Can a video game make you feel the weight of history? That’s the ambitious goal of a new pseudo-3D stealth adventure game called “Dreams on a Pillow,” launched by Palestinian game developers.
The game is inspired by the events of the 1948 Nakba, or “catastrophe”, which refers to the ethnic cleansing of 750,000 Palestinians from their homes located in what is now the state of Israel.
It is scheduled to be published in 2026.
So what do we know about the game that was launched at a time when Palestinians are hoping this week ceasefire agreement between Hamas and Israel for Gaza, where more than 46,000 people have been killed in the 15-month Israeli bombardment of the strip, really hold?
Who is behind the game and what is its goal?
The game is the brainchild of Rasheed Abueideh, a developer based in the Israeli-occupied West Bank.
“We are trying to make this game a masterpiece,” Abueideh, the game’s director and designer, told Al Jazeera. His last game, Liyla and the Shadows of War, based on the 2014 Israeli offensive in Gaza, was a huge hit.
“It is a difficult story. And we want to inject all that information through a game that resonates with players,” he said.
Abueideh, who is based in Nablus in the West Bank, says he wants the world to understand that Israel’s war on Gaza is a direct result of previous events and decisions beyond the October 7, 2023 event.
The game, he says, is also an attempt to highlight and share the rich history of Palestine.
Despite his past success, he has had a hard time getting funding from conventional sources. So he got involved with LaunchGood, a global crowdfunding platform aimed at supporting Muslim communities around the world. Dreams on a Pillow reached its funding goal of $194,800 on January 7th. At the time of writing, the video game project has raised $218,272.
The game’s current funding is sufficient to start development and should cover the first year’s costs, including salaries, outsourcing and asset creation.
According to Abueideh, LaunchGood has emerged as one of the few viable fundraising options, as many mainstream crowdfunding platforms have declined to help.
Content related to Palestine often faces increased scrutiny and, in some cases, outright bans. Censorship or even shadow banning of pro-Palestinian content is well documented.
In May 2023, a YouTube video made by Palestinian officials that was to be presented at a meeting of the United Nations Human Rights Council was removed from the platform. The platform was accused of violation of Palestinians’ digital rights.
Investigations by human rights organizations and media outlets have revealed the removal and suppression of pro-Palestinian content from social media platforms such as Instagram and Facebook.
Netflix has removed almost all 32 films about Palestine from its platform. The streaming giant attributed the removal of the films to the expiration of three-year license agreements. However, the sudden deletion sparked an outcry from human rights groups and individuals on social media platforms, according to broadcaster TRT World.
Why is it @Netflix purge so many of your movies and content about Palestinians and Palestine?
Check out all the Palestinian “soon to leave” stories.
Israel is already trying to wipe out Palestinians from Gaza and the West Bank. Why is it @Netflix erasure of Palestinians… pic.twitter.com/rXEmcVqvJ8
— Sunjeev Bery (@Sunjeev_Bery) October 13, 2024
What is the story behind Dreams on the Pillow?
The game’s central theme is based on Palestinian folklore around the legend of Ommu, a young mother on the run Israeli massacre in Tantura in 1948a Palestinian city that is now part of Israel.
As she fled through other Palestinian villages and refugee camps on her way to Lebanon, she witnessed the events unfolding in these communities and towns along the way.
According to Abueideh, this journey serves as a lens through which we view the larger historical context and personal experiences of displacement during this tumultuous period.
Omma’s husband becomes a victim of the Israeli invaders. Distraught, she rushes home to save her newborn child. She flees the city in haste and terror, only to discover later that she grabbed the pillow instead of her baby by mistake.
The conclusion of the story varies significantly depending on the narrator and the audience. In most performances, the mother descends into madness. Other versions depict either her assassination or her successful evasion of Israeli patrols and military units, leading to her fleeing her homeland – a place she may never see again.
