The video game sector is strengthening again in Barcelona, after recent announcements such as those of NetEase Games, Funplus, Rovio and IO Interactive. The Saudi video game company Sandsoft Games consolidates its position in Barcelona with Pasqual Batalla, its new Chief Operating Officer. In the last seven years, the executive has been part of SocialPoint, the veteran company in the gaming sector in the Catalan capital, acquired in 2017 by the American multinational Take Two Interactive, publisher of the game Grand Theft Auto.
Sandsoft Games thus reinforces the offices it opened in the Catalan capital just a year ago. According to Batalla, among his initial tasks is "to contribute to the establishment of a strong presence and a Sandsoft studio in Barcelona, serving as a key hub to develop and publish exceptional games". For now, the company already has five active job offers on its website for the city, with positions such as accountant, recruiter and data engineer.
The company was founded in 2019 with the support of the Saudi Arabian government to diversify its economy and grow the video game industry. Its headquarters are in Riyadh and it already has teams in Shanghai (China) and Helsinki (Finland). Currently, it is in a phase of growth and expansion, with a focus on opening its own studios to develop new video games and publishing games created by third parties, with a special interest in covering the Middle East and North Africa.
Pasqual Batalla is one of the well-known faces in the Barcelona gaming sector. The new COO of Sandsoft Games is an expert in mobile games, e-commerce and emerging digital companies, having also worked at Letsbonus. He has trained at IESE, Esade and UPC. He is also an investor and business angel for several Barcelona startups.