RIYADH: MBC Group has unveiled its first video game, “1001 Threads of Mizan,” at Gamescom in Cologne, Germany, marking the debut of MBC Game Studio as the media group expands further into the global gaming industry.
The Arabian fantasy action-adventure game draws inspiration from the storytelling traditions of “One Thousand and One Nights” and combines exploration, combat and cooperative gameplay in a handcrafted fantasy world.
The game supports up to three players in drop-in, drop-out cooperative mode. Players can travel across the ground and through the skies on flying carpets, a central gameplay feature that allows them to explore the world and battle large-scale mystical creatures together.
The title was revealed during Gamescom’s Opening Night Live on Tuesday, Aug. 25, with a playable pre-alpha demo available to visitors at the event this week.
MBC Game Studio is led by CEO Daniel Engelhardt and COO Trevor Williams and brings together an international team with experience at studios including BioWare, Hi-Rez, Ubisoft Montreal and Bungie.
The studio said that its focus was on developing original, high-production-value games and intellectual property inspired by compelling stories and cultural narratives for audiences worldwide.
The game follows three heroes — Yusra, Malik and Sufyan — who are brought together by the legendary storyteller Shahrazad. The trio must rediscover the lost power of the Mizan and confront an ancient jinn king whose quest for vengeance threatens humanity.
A key feature of the game is its flying carpet system, which allows players to move rapidly through the game world and participate in aerial combat. The experience is designed around cooperative play, allowing up to three players to explore and fight together.
“We’re incredibly proud to announce ‘1001 Threads of Mizan,’ a true labor of love inspired by rich Arabic folklore from ‘One Thousand and One Nights’ and beyond,” Engelhardt said.
“With fast-paced traversal that combines grounded and aerial mastery with colossal combat against large-scale jinn creatures and immersive exploration, this game is designed to capture the beauty and spirit of these timeless stories in a heroic gameplay experience that can be shared with friends,” he added.
Creative Director Lars Bonde said that the studio wanted to explore how the scale and depth of traditional single-player adventure games could be adapted into a cooperative experience.
“With ‘1001 Threads of Mizan,’ we are bringing that sense of connection into the fast-paced, combat-driven gameplay experience we believe co-op players will expect as they discover the depth of this incredible folklore that combines fantasy with rich history and culture,” Bonde said.
The Gamescom demo culminates in a battle against Nazjush, a colossal jinn creature, giving players an introduction to the game’s cooperative combat and aerial gameplay.
MBC Group Chairman Waleed Al-Ibrahim said that gaming offered the company an opportunity to develop intellectual property, expand into fresh markets and reach international audiences.
“Gaming provides an opportunity to develop original IP, enter new markets, reach global audiences and create new avenues for long-term growth, demonstrating the strength and diversity of our business model,” Al-Ibrahim said.
MBC Group CEO Mike Sneesby said that the unveiling marked a key moment in the company’s gaming strategy.
“This reveal marks an important milestone in the group’s gaming journey and advances our ambition to build a global entertainment business rooted in the Middle East and celebrated worldwide,” Sneesby said.
MBC Game Studio forms part of MBC Group’s broader expansion into gaming and its efforts to diversify its digital entertainment ecosystem and international presence.
“1001 Threads of Mizan” is being developed for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, Nintendo Switch 2 and PC.
The game’s reveal trailer is now available online, while visitors to Gamescom can experience the pre-alpha demo on the show floor.
