MBC Game Studio Makes Its Gaming Debut With a Co-Op Fantasy Adventure Inspired by One Thousand and One Nights

Rather than treating the magical carpets simply as a way to move around the world, MBC Game Studio is making aerial traversal an important part of exploration and combat.

Players will be able to travel across the game's fantasy landscapes with up to three players, fight enormous jinn and explore a handcrafted world inspired by Arabian folklore.

The project is particularly interesting because it represents the first major game from MBC Game Studio, a new development and publishing studio backed by MBC Group.

MBC Game Studio Introduces Its First Game

1001 Threads of Mizan is more than another Gamescom announcement.

It is the debut title from MBC Game Studio, a new international development team with roots in Riyadh and London.

According to MBC Group, the studio has assembled developers with experience at major game companies including BioWare, Hi-Rez, Ubisoft Montréal and Bungie.

That gives the new project an experienced development foundation despite being the studio's first announced game.

MBC says its goal is to create original games for a worldwide audience while drawing inspiration from the Middle East's cultural and storytelling traditions.

1001 Threads of Mizan is the first example of that strategy.

Instead of building another fantasy world based primarily on familiar European medieval imagery, the developers are using Arabian folklore and the stories associated with One Thousand and One Nights as the foundation for their setting.

That gives the game a visual and thematic identity that could help it stand apart from the crowded fantasy-action market.

A Fantasy World Inspired by One Thousand and One Nights

The game's setting is built around the storytelling tradition of One Thousand and One Nights.

At the center of the story is the legendary storyteller Shahrazad, who brings together three unlikely heroes.

Players will follow Yusra, Malik and Sufyan as they rediscover the lost power of the Mizan.

Their mission is to confront an ancient jinn king whose desire for vengeance threatens humanity.

The developers are not presenting the setting as a simple historical recreation.

Instead, the game combines elements of traditional Arabian folklore with a large fantasy adventure featuring supernatural creatures, magical environments and enormous battles.

That approach gives MBC Game Studio room to create locations and creatures that feel connected to the source material while still functioning as a modern action game.

Flying Carpets Are a Core Gameplay Mechanic

The flying carpet is arguably the feature that makes 1001 Threads of Mizan immediately recognizable.

In many fantasy games, flying is treated as a transportation feature.

Here, MBC Game Studio is making aerial movement part of the game's identity.

Players can take to the skies on magical carpets while exploring the world and fighting large-scale enemies.

The system is designed to work alongside traditional ground movement.

That means players can move across the landscape on foot before taking to the air when the situation requires it.

This combination of ground and aerial traversal could also influence level design.

Developers can create areas that are difficult or impossible to reach using traditional movement while giving players the freedom to explore from above.

The flying carpets also become particularly important during large encounters.

Players can use aerial movement while fighting giant supernatural creatures, turning traversal into part of the combat experience rather than simply a loading-screen shortcut.

Three-Player Co-Op Is at the Heart of the Game

1001 Threads of Mizan is designed around cooperative play.

The game supports up to three players with drop-in, drop-out co-op.

That means players can experience the adventure together without necessarily requiring everyone to remain connected for the entire campaign.

The three-player structure also matches the game's story.

The three heroes — Yusra, Malik and Sufyan — form the central group that takes on the game's supernatural threats.

Instead of simply adding multiplayer to an otherwise single-player adventure, MBC Game Studio says it wants the entire experience to be something players can share with friends.

That includes exploration, traversal and large-scale combat.

The developer has also described the game as an attempt to capture the scale and storytelling of major single-player adventures while allowing players to experience the journey cooperatively.

Giant Jinn Will Be Major Enemies

The game's supernatural enemies are another major part of its identity.

Players will face enormous jinn, including large-scale creatures that can tower over the heroes.

The Gamescom demonstration gives players an early look at this concept.

The pre-alpha demo culminates in a confrontation with Nazjush, an imposing jinn that demonstrates the game's focus on large-scale combat.

These encounters could become some of the game's biggest cooperative moments.

Large enemies naturally create opportunities for players to divide responsibilities.

One player might focus on positioning while another attacks vulnerable areas, while the third helps manage enemies or contributes additional damage.

MBC Game Studio has not yet revealed the full range of bosses or their individual mechanics.

However, the developer has clearly identified colossal supernatural creatures as one of the game's central gameplay pillars.

Exploration Will Mix Ground and Aerial Movement

The world of 1001 Threads of Mizan is being designed around exploration.

Players will be able to travel through handcrafted environments using both traditional ground movement and flying carpets.

This creates opportunities for vertical exploration.

A location may look straightforward from the ground but reveal completely different routes when viewed from above.

That could also allow the developers to build larger environments without relying exclusively on traditional paths.

The aerial system may become particularly useful for discovering hidden locations, reaching elevated areas or approaching enemies from different directions.

At this stage, however, MBC Game Studio has not revealed the full structure of the game's open-world or level design.

It has described the setting as a sprawling fantasy world rather than confirming a specific open-world format.

That distinction is important.

Players should therefore avoid assuming that the game will function exactly like a conventional open-world RPG.

The Game Is Being Built for Four Platforms

MBC Game Studio has confirmed 1001 Threads of Mizan for several major platforms.

The game is currently in development for:

  • PlayStation 5
  • Xbox Series X|S
  • Nintendo Switch 2
  • PC

The PC version is planned for both Steam and Epic Games Store, according to reporting surrounding the announcement.

This gives the new IP a broad launch target covering current-generation consoles and PC.

