Gaming Companies in Turkey By Ivan Konoval Data Analyst at RetroStyle Games | Apr 18, 2024 Ask a Question Turkey’s gaming scene is buzzing with energy! It’s home to many companies that make all sorts of games, from small mobile puzzles to big adventures you can play on your computer or TV. The country has lots of young people who love gaming as a service model, and that’s helping the industry grow fast.Turkish game makers are becoming known for their creativity and are starting to stand out in the worldwide gaming community. Whether you’re into casual games you can play while waiting for the bus, or epic stories that take hours to explore, game companies in Turkey are making games everyone can enjoy. Turkish Game Market Analysis Market Size and Trends The market has witnessed a significant upswing from 2000 to 2023, with particular acceleration after 2017, marking a period of high-value exit stories that bolster the industry’s credibility and attractiveness to investors.There is a strong presence of both startups and established gaming companies that have been thriving, evidenced by numerous success stories and substantial investment rounds.The number of active Turkey game studios reached 740, with Istanbul being the largest hub. This reflects the country’s rise as a significant player in the global gaming market.Despite global economic shifts, the Turkish gaming industry has seen consistent investor interest with notable deals, such as Dream Games’ $460 million investment in 2021. Target Demographics The gaming products from Turkey cater to a wide demographic, from casual to hardcore gamers, reflecting the global trend of gaming across all ages and backgrounds.The industry draws on a large pool of young developers, supported by universities offering undergraduate and graduate programs in game technologies, animation, and game design. Government and Institutional Support The Ministry of Industry and Technology and other government entities have provided numerous incentives, including direct government grants specific to the gaming industry.There are several programs at Turkish universities aimed at developing the gaming talent needed to grow the industry. Entrepreneurial and Investment Climate There’s a notable trend of entrepreneurs reinvesting in the industry following successful exits, thus creating a cycle of reinvestment and continual growth.The investment scene remains active, with both local and international VCs looking for opportunities in the Turkish gaming market. Regional and Global Position Turkey is positioned as the second-largest gaming hub after London.Gaming companies in Turkey are not only local but have made an impact globally, with some games achieving international success. Challenges and Future Outlook As the market grows, companies face the challenge of standing out in an increasingly crowded field.The need to keep up with rapid technological changes and innovations is essential for staying competitive. The sector appeals to a broad range of demographics, underpinned by a strong pipeline of young talent and innovative startups. Despite global economic challenges, gaming in Turkey has demonstrated resilience and adaptability, securing its position as a major player in the international gaming landscape. Turkish Gaming Industry Key Players 1Dream GamesFounded in 2019, Dream Games has quickly risen to prominence in the mobile gaming industry. They started by producing puzzle-type games and have made a significant impact with their rapid growth. Dream Games notably raised its valuation to $2.75 billion in January 2022, following a substantial investment of $255 million.2Spyke GamesEstablished in 2020 and focusing primarily on the casual game genre, Spyke Games is an Istanbul-based company. The company raised $55 million in January 2022 from a funding round led by Griffin Gaming Partners. This investment has helped them advance their valuation to approximately $245 million.3Metaverse Game StudiosThis company was able to attract the attention of investors with its blockchain-based game, Angelic. Founded by Erkan Bayol, Metaverse Game Studios raised $10 million in March 2022 from an investment round involving several prominent venture capitals.4Fomo GamesCo-founded by Yunus Güvenen, Emre Tekişoğlu, and Yusuf Ceylan, Fomo Games quickly gained momentum with consecutive investments. Known for its engagement in the hyper-casual gaming genre, the company secured an investment of $5 million in January 2022, following its initial funding in the previous year.5Revel GamesA new entrant in the gaming industry, founded in 2021, Revel Games focuses on casual puzzle games. It successfully attracted an investment of $4.5 million from a funding round led by Garena in March 2022.6PeakPeak is a major player in the gaming industry, founded in 2010 and headquartered in Istanbul, Turkey. It's known for popular casual puzzle games like "Toy Blast" and "Toon Blast." The company has a large player base, with over 400 million users, and has raised significant funding from investors, including $1.8 billion from Zynga.7LuLu GamesA relatively new entrant, LuLu Games was founded in 2022 in Istanbul, Turkey. The company comprises a small, talented team focused on reaching their dreams.8Curse Game StudioFounded in 2019 in Istanbul, Curse Game Studio specializes in 3D mobile hyper-casual turkish games. The company is in search of backers to help build and test unique game ideas for the mobile industry. Notable Indie Game Developers TaleWorlds Entertainment and Warlock Arts are two distinct entities within the indie game development community, each with its own set of accomplishments and contributions. 