Chapter 67: You Saw Right Through It
Tomatem Games.
One of the top three mobile game publishers in the Middle East, distributing over 50 mobile games and boasting more than 100 million downloads.
A major powerhouse in the region’s gaming industry.
“The Middle East’s environmental conditions limit outdoor activities and entertainment culture from developing as diversely as in other regions. That’s why interest in East Asian game content has been steadily rising.”
Mujahid adjusted his glasses perched on the bridge of his nose as he spoke.
“I’m here at the request of my dear friend, Sulayman-nim, but my principle is that personal feelings should never influence business.”
Sulayman hyung, standing beside him, nodded with a smile.
“Of course. I only made the introduction—the final decision is entirely up to you, Mujahid. In any case, my presence here might make things awkward, so I’ll step away for a bit to take care of some other business.”
True to his nature as a businessman, Sulayman hyung had an impeccable sense of timing when it came to making an entrance—and an exit.
With a playful wink, he signaled for me to do my best before disappearing into the crowd.
“The Middle Eastern gaming market requires a deep understanding of cultural elements. It’s not just about localization—it’s about culturalization. And Tomatem Games prides itself on being a leader in that field. May I ask you a few questions?”
“Of course, ask away.”
Despite looking like a friendly neighborhood barbecue shop owner, Mujahid’s demeanor suggested he was anything but lenient.
“Does your game contain any religious symbols? Cross-like patterns, for example, are particularly prohibited. While games are for entertainment, we must be strict about religious matters.”
“Would something like a cat’s fur pattern unintentionally resembling a cross be an issue? There’s no religious meaning behind it.”
Mujahid shook his head with an awkward smile.
“That wouldn’t be a problem.”
“Good to know.”
“Ahem. One more thing—events like Halloween should be avoided. If your game features Halloween or witches, it could lead to serious complications. More importantly, no one in the Middle East really cares about that holiday. Think of it like Seollal1 (Seollal (설날) is the Korean Lunar New Year, one of the most important traditional holidays in Korea. It usually falls in late January or early February, depending on the lunar calendar) in Korea—while it’s a major event there, most people outside the country aren’t interested.”
That made perfect sense, so I nodded without argument.
“Excessive exposure in character outfits is also a major taboo. That’s one of the biggest hurdles Japanese content faces when trying to enter the Middle Eastern market.”
“Our characters are completely covered in fur, so that won’t be an issue.”
“Exactly. If they’re covered in fur, then—wait, what?”
It was only then that Mujahid seemed to realize something was off.
He turned his head toward the banner behind us, where the image of Hunting Pig was prominently displayed.
“Ah. So, the characters aren’t human? Ahaha, my mistake. I’ve been up all night, and my brain must not be functioning properly. My apologies.”
Bringing a sleep-deprived man to a business meeting…
‘Sulayman hyung-nim, just what are you thinking…?’
“No, the fault is ours. We should’ve introduced the game properly from the start. Let me give you a brief explanation of Hunting Pig, developed by Studio SH.”
Considering Mujahid’s background, it would probably be easier for him if I explained it in Arabic.
“The game’s core narrative is simple. Heroic cats fend off invading pig monsters while completing various missions. Each cat hero has unique items and skills, and players can customize them to suit their playstyle.”
“Hmm… Cats, you say? Interesting.”
“Sorry?”
“You intentionally chose cats as characters with the Middle Eastern market in mind, didn’t you? That’s a very smart strategy.”
…I had no idea what he was talking about, but judging by the atmosphere, nodding seemed like the right move.
“Yes, exactly. A game created for the Middle East, by the Middle East, dedicated to the Middle East.”
A faint expression of favor appeared on Mujahid’s calm face.
A faint look of interest flickered across Mujahid’s previously indifferent face.
“So this is why Sulayman-nim praised you so highly. As you may know, most Islamic cultures do not favor dogs. This stems from a story about the Prophet Muhammad—when he was fleeing persecution from the nobles, a dog nearby started barking, nearly revealing his hiding place.”
