In this article, we will share with you the leading Turkish game companies that have created numerous successful titles, ranging from globally acclaimed PC and console games like Mount and Blade to addictive indie games.
In recent years, the Turkish gaming industry has become a favorite among foreign investors, hosting new ventures in both the mobile and PC sectors. Turkish game companies had an exceptionally productive year in 2022, securing $330 million in investments during the first quarter alone. This figure surpassed the total of $266 million raised throughout 2021 in just three months.
While many industries faced significant setbacks during the pandemic, the gaming world experienced a remarkable surge. Numbers don’t lie. The size of Turkey’s gaming market grew to $1.2 billion last year, with the number of digital gamers reaching 42 million. Local mobile game developers, in particular, have been at the forefront of attracting industry investments.
According to the 2023 Turkey Mobile Game Statistics report by 42matters for Android, more than 2,929 Turkish publishers are listed on Google Play out of a total of 194,005 game publishers. Turkish publishers account for 10,939 of the 536,384 games on the store. These titles have an average Play Store rating of 3.99 out of 5. The success of Turkish mobile gaming companies has drawn the attention of global giants to the country.
Local Mobile Game Ventures Making Waves Globally
Among Turkish game companies, Peak Games, founded by Sidar Şahin in Istanbul in 2010, made headlines when it was acquired by the American video game company Zynga for $1.8 billion in June 2020. Prior to this, İzmir-based Masomo, the developer of Head Ball, was sold to Miniclip, owned by Tencent, for $100 million. These and other investments have had a significant and undeniable impact on the Turkish gaming industry.
In addition to mobile gaming ventures, Turkey boasts prominent companies like TaleWorlds Entertainment, which has achieved global fame. The Ankara-based studio breathed new life into the RPG genre with Mount and Blade: Warband and cemented its place in the industry with Bannerlord, the highly anticipated sequel released a decade later.
The influence of Crytek, the studio behind the Crysis series, on the Turkish gaming industry should not be overlooked. Founded by Turkish developers Cevat Yerli, Avni Yerli, and Faruk Yerli, the studio is headquartered in Germany but maintains deep ties to Turkey.
Here’s a look at the leading Turkish game companies and their most popular titles that have reached millions of players worldwide.
Top Turkish Game Companies
ZeroHint
Founded in December 2022 by Murat Serhat Alperen, ZeroHint is a rapidly growing game development studio based in Hacettepe Teknokent, Turkey. Initially focused on mobile platforms, the company has expanded into VR, PC, multiplayer, and web-based games. Alongside offering outsourcing services, ZeroHint is actively developing its own products. With expertise in creating engaging mobile games, immersive VR solutions, and web-based interactive experiences, ZeroHint is poised to make its mark on the global gaming scene.
Dream Games
Dream Games, based in Istanbul, employs a team of 80 and achieved significant success with its first game, Royal Match, released in 2021. The game became one of the highest-grossing mobile games of the year and ranked among the top 10 most downloaded games in major markets like the US and UK. Reaching a $1 billion valuation, Dream Games became Turkey’s third unicorn, later increasing its valuation to $2.75 billion with a $255 million investment in January 2022.
Good Job Games
Good Job Games is one of Turkey’s largest gaming companies and one of the fastest-growing mobile game publishers globally. Based in Istanbul, the studio boasts a portfolio of 29 mobile games, including Fun Race 3D, Color Balls 3D, Paint Pop 3D, and Run Race 3D, with over 1.84 billion downloads in total.
Rollic Games
Acquired by Zynga in October 2020, Istanbul-based Rollic Games has developed 106 mobile games with over 752.23 million downloads. Founded by Burak Vardal, Deniz Başaran, and Mehmet Can Yavuz, the studio is renowned for its hyper-casual games. In November 2022, Rollic expanded its reach by acquiring Germany’s leading independent studio, Popcore.
Peak Games
Founded in 2010 by Sidar Şahin and Hakan Baş in Istanbul, Peak Games is known for its popular puzzle games, including Toon Blast and Toy Blast. In June 2020, the company was acquired by Zynga for $1.8 billion, with $900 million paid in cash and the rest in stock.
Fugo Games
Established in 2010 in Istanbul, Fugo Games is one of Turkey’s largest gaming companies. Known for its simple yet entertaining casual games, the studio has released seven mobile games, including Words of Wonders: Crossword to Connect Vocabulary and Words of Wonders: Search, with a total of over 233.38 million downloads.
TaleWorlds Entertainment
Ankara-based TaleWorlds Entertainment gained international success with the release of Mount and Blade: Warband in 2010. The company, founded by Armağan Yavuz and İpek Yavuz in 2005, raised the bar with Bannerlord, the sequel to their iconic RPG strategy game. In 2016, they became the first Turkish game studio to open their own booth at E3.
Masomo
Masomo, a mobile game developer founded by İbrahim Akman, made a strong debut with its hit game Head Ball, downloaded millions of times on Android and iOS. In 2019, the İzmir-based studio was sold to the UK-based Miniclip for $100 million. Currently, Masomo is working on a new multiplayer sports game, Basketball Arena.
Ruby Game Studio
Another İzmir-based game developer, Ruby Game Studio operates out of Ege University Technopark and was established with support from TÜBİTAK. Known for globally successful titles like Hunter Assassin and Gym Flip, Ruby has achieved over 700 million downloads worldwide, making it one of Turkey’s most successful gaming companies.
Hero Concept
Istanbul-based Hero Concept gained recognition with Mayhem Brawler, a beat ’em up game that pays homage to the classics of the 90s. With its comic book-style visuals and stellar music, the game is available on Steam, PlayStation, Xbox, and Nintendo Switch. The studio reimagines timeless arcade classics with a modern twist, indicating a bright future.