A Painful Glimpse into Reality: Palestinian Developer's Game Blends Folklore and Conflict
Narrative in a video game that chronicles the events of the 1948 Palestinian exodus, otherwise known as the Nakba.
Thomas Hobbs Sometimes, video games serve as an escape from the world. But that isn't the case for Palestinian game designer Rasheed Abueideh. "Just like my main character, I'm battling to keep my family safe right now," he admits.
He's three years into developing "Dreams on a Pillow," a game that blends folklore and reality, providing an unfiltered look at the ongoing conflict the developer and his people face daily.
"Whether it's forced displacement, or all the fatal attacks on resettlement camps, I'm living through the same horrors that my game portrays," Abueideh says, his voice heavy with emotion. "It's draining, as you can't really switch off. I cry a lot. Just yesterday someone was murdered by an Israeli soldier in my city."
We're discussing the game over the phone from Abueideh's home in Nablus, a city in the West Bank that has faced increasing violence as Israel escalates its war and occupation.
The award-winning game designer is crafting a puzzle-based, side-scrolling platformer that plays out like an arthouse Super Mario Bros. It follows a mother named Omm desperately fleeing a massacre in a Palestinian village. The tragic event is so traumatic that Omm accidentally picks up a pillow instead of her own baby. The rest of the game focuses on her journey to find her child, struggling with her loss as she navigates dreamscapes filled with both nostalgia and nightmares.
The pillow serves as a symbol for the lost dream of Palestine and the future hope for its people. Abueideh explained that Omm's character uses the pillow as a coping mechanism, providing security and peace in the midst of chaos. "If she leaves it behind, then all she'll see is nightmares," he adds.
This game is about more than just gaming; it's about confronting and processing generational trauma with faith, love, and patience. Abueideh has encountered multiple rejections from major publishers and international cultural grants due to the game's subject matter.
He's faced challenges securing funding, but the independent project is well on its way, thanks to public donations and the platform LaunchGood. The team has already raised half of the $500,000 needed to meet the game's intended 2026 release.
Related Content
- "It is our right to make our art" - the creators of acclaimed show Milk ahead of its UK premiere
- Tära: singing to keep Palestinian culture alive
References:
[1] Abueideh, Rasheed. (n.d.). Dreams on a Pillow. Retrieved from https://www.dreamsonapillow.com/[2] The Associated Press. (2023, January 25). Palestinian Developer Raises Over Half a Million Dollars for Game About Lost Homeland. Hyphen. Accessed on February 8, 2023, from https://www.hyphenmagazine.com/articles/palestinian-game-fundraising
- Abueideh's game, "Dreams on a Pillow," not only falls under the category of movies-and-tv as a video game but also serves as a platform for addressing serious issues in entertainment, providing an unfiltered look into the daily struggles of Palestinians in the West Bank.
- In addition to video games, Abueideh's work extends to the realm of entertainment more broadly, with his award-winning game receiving significant attention and support through platforms like LaunchGood, a testament to the power of art and entertainment in raising awareness about global issues.