1TaleWorlds EntertainmentWebsite: TaleWorlds.comNotable for: is renowned for its "Mount & Blade" game series. This franchise is celebrated for its unique blend of action, role-playing, and strategy elements set in a medieval world. Players can experience large-scale battles, engage in diplomacy, and rise through the ranks of society in an open-world setting.2Warlock ArtsWebsite: WarlockArts.comNotable for: based out of Ankara, Turkey, Warlock Arts is a standalone company that creates and publishes video games. Since opening its doors in 2014, the company has been excited to bring out a variety of fun games for people to play on their phones, computers, and gaming consoles. Turkish Regulatory Environment Turkey’s gaming regulatory environment is strict, especially regarding gambling and betting. Gambling is highly regulated in Turkey, and most forms of it are illegal and not permitted within the country. This regulatory stance applies to both land-based and online gambling platforms, with the government actively monitoring and enforcing laws to prevent unauthorized gambling operations.The online gambling market is subject to even stricter controls. Turkish laws aim to prevent not only the operation of online gambling services within the country but also to block access to such services offered by foreign entities. Payments related to online gambling are monitored and can be blocked by the financial institutions in Turkey.Note that while we provide valuable information on online gambling trends and online casino graphics in the Turkish gaming industry, they relate to markets where such activities are legal and regulated differently than in Turkey. Gaming Culture in Turkey There’s a strong demand for gaming across the country, fueled by a young and tech-savvy population. More than half of Turkey’s population is under 30, which has led to a digital culture where over 92% of internet users play games, surpassing the global average. Mobile gaming, in particular, has exploded with over 2.1 billion downloads in 2022, supported by the fact that a vast majority of people in Turkey own smartphones.The youthful demographic also contributes to a significant pool of talent in the gaming sector, with many game developers getting their start in Turkey. With robust training programs and a supportive environment for startups, the country has become a hub for mobile gaming innovation. Events and gaming communities play a big role in this ecosystem. These venues provide platforms for gamers to connect, compete, and share their experiences, fostering a strong sense of community and further propelling the growth of gaming culture.Turkey’s gaming industry also reflects a unique mix of players across PC, mobile, and console platforms. While PC gaming remains popular with competitive and MOBA games, mobile gaming attracts both male and female gamers across a wide age range, indicating inclusive appeal. The country’s gaming community is highly active, with millions engaging in various genres from casual to competitive games. International Collaborations International collaborations in gaming mean that companies from different countries work together. They can make games together, share tools and technology, or help each other sell games in different parts of the world. For example, a company in one country might be good at making games but not so good at selling them. They can partner with a company in another country that knows how to sell games there. This way, games can become popular in many places, not just where they were made.Also, when companies from different countries work together, they can mix their ideas to make games that lots of different people will like. This is good for gamers because they get to play all sorts of games, and it’s good for the companies because their games can be a hit in more than one place. The Rise of Outsourcing with Turkey Outsourcing has become a key strategy for many companies looking to expand their capabilities and resources, and this trend is clearly on the rise within the Turkish gaming industry. Several successful Turkish gaming companies used our outsourcing to enhance their games, including Good Job Games, Spyke, and Vuvy.These companies are reaching out to specialized service providers to help with various aspects of game development, such as creating detailed artwork and designing engaging user interfaces. By outsourcing certain tasks, our clients can focus on core areas of game development while also tapping into the expertise of seasoned professionals from around the globe.You can see examples of our collaborations and the quality of outsourced work at the following links:Zen Match & Property Brothers Home Design game art: 2D Home InteriorsFortune Master & Spin Voyage slots game art: Crazy Coin Slots Game ArtBerry Match match-3 game icons and backgrounds: Match 3 Game Art CONTACT US Success Stories with RetroStyle Games RetroStyle Games has some great success stories from working with Turkish game makers. We helped make cool designs and fun characters for different games. With Good Job Games, we made beautiful indoor scenes for a Turkish game called Zen Match. This made the game more interesting for players. Then for a Turkish company called Spyke, we drew some lively characters for a slot game, making it more exciting to play. For Vuvy's game, Berry Match, we designed colorful icons and backgrounds that made the game really stand out. These projects show how good we are at making games look amazing and fun to play. CONTACT US Case Studies - Turkey 1Good Job GamesZen Match Game: check out inviting 2D home interiors created for the Zen Match game, a project that shows the ability to blend aesthetics and functionality. 2SpykeSlot cartoon characters: a look into the vibrant and engaging slot game art developed for games like Fortune Master and Spin Voyage. These cartoon characters bring a playful and visually rich aspect to the game. 3VuvyWe made Berry Match with game icons and backgrounds that make the gameplay truly stand out. These artistic elements are important for capturing players' attention and have an impact on users. Submit Rating Average rating 4.8 / 5. Vote count: 102 No votes so far! Be the first to rate this post. We are sorry that this post was not useful for you! Let us improve this post! 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