Nigeria’s Maliyo Games has formed a partnership with Disney to create a new mobile game inspired by the Iwájú comic animated series.
The official game named Disney Iwájú: Rising Chef will coincide with the launch of the animated series on February 28th. The game is being developed by Maliyo Games, which boasts a diverse team from multiple African countries including Cameroon, Ghana, Kenya, and South Africa.
Disney has also joined forces with Kugali Media to co-produce the animation. The futuristic Nigeria-based mobile game will be released on the same day as the series premiere.
Hugo Obi, CEO, and founder of Maliyo Games, expressed his excitement about the collaboration with Disney. “It’s a fantastic opportunity for us to create an Africa-focused gaming IP for one of the biggest brands in the world,” he stated in an interview with GamesIndustry.biz.
Obi emphasized the company’s focus on creating African-inspired content and sharing it with global audiences. Reflecting on the partnership with Disney, he said, “The opportunity to work on an IP that is Disney’s first African-focused animation series… it was a real honor.”
A local developer was originally sought to produce an Iwájú tie-in. After presenting gaming concepts to Disney, Maliyo Games was chosen to lead the project due to their impressive concept and ability to relate to the African story firsthand.
“We are on the ground. We understand the market and the end users. We can relate and empathize with the story,” said Obi. “It is our story and a story we know first-hand. And we had the opportunity to build a really beautiful and immersive experience based on that.”