…Is that so?
This was the first time I’d ever heard that.
A cold sweat trickled down my back.
If Song Si-ho had been a dog lover, this meeting could have been a complete disaster.
“But cats are different. They are considered sacred animals and symbols of cleanliness. In fact, they are even allowed inside mosques during religious ceremonies. Furthermore, there’s a well-known tale that Muhammad’s cat, Muezza, once saved him from being bitten by a snake, which has only added to their reverence.”
Images of my devil cats at home flashed through my mind, and I found myself nodding unconsciously.
‘Yeah… they are obsessively clean.’
They constantly lick themselves, using both their front and back paws to wipe their fur meticulously.
And don’t even get me started on Yeon-tan, the mother cat—if the bathroom is even slightly messy, she’ll start meowing insistently until someone cleans it.
Honestly, it’s ridiculous.
“On top of that, the fact that these noble cats are hunting pigs? That’s a brilliant touch. This game was clearly designed with the Middle Eastern market in mind.”
“Hahaha, as expected of the CEO of the Middle East’s top publishing company—sharp as ever. You saw right through it.”
Saw through it, my ass.
The Middle East was never even considered when developing this game.
The developers simply made it to satisfy their own selfish desires.
“There are some foreigners who mistakenly believe that, just as Hindus revere cows and refrain from eating them, Muslims see pigs as sacred and avoid them for similar reasons. But it’s quite the opposite. Pigs are despised. Unlike other livestock, pigs directly compete with humans for food and water. And given that much of the Middle East consists of deserts and mountains where water is scarce, pigs—lacking fur—naturally consume a lot more water. Your team clearly understood this aspect well.”
…Actually, the developers just really liked pork, so they made pigs the villains.
But sometimes, it’s better to just let people believe things were done with careful intent.
Especially when Mujahid, who had looked exhausted just moments ago, was now brimming with interest.
“The developers at Studio SH dedicated themselves solely to researching and developing Hunting Pig with the Middle Eastern market in mind. However, no matter how meaningful a game’s concept may be, it holds no value if it isn’t fun.”
“Agreed. At the end of the day, a game must be enjoyable.”
“In Korea, we have a saying: Seeing is believing. Rather than just talking about it, why don’t you try playing the game yourself?”
“Here? Now?”
Mujahid’s eyes widened as he glanced around.
At the other booths, people were engaged in serious discussions about investments and exports.
After a brief moment of hesitation, Mujahid finally nodded.
“Alright. But let’s keep it short—I have another meeting soon.”
“Understood.”
With that, Song Si-ho took Mujahid’s phone and installed Hunting Pig.
“As a publisher, I’ll be evaluating this game with complete objectivity. I hope you understand.”
“Of course.”
And so began an hour that would change everything.
“Mujahid-nim! Cover me!”
“Just trust me!”
“CEO Song-nim! Deal damage faster! That damn pig isn’t even flinching!
“Argh! It’s not supposed to be an easy boss fight!”
“Mujahid-nim! Churu boost, now! We need more buffs!”
“I already used it! Just hold on a little longer!”
Our booth had a completely different atmosphere compared to the others.
While the rest of the exhibition hall was filled with serious business discussions, our booth had two Koreans and one Arab frantically tapping away at their smartphone screens, completely engrossed in the game.
“There! Got it!”
“Yes! Damn, that pig bastard was tough.”
After an exhausting battle, the three of us finally took down the boss—an infernal wild boar.
Overcome with excitement, we instinctively clapped our palms together in celebration.
“Mujahid-nim, your control skills are incredible. Is this just a basic requirement for a publishing CEO?”
“Agreed. You’ve got a natural sense for gaming.”
Have you ever heard of gaming hospitality sales?
The moment we started showering him with praise for his skills, Mujahid’s face turned bright red.
“Ahem… Well, as someone in the industry, I suppose this much is expected of me.”
