Dreams on a Pillow: A Bold New Game by a Palestinian Innovator

Dreams on a Pillow presents gamers with a poignant experience centered around the 1948 Nakba. This historical event marked the displacement of approximately 700,000 individuals from their homes and lands amid Zionist occupation.

Crafted by Palestinian developer Rasheed Abu-Eideh, this intriguing game is described as a "pseudo-3D stealth adventure" that explores a land turning into a homeland-less populace. But before delving deeper into this latest endeavor, let’s take a step back to his earlier notable project.

In 2016, Abu-Eideh captured attention with Liyla and the Shadows of War. This game vividly portrayed the tumultuous 2014 assault on Gaza by Israel, also known as Operation Protective Edge. Players follow the harrowing journey of a young Palestinian girl and her family as they manoeuver through the chaos of attacks in their neighborhood. While short, the game is intensely emotional, weaving together platforming action with choose-your-own-adventure narrative elements. By 2021, Liyla found itself included in an Indie Bundle Pack that succeeded in raising nearly $900,000 for Palestinian aid via UNRWA USA.

Today, you can download Liyla and the Shadows of War for free on both mobile devices and Windows. Initially, though, its journey to the Apple App Store was fraught with challenges. Back in 2016, Apple rejected its classification as a game, insisting it be labeled under "News" or "Reference" due to its politically charged content. This decision stirred controversy, notably because Apple had no problem listing a game titled Israeli Heroes in the game category. After much outcry and public support on social media propelled by Abu-Eideh, Apple eventually reversed its stance, allowing Liyla to stand as a game.

As for Dreams on a Pillow, it is currently in the crowdfunding phase on LaunchGood, with efforts extending until January 13. The funds gathered here are earmarked for asset creation, outsourcing, and remunerating the nine-member development team. The goal is to bring the game to audiences by the last quarter of 2026.