In a recent Ask Me Anything (AMA) live on Reddit, Abueideh states why Omm was chosen:
“The young mother’s experiences highlight how devastating the Nakba was, especially the psychological impact it had on her. This adds a deeper layer to the understanding of what happened, shedding light on the emotional and mental toll that is often overlooked when talking about the crimes committed,” Abueideh explained.
Zionist militias committed more than 70 massacres that resulted in the killing of more than 15,000 Palestinians leading to the creation of Israel in 1948.
What was the theme of Lila and the Shadow of War?
In 2016, Abueideh’s small team of developers in Palestine announced Liyla and the shadows of war for PC and mobile platforms, which was based on the 2014 Israeli offensive in Gaza.
An Israeli military operation called Operation Protective Edge resulted in the killing of 2,300 Palestinians and 73 Israelis.
According to Abueideh, Liyla and the Shadows of War was quite successful with millions of downloads and was awarded first place for Excellence in Storyboarding at the International Mobile Gaming Awards for the Middle East, North Africa.
The game is built around the harrowing experience of a Palestinian family during the Israeli military campaign in Gaza, as they struggle to survive amidst the conflict and destruction.
“We followed the story of a young girl who lives in Gaza. During these attacks, we try to build an emotional story. We connect people with what’s happening in Gaza and show them the decisions you have to make as a Palestinian during the war, and no matter what decision you make, it’s hard to survive,” says Abueideh.
Apple initially rejected the Game but later reversed his decision after public pressure. Abueideh says Liyla and Shadows of War were rejected because of their powerful political themes.
“Players must deal with the harsh realities of life in the midst of conflict, challenging them to navigate through relentless bombing and gunfire in search of refuge. The mechanics of the game work no differently than other games, even though it’s set in the Gaza Strip,” he says.
How does Dreams on a Pillow differ from his previous games?
Although Dreams on a Pillow is set in Palestine like Liyla and Shadows of War, the dynamic of the game is different.
“For the element of the game you play with this character [Omm] she’s holding a pillow that limits her ability to do things in the environment, but this pillow gives her security,” Abueideh said.
The psychological effects of the Nakba are vividly depicted through the construction of the narrative story and game mechanics.
Omm finds comfort and security in carrying a pillow that symbolizes her childhood. However, when she puts it away, her mental state quickly deteriorates. She can be tormented by nightmares and hallucinations, a reflection of the constant danger and trauma she is experiencing.
Her psychological fear is manifested through the mechanics of the game. At each level, set during the Nakba, she enters a state of sleep. In this dream, which also takes the form of a play, we witness Omm’s life before the Nakba, providing a stark contrast to her current experience.
“This is our opportunity to show the culture of Palestine, the nature of Palestine. People’s habits before the Nakba and how beautiful nature was. There is a lie about Palestine that is told in the Western media, ‘a land without a people, for a people without a land,’” says Abueideh.
“We have to show that Palestine was rich in history and culture, filled with its people and their habits before what happened in 1948.”
According to Abueideh, the game will require two years of development with a planned release in 2026. Due to the sensitive nature of the topic, the development team is not clear which platforms will accept the game.
What happened during the Nakba and the creation of Israel?
On May 14, 1948, immediately after the end of the British mandate, Zionist leaders proclaimed the establishment of the State of Israel. The announcement ignited the first Arab-Israeli war, after which Zionist forces gained control of 78 percent of historic Palestine.
The remaining 22 percent is divided into two areas: the West Bank, which is now under occupation, and the Gaza Strip, which has been reduced to rubble by more than 15 months of constant Israeli bombardment.
Approximately 750,000 Palestinians have been forcibly displaced from their homes and territories following violence unleashed by Zionist militias.
The constant Israeli military control over the Palestinian territories has had a negative impact on the daily life of Palestinians for decades. The long-term occupation and expansion of Israeli settlements on Palestinian land have threatened the viability of the two-state solution – Israeli and Palestinian states coexisting side by side.
