Istanbul, Turkey – Circle Games, a rising mobile gaming studio based in Istanbul, has raised $7.25 million in a seed funding round to scale its breakout title Sort Express and expand its global presence. The round was led by BITKRAFT Ventures, with participation from top-tier investors including a16z Speedrun, Play Ventures, e2vc, and APY Ventures.
Backed by Industry Titans
Circle Games is led by a team of seasoned professionals with proven track records in the mobile gaming industry. The founding members bring experience from leading studios such as Gram Games, Dream Games, and Good Job Games, which have been behind some of Turkey’s most successful puzzle games.
Founding Team Highlights:
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Gokturk Balikci (CEO) – Former Product Manager at Playable Factory & Gram Games
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Arda Özarslan – Ex-Software Engineer at Playable Factory & Dream Games
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Mehmet Ay – Former Growth Manager at Good Job Games
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Mustafa Özdemir – Studio Lead at Playable Factory & Product Manager at Good Job Games
A Vision for Innovation in Mobile Puzzle Gaming
Circle Games aims to redefine the mobile puzzle genre by focusing on enhancing player experience in the later stages of gameplay—a segment often overlooked by developers. CEO Gokturk Balikci emphasized:
“Turkey’s biggest hits are from the mobile puzzle genre, so the talent experience is there… We’re trying to innovate in the later game phase for player experience by introducing new mechanics. We think that will be vital for long-term player retention.”
Strategic Expansion and Game Development Focus
The studio plans to use the funding to:
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Scale up the Sort Express game globally
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Expand its 12-member team to accelerate development
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Introduce advanced gameplay mechanics to enhance player retention
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Invest in high-quality visuals and UI/UX to meet evolving player expectations
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Optimize playable ad strategies for effective user acquisition
Investor Confidence in Circle Games
Jasper Brand, Investor at BITKRAFT Ventures, stated:
“Circle Games is one of the most promising studios we’ve seen at seed stage. They combine deep domain expertise with strong game sense, fast shipping velocity, and clear understanding of how to win in today’s mobile gaming market.”
Turkey’s Mobile Gaming Ecosystem on the Rise
Circle Games’ funding success reflects Turkey’s growing reputation as a hub for mobile gaming innovation. The region continues to nurture high-performing studios that excel in the casual and puzzle gaming segments.
With the new capital and a powerhouse founding team, Circle Games is poised to become the next global success story from Turkey’s thriving game development ecosystem.