Scopely announced it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire a majority stake in the Istanbul-based development studio behind the breakout mobile puzzle game “Pixel Flow!” The hybrid casual title launched in late 2025 and has already been played by more than 10 million people globally, becoming the only casual game released in the past 12 months to break into the monthly top-20 grossing charts in the U.S.
Founded by Kübra Gündoğan, CEO, and Emre Çelik, CTO, the Turkish studio was formed last year and quickly gained traction with “Pixel Flow!” The game blends in-app purchases and ad-based monetization and introduces a new gameplay mechanic to the puzzle category. Designed to be intuitive and accessible, the experience also incorporates strategic depth driven by timing, anticipation and planning.
The development team now consists of approximately 20 employees and has built a fast-growing player base with millions of daily active users. Scopely said the transaction reinforces its position as one of the most active acquirers in the gaming industry and reflects its commitment to partnering with world-class teams shaping the future of interactive entertainment.
As part of the deal, Kübra Gündoğan and Emre Çelik will continue to lead the studio from Istanbul. The partnership expands Scopely’s development footprint in Turkey, which the company described as one of the most vibrant gaming hubs in the EMEA region.
The “Pixel Flow!” team previously closed a seed financing round that included investors such as Arcadia Gaming Partners and e2vc. Advisors to Scopely on the transaction include Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP and Hergüner Bilgen Üçer as legal counsel. Aream & Co. served as financial advisor to the studio, with Kumkumoğlu Cin Özkan Özdoğan Solak Avukatlık Ortaklığı – KECOS and Fenwick & West LLP acting as legal counsel.
The acquisition comes amid continued momentum for Scopely, which ranks as the #1 mobile video game company in the U.S. and #2 globally. The company recently acquired the Niantic games business, adding titles such as “Pokémon GO,” “Monster Hunter Now,” and “Pikmin Bloom” to its portfolio. It also highlighted the record-breaking performance of “MONOPOLY GO!,” which surpassed $6 billion in revenue faster than any other mobile game in history, as well as new partnerships spanning franchises including Star Wars and Jurassic Park.
KEY QUOTES
“‘Pixel Flow!’ is only a few months into its journey, yet it’s already reached millions of players and climbed the top-grossing charts at remarkable speed. The combination of creativity, willingness to iterate, and immediate traction in the mobile game space is extremely rare and impressive, and we believe this team has a bright future ahead. We are constantly exploring opportunities that could bring more world-class teams and game franchises into our operating system, and this investment signals our ongoing commitment to being a leading partner in the space. We look forward to welcoming the ‘Pixel Flow!’ team into the Scopely ecosystem and supporting their exciting roadmap ahead.”
Tim O’Brien, Chief Revenue Officer and Board Member at Scopely
“Our focus as a team has always been on developing games that deliver innovative and distinctive experiences, and as a result of this mindset—‘Pixel Flow!’ was born. To us, the game represents an entirely new form of entertainment for players, and the positive reception has been extremely rewarding. In our conversations with Scopely, their confidence in our hybrid-casual game-making was incredibly affirming. Scopely shares our passion for games and brings deep experience in developing and scaling products, all while caring about players. Their unique ecosystem will allow us to maintain our creative autonomy while also learning from each other and continuing to build games that can become a meaningful part of players’ lives for the long term. We are proud to be one of few gaming companies in Turkey to achieve such an impressive outcome with this deal—a milestone that reflects not only our team’s dedication, but also the strength and global potential of the Turkish gaming ecosystem. We’re excited about what we can accomplish with Scopely; this partnership marks the beginning of a new chapter for everything we aspire to create.”
Kübra Gündoğan, Co-Founder and CEO of the Studio Behind “Pixel Flow!”
“The rapid rise of ‘Pixel Flow!’ stands out as one of the most compelling success stories to emerge from the Turkish games industry in recent years. The team created a new casual mechanic in a category that often advances through iteration rather than innovation, and it’s incredibly exciting to see how players have embraced the experience. Scopely’s partnership is a powerful signal of their exceptional talent and potential. Scopely has a proven ability to grow games into enduring global franchises, and this investment provides a great platform for the team to continue to build and grow while preserving the creativity that made the game stand out from the start. It’s been a privilege to have a front row seat to Kübra and Emre’s rapid growth and see their team become the latest Turkish startup to reach unicorn-level status. We’re extremely confident about their future growth potential as part of the Scopely ecosystem.”
Akin Babayigit, Managing Director at Arcadia Gaming Partners
