Scopely Acquires Turkish Studio Loom Games in $1B+ Deal
U.S. mobile-gaming company Scopely has acquired a majority stake in Istanbul-based Loom Games, the developer of the hit title "Pixel Flow!". The deal values the Turkish studio at over $1 billion, marking one of the largest exits in the country's gaming sector. The transaction is seen as a major signal of the Turkish startup ecosystem's maturity and ability to produce globally scalable intellectual property.
- The deal is structured as a multi-year, performance-based agreement that values Loom Games at over $1 billion. Scopely, which was acquired by Saudi Arabia's Savvy Games Group for $4.9 billion in 2023, is using Savvy's $38 billion war chest to pursue major acquisitions. - Loom Games, founded in 2025 by CEO Kübra Gündoğan and CTO Emre Çelik, consists of a lean team of about 20 employees and will continue to operate independently from Istanbul. Before this major exit, the studio had raised a seven-figure seed round from investors including Arcadia Gaming Partners and e2vc. - The studio's title "Pixel Flow!" launched in late 2025 and saw rapid success, surpassing 10 million players globally within months. By December 2025, the game was generating over $500,000 in daily revenue, combining both in-app purchases and ads, and was the only casual game released in the past year to break into the top 20 grossing games in the U.S. - This acquisition marks another significant exit for the Turkish gaming sector, which has seen exits totaling $2.9 billion since 2020. It follows landmark deals like Zynga's acquisition of Peak Games for approximately $2 billion and Gram Games for $250 million. - The Turkish startup ecosystem has demonstrated strong growth, with VC investment increasing significantly. Istanbul is considered the second-largest gaming hub in Europe after London by studio density, and the ecosystem includes 13 game-focused VC funds. - The success of early Turkish gaming companies like Peak Games has created a "mafia-style" ecosystem, where former employees have gone on to found numerous other successful startups, including Dream Games and Spyke Games, fostering a cycle of talent and investment.