For someone who had been stone-faced the entire time, he sure looked pleased to receive compliments about his gameplay.
“So, what did you think of the game?”
Without hesitation, Mujahid raised a thumb-up.
“It’s very fun. I completely lost track of time.”
It had only been a short session, yet he was completely hooked.
He was so absorbed that he even canceled his next meeting.
“This… I should be thanking Sulayman-nim instead.”
That was some high praise.
From that moment on, Mujahid began openly expressing his enthusiasm for Hunting Pig.
Song Si-ho, meeting my eyes, bit his lip hard.
Excitement shimmered in his eyes.
“This game… Would you consider letting Tomatem Games handle its distribution?”
Finally,
But in business, you need proper push-and-pull.
A true professional wouldn’t just wag their tail and accept the offer immediately.
“Now that you’ve played it yourself, do you think it has potential in the Middle Eastern market?”
“It’s definitely worth a shot. First and foremost, the game is fun. Plus, the Arabic localization is a huge advantage. Games that are well-translated into the local language tend to perform significantly better.”
Mujahid, now visibly excited, fired off a barrage of praise for the game.
“Additionally, Middle Eastern gamers have unique social tendencies. They generally prefer party-based games over single-player experiences. For example, in one game, a support guild was created solely to help new players—for free. Over a thousand users volunteered for it. Essentially, it was a massive unpaid support system. Hunting Pig aligns well with this kind of gaming culture.”
This was like stumbling upon a goldmine while chasing after a cow.
At this point, I was starting to wonder if Studio SH had secretly intended to target the Middle Eastern market all along.
Sensing that we were still holding back, Mujahid hurriedly continued.
“The Arab world consists of 18 countries, each with varying levels of infrastructure and cultural development. Countries like Syria and Dubai have advanced technology, strong economies, and well-established infrastructure, but they have smaller populations. On the other hand, countries like Libya, Yemen, and Egypt may have weaker economies, but they have huge populations, making them highly promising markets in the long run. In short, the market potential here is enormous.”
It was time to stop playing coy.
I glanced at Song Si-ho, who gave me a small nod.
“Alright. Hunting Pig—a game we poured our blood, sweat, and tears into—we’ll move forward with Tomatem Games. Let’s work well together.”
“You’ve made an excellent decision! I promise, you won’t regret this.”
The three of us stood up, shaking hands with beaming smiles.
And just like that, Hunting Pig, a game developed by a small Korean studio, officially signed a publishing contract with Tomatem Games, one of the top three publishers in the Middle East.
A few days later, Hunting Pig would experience a historic event that would completely alter its destiny.
Back at the hotel.
“Ugh… I’m exhausted.”
The moment we entered the room, Song Si-ho threw himself onto the bed.
As expected of an expensive mattress, it barely even bounced.
“You worked hard.”
“Come on, you—no, Song VC-nim, you did all the heavy lifting. Seriously, thank you. I can’t believe how much effort you put into this.”
Still sprawled on the bed, Song Si-ho suddenly sat up and bent at the waist in a deep bow.
I raised my hand to stop him—but then let it be.
After all, my efforts to resuscitate what we’d thought was a doomed game deserved some gratitude.
“Well, I am an investor with a stake in this company. Of course, I want it to succeed. That’s part of my job as a VC. By the way, is it okay if I go out alone…?”
“Oh, don’t worry about me. Go ahead. I actually needed some time alone to clear my head anyway.”
After getting Song Si-ho’s understanding, I quickly began preparing to go out.
“…But am I really supposed to go to a place like that?”
To be honest, I felt a little reluctant.
But what choice did I have?
I couldn’t just flat-out reject an invitation from Sulayman hyung-nim, especially after everything he had done for me.
And so, I accepted his invitation to an exclusive, private social gathering.
At the time, I had no idea.
No idea what kind of people were considered worthy of attending such a party.
Support my work by buying me Coffee! ☕️
