KUWAIT CITY, Aug 11: The creators of the game "Vision 2050" secured first place in the National Cultural Challenge for Electronic Games, which began last Wednesday as part of the "16th Cultural Summer Festival" organized by the National Council for Culture, Arts and Letters (NCCAL). The announcement of the top three teams was made yesterday at the Seville Public Library. The "Vision 2050" team, consisting of Mohammad Al-Sabah, Hilal Al-Mutairi, and Abdullah Al-Awadhi, won the top prize and 5,000 Kuwaiti dinars, sponsored by Warba Bank. The second-place went to the "Kamel" game team, comprising Moodi Al-Daihani, Yousef, and Nada Al-Najdi, while the third-place was awarded to the "Kuwait Heritage Mission" team, including Joanna George, Malak Al-Sabt, Talal Al-Fulaijawi, and David Liang.

Dr. Mohammad Al-Jassar, Secretary General of the National Council for Culture, Arts and Letters, expressed his satisfaction and admiration for the creativity shown by the youth during a visit to the exhibition, as reported to Kuwait News Agency (KUNA). He emphasized that the results of the challenge met the Council’s goal of showcasing youth creativity in game development. The challenge also facilitated collaboration and networking among creators, fostering future experience exchange and partnerships. Dr. Al-Jassar reiterated the Council’s commitment to supporting youth development, as they are the future leaders, by providing resources to enhance their cultural, artistic, and literary skills.

Director General of the Public Authority for Youth, Nasser Al-Sheikh, highlighted that this challenge is a precursor to more such events. He urged participating teams to continue their efforts and present further achievements. He expressed pride in the teams’ work and the high quality of the games, noting their creativity and diversity, including cultural, national, and historical themes.

Mohammad Al-Sabah, a member of the winning "Vision 2050" team, told KUNA that his team quickly registered for the challenge and developed a game that chronicles Kuwait from 1900 to the present, with projections for 2050. They focused on key historical events, such as the flood year, climate crisis, and independence.

Umaima Al-Saad, Supervisor of the Cultural Planning and Innovation Department at the Council, along with Dr. Noura Al-Jari, Technical Official for the program and faculty member at Kuwait University’s Department of Computer Science, announced additional awards. The "Malas" game team won for the most creative game, the "Achievement of Transaction" team for the funniest game, and the "Umm Ahmed" game team for best sound design. The winners were selected by a jury comprising Dr. Anwar Al-Saad, Dr. Ali Romani, Abdul Rahim Taha, Abdul Rahman Al-Munifi, and Jassim Al-Rashidi.

The National Cultural Challenge Program for Electronic Games, launched last Wednesday, involved approximately 70 participants designing games that reflect culture and heritage. The program, in collaboration with the Public Authority for Youth and Warba Bank, provided an opportunity for young people to demonstrate and refine their skills in electronic game development, highlighting digital stories that capture their environment, culture, and heritage.