Fakhra Al Mansouri has loved video games for as long as she can remember, but it wasn’t until a few years ago that she realised she wanted to start her own gaming company.
“I grew up playing video games. The first video game I played was with my brothers – I was very young and couldn’t understand what was happening,” Al Mansouri says.
The joy of playing has stayed with her ever since, but her interest was truly reignited while studying at the Higher Colleges of Technology in Al Ain. “I never actually considered making video games, not even thought about who made them, but in my final year of college, the professor was like: ‘How about we make a video game?’ I was very happy,” the 28-year-old says. “It was very fascinating for me. I just enjoyed it so much.”
From there, she went on to be the only Emirati in her class at the Twofour54 Gaming Academy, and then took up a position at Ubisoft Abu Dhabi, a publisher and distributor of interactive games and entertainment. After gaining some experience, she decided she wanted to start her own company.
“When doing the internship at Ubisoft, I realised what sort of games I want to make. I want to make games that are focused on the player experience,” she says. “I started building for the company last year. I got a day job and saved some money to start a studio.”
It’s all starting to come together – Hybrid Humans was established in January, and its first game is due for release soon on iOS and Android.
"It's called Hop Hop Away – it's about these born and raised circus bunnies. They're performing circus bunnies and their ringmaster abuses them," she says.
“They are trying to escape to the happy farm – you go through different environments, like the circus, to a city that resembles Abu Dhabi, and then you get to a mystical forest before you reach the happy farm.”
What's your favourite literary genre?
Dystopian stories such as The Hunger Games, and 1985, books like that.
What’s your favourite place to visit in Abu Dhabi?
The studio or the beach, but I would love it if the water actually moved at the beach.
What do you do to relax?
I like to hang out and go watch a movie, go to a theme park, or do outdoorsy things.
Where's your favourite place to holiday?
I don’t take many holidays, but I love anything with beaches and islands – anything with water. I would like to go back to Mauritius. I could go quad biking in the mountains and then in the evenings go to the beach.
What are your favourite video games?
Portal, The Last of Us and God of War.
If you could have a superpower, what would it be?
Infinite knowledge, because with that I could do anything, I could create something for invisibility; I could do something to make you fly.
If you could invite three people to dinner, who would they be?
Bill Gates, Elon Musk and [the games designer] Robin Hunicke.
What advice would you give young Emiratis?
Do whatever you feel is right, whatever you feel makes you happy. Follow what makes you happy – it’s a delicious feeling to do what I love.
What's your favourite music?
I like all sorts of music: alternative, rock, pop – different songs for different moods. I don’t care about the genre, I like the words. My regular favourite is The Pretty Reckless.
Describe yourself in five words.
Passionate, dedicated, ambitious, prankster, caring.
Who’s been your biggest inspiration?
I take inspiration from different people. People who do bad or good inspire me to be a better person.
mhealy@thenational.ae
