In the competitive landscape of mobile game development, two cities have emerged as fascinating case studies with contrasting trajectories: Istanbul and Helsinki. Both have produced notable success stories. Helsinki gave us the global phenomenon Supercell, while Istanbul birthed Peak Games and Dream Games. Yet over the past five years, these gaming ecosystems have evolved along dramatically different paths. Helsinki, once considered the undisputed top hub for mobile gaming innovation, has seen its startup momentum slow considerably. Meanwhile, Istanbul has experienced an explosive surge in new studios and investment attraction, creating a vibrant ecosystem that shows no signs of slowing down. What makes this difference so interesting is that both cities started with similar strengths: strong technical talent pools, successful predecessor companies creating wealth and knowledge spillover, and geographic positions somewhat outside the traditional tech centers. Yet their current trajectories could […]