‘The Floor’ Reaches 30 Markets With MENA Deal for MBC and First Asian Entry in Japan for Nippon TV (EXCLUSIVE)

Talpa Studios’ global hit quiz show “The Floor” has reached a major milestone: its 30th international commission.

The latest deals include a new adaptation in the Middle East and North Africa region, airing on MBC — spanning 23 territories and reaching over 150 million weekly viewers — and a landmark first entry into Asia, where Nippon TV will bring the show to Japan.

These additions follow recent commissions in Eastern Europe and strong launches across key markets such as the U.S., Australia and France.

John de Mol, founder of Talpa Studios, said: “Reaching our 30th commission is a milestone we’re incredibly proud of. With the MENA region now on board and our very first sale in Japan, it shows the format’s universal strength. In all my years in this industry, it’s the first time one of my formats will air in Japan, which makes this an extra special moment.”

Megumi Hisamichi, senior manager, programming and platform strategy, Nippon TV, said: “ ‘The Floor’ features a dynamic stage and fast-paced gameplay, capturing global attention as an innovative, audience-participating quiz show. I was tremendously inspired by this format and immediately proposed a Japanese adaptation produced by Nippon TV. We will preserve its original appeal while using our extensive production experience to further enhance it for the Japanese audience.”

Samar Akrouk, group director of production at MBC Group and MBC Studios, added: “This is yet another example of MBC’s leadership and commitment to bringing world-class formats to the Arab world. ‘The Floor’ joins our long line of successful international formats that we have produced and adapted for our audiences.”

Akrouk continued: “Our viewers have always had a strong appetite for game shows, and ‘The Floor’ brings a fresh and dynamic twist to the genre – one we are confident they will love.”

In “The Floor,” 100 quiz fanatics face off in quiz duels on a giant LED floor divided into one hundred equal squares, each representing its own field of knowledge. The goal is to conquer the entire floor and take home a huge cash prize. The rules are simple. A random contestant challenges an adjoining opponent in a quiz duel. They play against each other in the category of the opponent’s square. Categories range from “famous athletes” to “Hollywood actors” and from “iconic buildings” to “mammals.” Some questions are visually supported by photographs, others by sound, while other duels focus on open questions, multiple choice and association. The winner of a duel conquers his opponent’s square, gaining more ground – the loser leaves the game.

More than 15 local versions have already been produced from Talpa Studios’ production hub in the Netherlands, with additional hubs in the Baltics and Argentina. “This set-up has become a cornerstone of Talpa Studios’ roll-out strategy: scalable, efficient, studio-based entertainment shows, powered by on-site expertise and adaptable for partners worldwide,” the company said.

Sebastian van Barneveld, director of global distribution at Talpa Studios, said: “The success of ‘The Floor’ shows the strength of the format itself. What our hub model adds is the ability to move faster and work more collaboratively with partners. And it goes beyond ‘The Floor.’ We’re already applying it with formats like ‘The Quiz With Balls.’ By producing multiple local versions on a single set, we maximize efficiency and enable partners worldwide to scale studio-based entertainment shows with us.”