Besides the popular Southeast Asia and South America regions, there's another area often overlooked. The Middle East, a region with significant market potential, is also highly suitable for game exports.
Date Range：2021/1-2024/12
Today, we'll be focusing on one of the top-performing countries: Turkey.
History of Game Development in Turkey
The Turkish gaming ecosystem has seen remarkable growth, starting with early local online game successes in the early 2000s, followed by significant advancements in the early 2010s, and a boom in mobile gaming from 2012 onwards. Let's examine the market, particularly after 2020—
- The Turkish game market reached $1.22 billion, ranking 18th globally.
- The Turkish game market grew to $1.45 billion. In 2023, due to exchange rate fluctuations, the market was only $580 million, but it showed growth when measured in Turkish Lira.
- According to KOTRA, the number of Turkish gamers is increasing: 36 million in 2021, 42 million in 2022, and 47 million in 2023, representing 55% of Turkey's total population of 85 million.
- A 2020 report showed that Turkish gamers spent a total of $880 million , with mobile games accounting for half of the spending, and further growth is expected.
- According to reports, 81% of adult Turkish gamers have played at least one mobile game. The 30-49 age group accounts for the largest share of mobile gamers at 44%, followed by the 14-29 age group at 37%, and the 50-69 age group at 19%.
- A 2020 indicated that mobile games have the largest share of the Turkish game market at 60%, followed by PC games at 25% and console games at 15%.
- Statista data shows that the Turkish mobile game market will continue to grow over the next five years, with a projected increase to $444.9 million from 2024 to 2027.
The Current State of the Turkish Gaming Market
- Current State of the Gaming Ecosystem
- In the 2000s, the Turkish gaming ecosystem was nascent, with games primarily running on portal sites via JAVA, later evolving into FLASH games. The Turkish gaming startup ecosystem began to take shape in the early 2010s, with investment activities initiated through Venture Capital Investment Funds (VCIF).
- Since the formation of the Turkish gaming ecosystem in 2017, the Turkish gaming industry has experienced further development, and the popularity of esports has increased.
- According to Statista, the Turkish esports market has a high participation rate among young people, and its scale is expected to reach $17 million by 2023.
- Current Status of Development Companies
- According to KOCCA, as of 2023, Turkey has 740 studios, 12 game incubation centers, 21 accelerators, 2 game clusters, and 8 dedicated game investment funds.
✨Foxdata Exclusive Analysis: Delving deeper, the activity of small and medium-sized Turkish developers is directly related to Turkey's economic environment and policy support. Economically, the Turkish Lira has depreciated by over 90% in the past decade, leading to a shrinking domestic market and pushing developers to look overseas. The sluggish economic environment has also resulted in relatively lower labor costs. Furthermore, the government's "National Digital Economy Strategy," launched in 2016, which encourages game startups through tax breaks and financial support, has provided development opportunities for Turkish small and medium-sized teams.
- Since the acquisition agreement between startup Peak Games and the US-based Zynga for $1.8 billion in 2020, it has attracted investments from numerous startups.
✨Foxdata Exclusive Analysis: The reason these Turkish small and medium-sized teams are favored by capital is largely due to their ability to fully leverage the strengths of small teams, such as strong execution and flexible development strategies, which can be described as "small, fast, and agile." As long as they see a potentially popular gameplay or a high-interest theme, they can immediately execute a product, giving these small teams a chance to achieve results faster. For example, Spyke Games' "Tile Busters" was one of the first games to try the physics-based puzzle racing track.
- The Tentuplay report shows that in 2021, mobile games developed in Turkey accounted for 20% of the top 100 downloads in the US game market.
- Mobile Games
- There's a consistent rise in mobile internet usage in Turkey, with mobile games holding a significant position in the gaming market.
- According to the 2023 Turkey Games Market Report, individuals play mobile games to escape the pressures and worries of daily life, seeking enjoyment, relaxation, and freedom.
Chart Analysis: While Turkey's mobile game revenue may not rival the markets of Japan, South Korea, and the West, its strength lies in its substantial potential market, which can be captured through differentiated strategies.
- Analysis of downloads from the Turkiye game market report reveals that hyper-casual games are the most popular mobile game genre, followed by simulation, KIDS, action, puzzle, and racing games.
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The Future of the Turkish Gaming Industry
- According to KOCCA, the Turkish gaming market is poised for significant growth, fueled by a rising number of young, skilled professionals. The industry's outlook is exceptionally bright.
- The Turkish government recognizes the potential of the gaming sector and plans to establish e-sports academies to foster industry development.
- In 2020, Zynga's acquisition of Peak Games for $1.8 billion marked the largest acquisition of a Turkish tech company, attracting considerable attention from foreign investors.
Key Strategies for the Turkish Mobile Gaming Market
- Turkish game development company S.A. emphasizes that understanding the local players' preference for casual games is crucial for success in the Turkish market.
- Text localization is essential. English proficiency in Turkey is lower than in some European countries, although it is relatively good in certain regions and among specific demographics. The official language is Turkish. Failure to accurately translate or appropriately express game content can alienate Turkish players. Therefore, attention to detail is paramount.
Tips: Key Elements for Translation
- In-Game Content: Ensure all in-game text is accurately translated.
- Game Title and Subtitles: Localize these to enhance appeal and comprehension.
- App Store Details: Translate keywords, descriptions, and screenshots to optimize app store visibility and user engagement.
《PUBG》Turkish localization in App Store
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Focus: The survey results on smartphone usage in Turkey reveal that Android users constitute 68% of the market, while iOS users account for only 32%. Therefore, it's crucial to carefully consider the OS environment when launching your game.
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