Tala Jabr

At 22 years old, Tala Jabr from Nablus is already carving out her place in the world of gaming. As an only child, Tala grew up surrounded by animation, imagination, and a collection of “imaginary friends” who kept her company. These early adventures shaped her into a true gamer at heart; a girl who not only loved playing games, but was deeply curious about how they were created and who built them.

Always a top student and proudly a “geek,” Tala excelled in school and graduated with straight A’s. Believing that game creation must be rooted in technical skills, she joined the Computer Engineering program at An-Najah University, thinking it was her gateway into the gaming industry.

But everything changed when her university launched a new Game Design major under the Faculty of Fine Arts. Without hesitation, Tala switched from engineering to game design; a bold move that opened the door to a world of creativity. There, she dove into game design, digital art, filmmaking, and the many artistic foundations that shape modern games.

Yet Tala quickly realized that university alone isn’t enough in the fast-moving gaming world. She turned to online tutorials, industry influencers, and every credible resource she could find. She believed deeply in learning by doing, and competitions became her favorite classroom.

Her first-ever competition was the Game Jam organized by Gaza Sky Geeks with support from SIDA, bringing together 63 participants from across the West Bank. Despite the timing—right before her graduation seminar—and despite her anxiety about working with strangers for the first time, Tala took a leap. She joined the GSG pre-training, walked into the Game Jam nervous but determined, and walked out a winner.

That experience changed everything. Tala found a community of like-minded creatives, discovered her confidence, and proved to herself that she could compete, and shine, among the best. She presented in front of an audience for the first time, held their attention, and realized she belonged in this world.

Tala graduated in June 2025, and soon after, An-Najah University offered her a part-time position as a teaching assistant. Her graduation seminar soon turned out to be her pitching game; a full-circle moment that marked the beginning of her professional journey in game design.

Tala’s graduation project became her lucky charm, a game inspired by a short animation she once watched online. The animation, created by a Japanese student in the U.S., showcased his culture through beautiful origami-style visuals. Under the video, one comment caught Tala’s eye: “If this were a game, I would buy it.” That single sentence sparked her idea.

She decided to build a game where the world, characters, and movement were all made from origami. For Tala, this wasn’t just a design choice, it was a statement. People are looking for something fresh, artistic, and meaningful, and she believed origami could bring a unique visual language to gaming.