Your ultimate guide to exploring and writing about Turkey
Turkey has a rapidly growing and dynamic video game industry, with a strong focus on mobile gaming and a growing presence in PC/console development. Here are some of the most popular and successful games made in Turkey:
The Turkish mobile gaming sector is a global powerhouse, with several companies achieving massive worldwide success.
Peak Games (Acquired by Zynga, now part of Take-Two)
Toy Blast & Toon Blast: These are arguably the most globally successful games from Turkey. These match-3 puzzle games have been downloaded hundreds of millions of times and consistently top the charts in casual gaming.
Gram Games (Acquired by Zynga)
1010! & Merge Dragons!: Gram Games found huge success with the minimalist puzzle game 1010! and then revolutionized the merge genre with Merge Dragons!, which has been a massive financial success.
Dream Games
Royal Match: This Istanbul-based studio's debut game is a blockbuster. It's a match-3 game that has been fiercely competing with King's Candy Crush Saga in revenue charts, regularly ranking in the global top 5 for highest-grossing mobile games. A major Turkish success story.
Rollic (Acquired by Zynga)
Hyper-casual Hits: Rollic became a leader in the hyper-casual genre with viral hits like Tangle Master 3D, Hair Challenge, and Pull the Pin, generating billions of downloads.
Bigger Games
Hero Wars: A very successful mobile fantasy RPG (MMORPG-lite) with a large global player base, known for its guild wars and hero collection.
The indie and mid-core development scene is vibrant, often creating games with deep roots in Turkish history, mythology, and culture.
Mount & Blade Series (TaleWorlds Entertainment)
The flagship of Turkish PC gaming. This unique action-RPG/sandbox strategy series is beloved worldwide for its medieval combat and deep simulation. Mount & Blade II: Bannerlord is the latest and most successful title.
Riding Star (Yıldız Studio)
A notable indie game that gained international attention. It's a surreal and philosophical exploration game set in a dreamlike version of Istanbul, praised for its art and narrative.
Conqueror's Blade (Booming Games)
Although developed by a Chinese company, the Istanbul-based Turkish studio, Booming Tech, plays a crucial role in its development and live operations. It's a tactical MMO with large-scale medieval battles.
The Indus Valley (Tabula Games)
An upcoming and highly anticipated city-builder/strategy game set in the Bronze Age Indus Valley civilization, developed by an Istanbul studio. It has gained attention for its historical focus and beautiful visuals.
Horizon's Gate (Rad Codex)
A well-received indie RPG that combines open-world exploration with tactical grid-based combat, inspired by classic games like Uncharted Waters.
The Day Before: While developed by a studio with international roots, Fntastic had a significant Turkish connection and the game was highly anticipated (though it was eventually released and then delisted amid controversy).
Many Indie Projects: The Turkish indie scene is very active, with games frequently featured on platforms like Steam, often exploring unique themes from Turkish folklore (like Demeo: The Eye of Serpent expansion) or history.
Mobile-First: Dominated by globally successful mobile game studios in Istanbul.
Cultural Themes: PC/Indie developers are increasingly using rich Ottoman history, Anatolian myths, and Istanbul's unique atmosphere as settings.
Technical Talent: Strong engineering and art talent, supported by specialized university programs.
Investment Hub: Istanbul has become a major hub for game studio acquisitions and venture capital investment in the EMEA region.
In summary, when you think of Turkish games, think of global mobile puzzle hits like Royal Match and Toy Blast, and deep PC strategy/simulation like Mount & Blade. The industry is one of Turkey's most successful and internationally recognized creative exports.