Palestinian developer sets next game in backdrop of 1948 Nakba

Palestinian game developer Rasheed Abueideh, who also owns a nut roastery, has envisioned his next project: a game titled Dreams on a Pillow. The story is set in the backdrop of the 1948 Nakba and is viewed from the perspective of a mother caught in the horrors of war and displacement.

However, despite being lauded with accolades, Abueideh told Guardian that he has been running into troubles with the funding process for this next game. "Talking about the Palestinian story was always forbidden," he said, adding that he has faced rejection some 300 times for spotlighting the genocide.

The folktale that the game draws inspiration from tells the tragic story of a war-stricken woman, who accidentally picks up a pillow instead of her baby in the chaos of evacuation. The game follows her struggle to get to Lebanon after the massacre at Tantura as she laments her losses. The pillow is a key variable within the game, as the player's choice to carry or drop it impacts the character's mental status.

"The goal is to let the player feel and understand what happened to the Palestinians during this dark era, which is still shaping our daily lives," the developer said. "I want to deliver a message that the ethnic cleansing of Palestinians is an ongoing process that started in 1948. At that point, [players] will be able to understand what is happening today and can take a stand."

Due to the ceaseless genocide in his homeland, Abueideh has never been more committed to the project. Aided by a small team of developers and advisors, he launched a crowdfunding campaign to support Dreams on a Pillow. However, the problem, according to him, has been that major crowdfunding platforms fail to recognise Palestine.

The team eventually turned to Muslim-led platform LaunchGood, which enabled them to raise the required amount by January 7, covering half of the development costs. "The support on social media and on the campaign page has been overwhelming, demonstrating how much people care about the Palestinian story … I didn't expect this level of success," he expressed.

The game will take at least two years before it is finished. As per the official page, a policy has been set to ensure the completion of the game should any harm come to Abueideh due to the ongoing genocide, such as disappearance, injury, or demise.

Ten years back, Abueideh created Liyla and the Shadows of War, a game centring a father navigating war and hopelessness. Well received, the game bagged a number of nominations in addition to an award for Excellence in Storytelling at the first International Mobile Gaming Awards, according to Wired.