Türkiye's mobile gaming sector eyes new unicorn as revenues surge
14:37, 01/09/2026, TuesdayU: Update: 15:06, 01/09/2026, Tuesday
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File photoTürkiye's mobile game industry has positioned itself as a global powerhouse with three domestic unicorns dominating international markets, while Grand Games emerges as the latest candidate poised to reach a $1 billion valuation amid surging investment and record-breaking revenue growth.
Türkiye's mobile game developers have driven global in-app purchase revenues to $2.76 billion in 2025, marking a 450% increase since 2020, as three domestic unicorns dominate international markets and Grand Games positions itself to become the sector's next billion-dollar startup.
Global market expansion
The sector's explosive growth has seen Turkish developers increase their share of global revenue from 1% to 5% over five years, with an average annual growth rate of 42%, according to data from AppMagic and Gamigion. Dream Games' Royal Match and Royal Kingdom have generated combined revenues exceeding $5.2 billion, while Peak Games' Toy Blast and Toon Blast have brought in more than $3.4 billion. Match Factory has also surpassed $432 million in revenue, cementing the country's reputation for producing high-grossing puzzle titles.
Unicorn ecosystem
Three of Türkiye's eight unicorns currently operate in the mobile gaming space: Peak Games, Dream Games and Loom Games. The Turcorn 100 program, which tracks companies valued at $1 billion and potential candidates, currently lists 43 firms with unicorn potential, including seven gaming studios operating in the sector. These companies benefit from the widespread adoption of 5G connectivity and artificial intelligence integration, factors that have accelerated the emergence of new brands in the domestic market.
Investment surge
The sector has attracted $3.6 billion in investment since 2009, with Dream Games setting a record in 2025 by securing $2.5 billion in a single deal that exceeded the industry's total previous investment history. Grand Games, founded in January 2024, has rapidly emerged as the most likely candidate to become Türkiye's next gaming unicorn, raising $100 million over 16 months including a $70 million round in May. Domestic mobile game revenue reached a record $347 million last year even as downloads declined 4% to 1.8 billion, indicating improved monetization of existing player bases as puzzle games accounted for 96.9% of developer revenues.