NatsumeAtari, a leading video game developer with over 30 years of experience, has partnered with the Bahrain Economic Development Board (EDB) to provide a casual mobile game to be showcased at the Bahrain Pavilion at Expo 2025 in Osaka, Japan.
The game was developed by three Bahrainis training in the field of video game development at the renowned Japanese company, NatsumeAtari. The training is part of the Labour Fund’s (Tamkeen) Global Ready Talent Program, aimed at empowering Bahrainis by enhancing their skills and accelerating their professional growth in emerging fields through international training experiences with leading global companies.
NatsumeAtari’s collaboration comes as part of a broader initiative to strengthen ties with the growing video game market in the Middle east. The three developers, who are training for one year in game development, production and marketing, worked on this game designed to highlight Bahrain’s economic and tourism potential.
NatsumeAtari’s CEO, Hiro Koide, said, “The showcasing of “Ship of Time” at the Bahrain Pavilion at Expo 2025 developed by three trainees from Bahrain, is a significant milestone of our training program and shines a bright light on the future of the video game market in the Kingdom of Bahrain. We look forward to seeing their continued growth as game developers. We would also like to express our sincere gratitude to everyone at the EDB who provided invaluable support for this project.”
Mohammed AlAlawi, Chief of Marketing & Communications at the Bahrain Economic Development Board added, “our collaboration with NatsumeAtari reflects Bahrain’s commitment to fostering innovation and supporting emerging talent in the gaming industry. Ship of Time is a creative showcase of the Kingdom’s economic and tourism potential, blending rich history with future ambitions. We are proud to see young Bahraini developers play a key role in bringing this vision to life at EXPO 2025 Osaka, highlighting Bahrain’s growing position as a hub for digital content”.
A Global Stage for Bahraini Talent
The Kingdom of Bahrain’s Pavilion is organised by Bahrain Authority for Culture and Antiquities (BACA). Spanning across four levels and offering a scenic view of the sea, the pavilion offers guests a comprehensive experience, introducing them to Bahrain’s unique culture, lifestyle, and business offering.
The Bahrain Economic Development Board, overseeing the business exhibition, has worked closely with stakeholders across Bahrain to highlight the Kingdom’s numerous competitive advantages, including a strategic location at the heart of the Gulf, the region’s best value-operating costs, a highly skilled bilingual workforce, and a competitive taxation system.
The mobile game provided by NatsumeAtari will be available to play for the duration of EXPO. The game, Ship of Time, blends themes of tradition with forward-looking development. Through an engaging, interactive experience, players navigate a traditional Bahraini boat (dhow) through a re-imagined Bahrain Bay, discovering iconic landmarks while learning about the country’s investment and business opportunities. With the support of NatsumeAtari, the game offers an immersive and educational experience that highlights the Kingdom’s rich heritage of the past and ambitions and opportunities of the future.
Project Manager Hasan Al-Barri, expressed his enthusiasm for the project, stating: “We’re incredibly grateful to NatsumeAtari for providing us with the tools and invaluable guidance that made it possible for us to take on this unique project so early in our game development journey. We also sincerely appreciate both, Bahrain EDB and Tamkeen, for their continued support in empowering Bahraini youth in emerging industries. The team is excited to showcase this game on a global stage like EXPO.”
EXPO 2025 Osaka will run from April 13th to October 13th, 2025, and Ship of Time will be displayed within the business exhibition of the Bahrain Pavillion for the duration of the program.
Ship of Time – Credits
Executive Producers: Mitsuhiro Koide, Masayuki Yokobatake
Producer: Kei Hiroki
Production Supervisor: Kevin Humphreys
Game Director: Shehab Abdulla
Art Director: Elias Rahma
Project Manager: Hasan Albarri
Theme Song: Sparkling Seas
Music by: Yuki Aoe
Special Thanks: Spiros
