Grand Games Secures $3 Million Pre-Seed Investment

In a significant development within Turkey's entrepreneurial ecosystem, local mobile gaming company Grand Games has secured a $3 million pre-seed investment. This funding round was led by Earlybird Digital East Fund, with participation from Laton Ventures. Notably, this marks Earlybird’s second investment in Turkey’s gaming sector following their backing of Peak Games.

Grand Games was founded by industry veterans Bekir Batuhan Celebi, Mustafa Firtina, and Mehmet Calim, who have previously worked at leading gaming companies like Good Job Games and Moon Active. The company is dedicated to developing long-lasting mobile games that will be played by millions. Co-founder Bekir Batuhan Celebi highlighted the current state of the gaming industry, noting, “While the gaming sector is on the rise, there is a scarcity of innovative and high-quality productions. At Grand Games, we aim to develop high-quality games focused on luck and social competition through our sentiment-driven approach.”

Grand Games believes in the power of rapid production and swift user feedback. The company has already launched its first game, Magic Sort, on iOS and Android platforms, with a soft launch in the United States. Bekir Batuhan Celebi provided a glimpse into the future, stating, “After focusing on puzzle games in our initial months, we plan to launch our flagship game, which will elevate social competition and interaction to a new level, at the beginning of 2025.”

Commenting on their investment, Oğuzhan Ozer from Earlybird Digital East Fund emphasized Turkey’s impressive track record in developing popular mobile games. He remarked, “We have witnessed the evolution of Turkey's gaming ecosystem over the past decade, especially after Peak Games' acquisition, which positioned Turkey as a global hub. What sets Grand Games apart for us is the quality and vision of their team.”

Laton Ventures founder Gorkem Turk also expressed confidence in Grand Games’ potential, stating, “As Laton Ventures, established with the support of leading names in the gaming industry, we firmly believe that the visionary founders of Grand Games, who have been nurtured by the culture of globally successful companies, will write new success stories.”

Bekir Batuhan Celebi concluded by outlining their plans for the newly acquired investment. “Our goal is to join the ranks of unicorn companies like Peak Games and Dream Games within the gaming ecosystem. We are grateful to our pre-seed investors who believe in and support us on this journey.”

Earlybird Digital East Fund's decision to invest in Grand Games signifies their continued commitment to fostering innovation within Turkey’s burgeoning gaming industry. Their previous investment in Peak Games, which was acquired by Zynga for $1.8 billion in June 2020, marked Turkey's first unicorn status in the gaming sector. This recent investment in Grand Games underscores Earlybird’s strategy of supporting promising startups with the potential to achieve similar global success.

Grand Games’ strategic focus on creating high-quality, sentiment-driven mobile games aimed at social competition reflects a nuanced understanding of current gaming trends and user preferences. By leveraging the extensive experience of its founders and a robust strategy, Grand Games aims to make a significant impact on the global gaming stage.

As Grand Games embarks on this exciting journey, the support from Earlybird Digital East Fund and Laton Ventures provides a solid foundation for realizing their ambitious goals. The coming years will be crucial as they work towards launching their flagship game and establishing themselves as a leading player in the mobile gaming industry.