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UAE-based card game Panic Zones: Arctic Edition builds momentum through community play
Launched in December 2025, the design-led tabletop game is expanding its player base across the UAE through live sessions, cafés, and tournaments
- PUBLISHED: Fri 6 Feb 2026, 10:50 AM
Panic Zones: Arctic Edition, a UAE-based card game, was released on December 5, 2025, and is steadily growing its player community through community-led play across the country’s tabletop scene.
The launch follows a two-year development cycle that began with a kitchen-table prototype, sparked by a survival film and a simple challenge: translating pressure, uncertainty, and group dynamics into a social card game people would want to replay. Built by four entrepreneurs living in Dubai — Patrick Saber, Ryan Chedrawi, Anthony Attieh, and Edmond Rizk — the game was refined through repeated live play sessions, with rules and pacing adjusted to keep rounds short and decisions clear.
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Those sessions helped shape how rounds accelerate, pushing players to make decisions quickly, react to one another, and adapt when conditions change. The founders describe the development process as iterative, with small adjustments tested repeatedly to tighten the flow and reduce friction for first-time players, while keeping enough unpredictability to sustain repeat play with different groups.
At launch, Panic Zones recorded early demand, with around 500 units sold within the first hour of release across its launch markets.
Panic Zones: Arctic Edition is designed for three to six players, with rounds lasting approximately 15–20 minutes. Set in a frozen survival scenario, the objective is intentionally simple: be the first to get rescued or outlast everyone as the last player standing.
The game’s structure is built around quick turns and changing conditions. Each turn may involve playing or buying Advantage Cards, followed by a draw from a Discovery Deck that blends Resources, Obstacles, and Panic events. This mix is designed to create a rhythm of preparation and disruption, where alliances shift and outcomes can change late in the round. The intention is to make results feel driven by player decisions around the table rather than a fixed sequence.
Following the UAE release, the team has focused on introducing the game through community play, reflecting how tabletop titles typically spread. Players watch a round, join in, and then bring a copy to their own gatherings. The founders have hosted community events and tournaments, including at Six Board Game Cafe in Downtown Dubai, using structured play to introduce new groups to the game and build a recurring player community. The game is also available to play at several board game cafés in Dubai.
Live sessions allow players to learn quickly, experience the tension in real time, and decide on the spot whether the game fits their group — a dynamic that can be difficult to replicate through online product descriptions alone.
"Every round feels like a thriller," the founders said, describing how tension builds quickly and keeps the table engaged through uncertainty and fast reversals.
Looking ahead, the team said the next phase will focus on expanding community-led play and player-driven experiences across the UAE, while developing future “Zones” beyond the Arctic setting. Arctic Edition is positioned as the first chapter in a wider roadmap of repeatable social experiences, with the focus remaining on building consistent community moments that bring new players to the table over time.
Panic Zones: Arctic Edition is available online via paniczones.com, with community updates shared on Instagram @paniczonesofficial.
