Rasheed Abueideh, a Palestinian game developer known for creating socially impactful games, has announced his latest project, Dreams on a Pillow. Set against the backdrop of the 1948 Nakba, the game tells the story of a mother navigating war and displacement after the Tantura massacre, inspired by a Palestinian folktale.
The narrative revolves around a tragic moment where the mother mistakenly grabs a pillow instead of her baby during the chaos of evacuation. Players’ choices to carry or drop the pillow influence the character’s mental state as she journeys toward Lebanon. The game seeks to provide an emotional understanding of the ongoing plight of Palestinians, linking historical events to the present.
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Abueideh, who has faced over 300 rejections for highlighting the Palestinian story, launched a crowdfunding campaign for the game. With mainstream platforms refusing to recognize Palestine, he turned to the Muslim-led platform LaunchGood, raising half the required development costs by January 7. “The overwhelming support has shown how deeply people care about the Palestinian story,” Abueideh said.
The project is expected to take two years to complete, with contingency plans in place to ensure its completion should Abueideh face harm amid the ongoing conflict. Ten years ago, Abueideh gained acclaim for Liyla and the Shadows of War, which won accolades for its storytelling and portrayal of a father’s struggle in war-torn Gaza.
