Palestinian game developer Rasheed Abueideh has successfully concluded his crowdfunding campaign for Dreams on a Pillow, a pseudo-3D stealth adventure game inspired by a traditional Palestinian folk tale. The campaign exceeded its original goal by nearly $50,000, raising over $244,000 on Launch Good.
This triumph comes after Abueideh faced a decade of difficulties in securing support for his project. “The team has attempted to raise publisher funding and cultural grants for the project, but has consistently been rejected,” the crowdfunding page details.
Abueideh revealed that publishers and funding partners dismissed the project, deeming the story of a Palestinian too “risky” or “controversial” to back. One publisher did show interest, having experience in handling sensitive topics, but ultimately, they too found the risk of supporting a Palestinian narrative too high.

Despite the setbacks, the funds raised allowed Abueideh’s team to move Dreams on a Pillow from pre-production into full production. However, Abueideh acknowledged that the current funds will only cover a portion of the necessary costs, noting that about $495,000 is needed to cover salaries, outsourcing, and asset creation to complete the game.
In gratitude, Abueideh thanked the 3,336 backers who supported the campaign on BlueSky, expressing his belief that this milestone would “make history in the games industry.”