Blog post

Scopely to acquire majority stake in breakout mobile game “Pixel Flow!” and the development team behind it

  • Hybrid casual puzzle game “Pixel Flow!” launched just months ago and has already been played by 10 million+ people, and is a top-20 grossing mobile game in the U.S.

  • “Pixel Flow!” features an all-new game mechanic, an innovation to the puzzle category that is resonating with players worldwide

  • Transaction reinforces Scopely’s position as one of the most active acquirers in the games industry, and its commitment to partnering with world-class teams pioneering the future of play

February 19, 2026 - Video game company Scopely announced today it has entered a definitive agreement to acquire a majority stake in the Istanbul-based development studio behind mobile game “Pixel Flow!”—a puzzle experience that launched in late 2025 and has already been played by more than ten million people globally.

Founded by Kübra Gündoğan (CEO) and Emre Çelik (CTO), the Turkish game studio behind “Pixel Flow!” was formed just last year, and soon after, launched a game that has attracted a highly engaged audience—becoming the only casual game released in the last 12 months to break into the monthly top-20 grossing charts in the U.S. “Pixel Flow!” is a hybrid casual experience with both in-app and ad-based elements and a new gameplay mechanic, underscoring the team’s commitment to innovation. The game is intuitive and accessible, yet reveals layers of depth driven by timing, anticipation, and strategic planning.

Kübra Gündoğan (CEO) (left) and Emre Çelik (CTO)

The “Pixel Flow!” team now consists of approximately 20 talented gamemakers who have built an experience with clear momentum as seen by its millions of daily active users and continued growth. The founding game team also has a proven track record of building and operating beloved games.

“‘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,” said Tim O’Brien, Chief Revenue Officer and Board Member at Scopely. “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.”

“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,” said Kübra Gündoğan, co-founder and CEO of the studio behind the game. “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 and Emre will continue to lead the studio from Istanbul as the team builds on its existing vision and momentum.

As one of Turkey’s fastest-growing development studios, the “Pixel Flow!” team is poised to further accelerate its impact across the mobile gaming ecosystem alongside Scopely. The partnership also expands Scopely’s development capacity in Turkey—one of the most vibrant games hubs in the EMEA region, known for world-class game talent, making it a strong cultural and strategic partner for Scopely.

The “Pixel Flow!” team closed a seed financing round last year that included investors such as Arcadia Gaming Partners and e2vc.

Arcadia Gaming Partners Managing Director Akin Babayigit, shared: “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.”

This partnership comes on the heels of Scopely’s continued momentum as the #1 mobile video game company in the U.S. and #2 globally; its acquisition of the Niantic games business—bringing in beloved titles “Pokémon GO,” “Monster Hunter Now,” and “Pikmin Bloom” into its portfolio; the record-breaking success of “MONOPOLY GO!,” most recently surpassing $6 billion faster than any other mobile game in history; new partnerships with beloved IP from Star Wars to Jurassic Park, McDonald's and beyond; and multiple accolades such as being named for the second year in row to TIME magazine’s “100 Most Influential Companies in the World” list in 2025.



Advisors
Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP and Hergüner Bilgen Üçer are serving as legal counsel to Scopely. Aream & Co. is serving as financial advisor, and Kumkumoğlu Cin Özkan Özdoğan Solak Avukatlık Ortaklığı – KECOS and Fenwick & West LLP are serving as legal counsel, to the “Pixel Flow!” team.

About Scopely
Scopely is a leading video game and global interactive entertainment company, home to many of the world’s most beloved and enduring experiences, including two of the most successful mobile games of all-time “MONOPOLY GO!” and “Pokémon GO,” along with “Stumble Guys,” “Star Trek™ Fleet Command,” “MARVEL Strike Force,” “WWE Champions,” the Scrabble® franchise, “Yahtzee® With Buddies,” and many others. Across mobile, web, PC, and console, Scopely creates, develops, publishes, and live-operates one of the most diversified and award-winning portfolios in the games industry — bringing hundreds of millions of players together through a shared love of play.

Founded in 2011, Scopely is powered by its exceptional team — including thousands of world-class gamemakers around the globe, a distinctive tenet-driven culture, and its proprietary technology platform, Playgami. Together, these strengths have fueled Scopely’s position as the #1 mobile games company in the U.S. and #2 globally, generating more than $10 billion in lifetime revenue. Whether building global sensations like “MONOPOLY GO!” from the ground up, or expanding through strategic acquisitions, including the FoxNext, GSN, and Niantic games businesses — Scopely consistently delivers experiences players love today and return to for years to come.

Recognized multiple times as one of the "100 Most Influential Companies in the World" by TIME magazine and one of Fast Company's "World's Most Innovative Companies" and “Best Workplaces for Innovators,” Scopely believes that video games can be a force for good — creating meaningful connections, vibrant communities, and making life better through play.

Scopely has global operations and partners across four continents in more than a dozen countries worldwide. For more information, visit: https://www.scopely.com/.