For decades now the gaming industry has been synonymous with growth. The rise of mobile gaming, along with stalwart products like console and PC games, has seen the industry’s annual revenue surge from approximately $44 billion in 2001 to almost $300 billion by 2024. This boom is reflected in the games themselves, which have expanded from simple scrollers to vast worlds of startling detail and complexity.
One genre that clearly demonstrates this trend is history video games. Medieval Europe, the Wild West, the Second World War – all have been meticulously recreated in best-selling games. For gamers looking for historical adventures beyond Europe and North America, however, options are far fewer.
Educational History Game set in Ottoman-Era Algeria Hit the Headlines
Akram Belkadi was keenly aware of this gaming gap. A graphic designer and game developer from Algeria, he searched in vain for a historical video game exploring his country’s rich and varied history, preserving Algeria’s cultural heritage. Eventually he decided to make his own. In 2023 he began work to establish a startup, OTAJ – an acronym of the phrase ‘dare, work, never give up’ in French – and started creating a concept for a role-playing video game set in the 16th and 17th centuries.
“OTAJ stands out for its commitment to producing adventure video games inspired by Algerian history and culture, with visual and narrative quality close to AAA standards,” says Akram, referencing the term for top-tier video games. His idea has attracted considerable attention in Algeria, and Akram has discussed the game in newspapers and on national television.
Mastering IP Protection for Video Games with Moubadar’Art
As his concept was gaining momentum in 2024, Akram learned about Moubadar’Art, a joint initiative between WIPO and the Algerian National Copyright and Related Rights Office. Moubadar’Art had launched a special version of WIPO’s successful Intellectual Property Management Clinic (IPMC) dedicated to IP rights to promote Algeria’s growing creative industries – making Algeria the first Arab country to benefit from this global program.
Accepted onto the program, Akram joined 15 other SME leaders in an in-depth course to help them maximize their strategic use of intellectual property (IP) for business success. In addition to interactive workshops and group coaching sessions, each participant received tailored advice from IP experts.
“The IPMC was a real eye-opener,” says Akram. “Before attending, my knowledge IP was limited to general concepts – copyrights, logos and trademarks – and OTAJ had not yet initiated any formal registration processes. The mentor assigned to my project was able to adapt his advice to the nature of my startup, asking the right questions and informing me about risks I hadn’t anticipated. The experience clarified many things and gave me a framework for building a serious IP strategy.”
Embedding IP in Every Stage of Video Game Development
After completing the IPMC, Akram returned to OTAJ began the process of embedding IP protection into his action game. “Today, IP is no longer a secondary issue,” he says. “It is integrated from the very beginning of developing the game’s elements: names, characters, stories, design. I am also planning to register trademarks, designs and copyrights before the demo is released.”
Akram’s priorities in this regard are to register a trademark for OTAJ and the game’s name as well as protect key graphic elements of the game. Future steps will include securing protection for the game’s characters, storyline and original game mechanics. “My ambition is to create a solid IP portfolio to attract investors and partners without the risk of illegitimate copying or appropriation.”
The ambitious IP strategy is well suited to the video games industry, where the unique combination of technological innovation and artistic creativity make proactive video game IP protection paramount to commercial success. Copyrights, trade secrets, trademarks and patents are the lifeblood of the industry. “Never underestimate intellectual property,” says Akram. “Even if you don't yet have a finished product, start protecting what you create. It's a strategic lever for building credibility, securing your ideas, and negotiating with confidence.”
