within the context of a rapidly evolving industry landscape. “Looking ahead, we think studios will be shaped by three major shifts: rising user-acquisition costs, the growing importance of live operations and communities, and the use of artificial intelligence (AI) to make development faster and more efficient,” he said. “AI will help smaller teams move faster, but it will not replace good taste, strong game design, or a real understanding of players. The opportunity for FLOATY is to combine a talented team in Saudi Arabia with a global product mindset. The region has strong momentum, growing support for the industry, and a new generation of creators who want to build games for the world."  

For entrepreneurs looking to tap into the opportunities emerging across the MENA gaming industry, Salah offered some advice drawn from his own experience. "The first thing founders should understand is that games are both a creative product as well as being a business,” he said. “Building a fun prototype is only the beginning. To compete internationally, you need to think about the full journey: the player experience, production, testing, retention, monetization, marketing, and how you will keep improving the game after launch. My advice is to start small, test early, and be honest about feedback. Do not spend years building in isolation before you know whether players actually enjoy the core experience. Find the strongest part of your game, the hook, and make sure it is clear within the first few minutes. It is also important not to try to copy what is already successful. Learn from the market, but bring your own point of view. The games that stand out tend to have a simple, clear idea executed exceptionally well. Finally, build the right team, and be patient. Very few games succeed on the first attempt. Every release teaches you something, and the studios that endure are the ones that keep applying those lessons to the next game."

Pictured in the lead image FLOATY co-founders from left to right: Abdullah Salah, Zeyad AlMalki, and Fahad Qaysi. Image courtesy FLOATY.