(3 February 2026 | Source: Ivan Strizhakov's Instagram account)
Teachers and students in Kazakhstan are being recommended to download the educational game Steppe Rider, developed by the Ministry of Science and Higher Education. The project, costing nearly 270 million tenge, had previously drawn criticism from users due to technical issues and low demand.
TEACHERS AND STUDENTS URGED TO DOWNLOAD THE GAME
Journalist Ivan Strizhakov highlighted on Instagram a document signed by Deputy Minister Dinara Shcheglova, in which employees of educational institutions are asked to download the game Steppe Rider. According to Strizhakov, this raised questions about the project's viability and practical application.
"Then they will show statistics on how well everything is going for them... But how the game came about — they will probably hide that," the journalist remarked, addressing the Chairman of the Agency for Financial Monitoring (AFM), Zhanat Elimankyzy.
COST AND DEVELOPMENT OF STEPPE RIDER
According to the public procurement portal, in 2025 the Ministry of Science of the Republic of Kazakhstan entered into a contract with United Kingdom LLP to develop a game for learning the Kazakh language. The contract amount was 268.6 million tenge (approximately $490,000).
The ministry explained that the game was created for three platforms and included 3D production, development of game mechanics, interface, a mobile version, adaptation, testing, and optimisation. Over 30 specialists were involved in the development, and the timeline was around seven months.
REACTION FROM USERS AND THE JOURNALIST
Meanwhile, journalist Ivan Strizhakov, who had previously published a video review of the application, reported technical problems, freezes, and a lack of clear explanations of the gameplay. He also noted awkward controls and questioned the sense of developing a separate product when similar applications already exist.
At the same time, representatives of the Ministry of Science stated that Steppe Rider had been downloaded by more than 30,000 users, and that reviews were generally positive, including comments from Russia and European countries.
OTHER GOVERNMENT GAMING PROJECTS
Previously, the AFM had planned to develop a game called "Interrogation Simulator" costing 31.25 million tenge (approximately $57,000), under the title "Game 3D Simulator of Investigative Actions". According to the public procurement website, the contract is listed as fulfilled, but no information is available on the actual status of the project.
PROJECT DEVELOPMENT IN 2026
The Ministry of Science and Higher Education has reported that Steppe Rider will continue to be developed under warranty support. Plans include adding a large-scale map, new game mechanics, and a competitive mode between users.