The Nintendo Switch 2 version is particularly notable because a game featuring large-scale creatures, aerial traversal and three-player cooperative combat will need to be optimized for the newer Nintendo hardware.

MBC Game Studio has not yet released detailed technical specifications for the game.

No Release Date Has Been Announced

Despite the Gamescom reveal, players will have to wait for the full release.

MBC Game Studio has not announced a release date or release window for 1001 Threads of Mizan.

The current Gamescom presentation is therefore an early reveal rather than a launch announcement.

The company is allowing visitors at Gamescom to experience a pre-alpha demo.

That provides an early glimpse of the game's cooperative systems, aerial traversal and combat while development continues.

The lack of a release date also means that the game could still undergo substantial changes.

Features shown during the pre-alpha demo should not necessarily be treated as final.

MBC Wants a Global Gaming Audience

The launch of 1001 Threads of Mizan represents a larger move by MBC Group into the global gaming industry.

MBC is one of the largest media companies in the Middle East and North Africa, and its gaming division is attempting to build original interactive entertainment rather than simply license existing properties.

The company's strategy could give the new game access to a large entertainment ecosystem.

However, success in the global gaming market will ultimately depend on the quality of the game itself.

The fantasy-action genre is extremely competitive.

Players already have access to numerous major franchises offering huge worlds, cooperative combat and supernatural enemies.

1001 Threads of Mizan therefore needs more than an interesting setting.

Its cooperative mechanics, flying-carpet traversal and combat systems will need to work together effectively.

Arabian Folklore Could Give the Game an Advantage

One of the strongest aspects of the project is its cultural identity.

Many fantasy games repeatedly draw from similar medieval European influences.

1001 Threads of Mizan is taking a different route.

Its developers are drawing from Arabian folklore and the storytelling traditions associated with One Thousand and One Nights.

That gives the team access to a huge collection of characters, creatures, legends and visual ideas that are less frequently explored in major Western-developed games.

The game's jinn-focused mythology could also provide a distinctive alternative to the dragons, elves and demons that dominate many fantasy titles.

If MBC Game Studio succeeds in turning those influences into meaningful gameplay rather than simply visual decoration, the game could establish a strong identity.

What We Know About the Gamescom Demo

Gamescom visitors can currently experience a pre-alpha version of the game.

The demo focuses on the features that MBC Game Studio considers central to the project.

Players can experience cooperative gameplay, flying-carpet traversal and combat.

The demonstration culminates in the battle against Nazjush.

That encounter provides an early example of how the game intends to combine movement and large-scale combat.

Because the demo is pre-alpha, it should be viewed as an early representation of the project rather than a final showcase.

Performance, graphics, mechanics and interface elements can all change before release.

Confirmed Information

MBC Game Studio has confirmed:

  • 1001 Threads of Mizan is its debut game.
  • The game was revealed at Gamescom 2026.
  • It is inspired by Arabian folklore and One Thousand and One Nights.
  • Shahrazad is part of the game's story.
  • The main heroes are Yusra, Malik and Sufyan.
  • The game centers around an ancient jinn king.
  • Flying carpets are a major traversal feature.
  • Players can combine ground and aerial movement.
  • The game supports up to three-player co-op.
  • Co-op uses a drop-in, drop-out structure.
  • Large-scale jinn battles are part of the gameplay.
  • A pre-alpha demo is available at Gamescom.
  • Nazjush appears in the Gamescom demo.
  • The game is planned for PS5, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch 2 and PC.

Rumors / Speculation

The following details have not been confirmed:

  • Final release date
  • Final price
  • Exact PC system requirements
  • Complete playable character roster
  • Full list of bosses
  • Final map size
  • Whether all versions will launch simultaneously
  • Final technical performance on each console

Players should therefore avoid treating leaked release dates or unofficial specifications as confirmed information.

Why 1001 Threads of Mizan Deserves Attention

The biggest challenge for any new fantasy game is establishing a recognizable identity.

1001 Threads of Mizan already has one.

The combination of Arabian folklore, flying carpets, giant jinn, three-player cooperative gameplay and a handcrafted fantasy world is easy to distinguish from many other upcoming releases.

The project also arrives at an interesting time for the industry.

Large cooperative games continue to attract players, but audiences are increasingly looking for experiences that can be shared without sacrificing a strong narrative.

MBC Game Studio is specifically targeting that combination.

The idea is essentially to create the scale of a traditional adventure while allowing friends to experience the story together.

Whether the final game can deliver on that ambition remains unknown.

But the concept is certainly worth watching.

Conclusion

1001 Threads of Mizan has emerged as one of the more distinctive new games revealed during Gamescom 2026.

MBC Game Studio is combining Arabian folklore with a modern action-adventure structure built around exploration, giant supernatural enemies and cooperative gameplay.

The flying-carpet system is arguably its most interesting feature because it connects exploration and combat rather than treating aerial movement simply as transportation.

The game also supports up to three players through drop-in, drop-out co-op, allowing friends to experience the adventure together.

The project is still early in development, and MBC Game Studio has not announced a release date.

For now, players can look forward to learning more through the Gamescom pre-alpha demo and future development updates.

If the studio can turn its distinctive cultural setting and cooperative mechanics into a polished adventure, 1001 Threads of Mizan could become one of the more interesting new fantasy IPs to emerge from the current generation.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is 1001 Threads of Mizan?

1001 Threads of Mizan is an upcoming Arabian fantasy action-adventure from MBC Game Studio inspired by One Thousand and One Nights.

How many players can play 1001 Threads of Mizan?

The game supports up to three players in drop-in, drop-out cooperative gameplay.