Futrus Studios, an independent game development startup founded by a student of COMSATS University Islamabad, Lahore Campus, has been selected for Cohort 3 of the Center of Excellence in Gaming and Animation Lahore Incubation Program. The studio was chosen among 10 startups for the cohort, a selection that marks a milestone for the university and for the young team behind the company. As part of the program, Futrus Studios will receive industry mentorship, advanced facilities and networking opportunities intended to accelerate its growth, giving the founders access to the kind of support that is often difficult for early-stage game studios to find on their own.
Futrus Studios was founded in April 2026 and creates original, story-driven games inspired by Pakistan’s cultural and historical heritage. The startup aims to bring local narratives to global audiences, building games that draw on stories from the country’s own past and traditions rather than borrowing settings from elsewhere. Its selection for the incubation program comes only a few months after its founding, which shows how quickly the studio has moved from an idea to a team recognized by a national program focused on gaming and animation.
The company was founded by Arsal Abbas Mirza, a second-year Computer Engineering student at COMSATS University Islamabad, Lahore Campus, who serves as its Founder and Chief Executive Officer. Beyond his work at the studio, Arsal Abbas Mirza is Operational Lead of the Google Developer Group chapter at COMSATS Lahore and is also a playwright, writer and poet associated with the COMSATS Literary Society and the COMSATS Film and Dramatic Society. That background in writing and performance fits the studio’s focus on narrative, and it shows how his creative work and technical training come together in the games he wants to build.
The Center of Excellence in Gaming and Animation is an initiative of the Ministry of Information Technology and Telecommunication through Ignite National Technology Fund. For COMSATS Lahore, the selection highlights the entrepreneurial spirit and innovative potential of its students, and the university has congratulated Arsal Abbas Mirza and the Futrus Studios team on the achievement. As the studio begins its time in the cohort, its stated goal is to take Pakistani creativity to the global gaming industry, using the mentorship, facilities and networks offered through the program to turn its stories into finished games that players around the world can enjoy.
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