Rami Ismail facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Rami Ismail
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Ismail in 2018
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| Born | 30 October 1988 Netherlands
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| Nationality | Dutch |
| Occupation | Video game developer |
| Known for | Vlambeer |
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Notable work
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Rami Ismail (born 30 October 1988) is a game developer from the Netherlands. He creates video games on his own or with a small team. He is also known for speaking up in the video game world. He talks about making games for everyone. He helps game creators from countries that are still growing. In 2010, he started a company called Vlambeer with Jan Willem Nijman. They made popular games like Ridiculous Fishing and Nuclear Throne.
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Early Life and Beginnings
Rami Ismail was born in the Netherlands. His father was from Egypt and his mother was Dutch. He grew up following the Muslim faith.
Starting Vlambeer
Rami went to the Utrecht School of the Arts. There, he met Jan Willem Nijman. They worked together on a game for a school project. They thought their game could be sold. But the school wanted to own the game's rights. So, Rami and Jan Willem left school. They started their own company, Vlambeer, in 2010. This way, they could make games without problems.
Many of Vlambeer's games were liked by critics. But their mobile game Ridiculous Fishing became a huge hit in 2013. It earned over $1 million in just six months! This success helped Vlambeer and its founders earn enough money to keep going.
Rami also helped create free online tools. These tools are called presskit() and distribute(). They help independent game makers. They can use them to share information about their games. This includes demo versions and marketing materials.
Helping Game Developers Worldwide
As a Muslim, Rami often talks with game makers from many countries. He believes in reaching out to developers everywhere. He has spoken about helping programmers in developing countries.
Supporting Global Game Creators
Rami has been critical of rules that make travel difficult. He says these rules make it hard for game creators from some countries. It costs them a lot to attend important game events. In 2018, some developers could not get travel papers. This stopped them from going to the Game Developers Conference in the United States.
In 2019, Rami started Gamedev.world. He created it with Sarah Elmaleh and other friends. This was a game conference for independent developers. It was especially for those from countries affected by travel rules. The first Gamedev.world conference happened online in June 2019. Speakers could talk in their own languages. Their talks were translated into 30 different languages!
When the 2020 Game Developers Conference was canceled, Gamedev.world helped. They ran events to raise money. This helped developers who lost money because the conference was canceled.
Awards and Special Honors
Rami Ismail and Jan Willem Nijman were recognized by Forbes. They were on the "30 under 30" list for Games in 2015.
Notable Achievements
In 2018, Rami received the Ambassador award. This was from the Game Developers Choice Awards. He got it for encouraging diversity in games. He also helped support game developers from less-developed countries.
Variety magazine named Rami one of the Most Influential in Videogames in 2018. This was for creating free tools for independent creators. GamesIndustry.biz also named him one of its People of the Year for 2018. This was for his continued support for developers in growing countries.
In December 2018, Rami was invited to a special lunch. It was called the "Uitblinkerslunch." He met King Willem-Alexander and Queen Máxima. This yearly event honors Dutch people who have done amazing things.
Life Outside of Games
Rami Ismail lives in the Netherlands. For five years, he lived with his wife, Adriel Wallick. She is also a game developer. They met through their work in video games. In 2016, they got engaged virtually inside the game Destiny. They were married in 2017. They separated in 2018 but remain friends.
Rami often gives talks at game events. He also gives lectures about game design at universities.
In August 2022, Rami finished his flight training. He became a licensed pilot! He says playing Microsoft Flight Simulator helped him pass his exam.
