In the highly competitive global mobile gaming market, where Istanbul has firmly established itself as a vibrant hub for development talent, a new contender has emerged from the ranks of an industry titan. Two former Zynga professionals, Yiğit Solmaz and Berkin Atar, have officially announced the launch of their new Istanbul-based studio, Sorrel Games. The venture is positioned to carve out a niche in the hybrid-casual space, with a declared mission to develop titles for a worldwide audience. By committing to a philosophy that merges creativity, advanced technology, and high-quality design, the founders aim to leverage their extensive experience to produce compelling and accessible mobile entertainment. The studio’s formation represents a growing trend of veteran developers establishing more agile and creatively focused companies to innovate within established genres and meet the evolving demands of players across the globe.
A Foundation of Complementary Expertise
The leadership structure of Sorrel Games is built upon a synergistic blend of deep technical skill and sharp product-focused acumen. Co-founder and CTO Yiğit Solmaz brings an impressive 15-year background in engineering, specializing in the critical areas of live-ops and the scaling of casual and puzzle games for major platforms. His expertise provides the technical backbone necessary to support games with a global reach and a long lifecycle. Complementing this is the product-led vision of Co-founder and CPO Berkin Atar, whose experience was shaped by his impactful work on popular card games like Spades Plus during his tenure at Zynga. Furthermore, his time at Gamegos saw him contribute to the successful match-3 title Manor Cafe. This powerful combination of skills, with a shared history in the casual, puzzle, and match-3 genres, offers a clear signal of the creative direction the new studio is poised to take as it develops its initial portfolio of games.
A Strategic Vision for The Global Market
The formation of Sorrel Games was presented with a clear and ambitious strategic focus aimed squarely at the international mobile gaming community. The studio was founded with the core objective of developing hybrid-casual games that stand out through a meticulous integration of engaging creative concepts, robust technology, and polished, high-quality design. In a deliberate move, the co-founders announced the studio’s establishment while choosing to keep information about its debut game titles confidential for the time being. This approach suggested a commitment to a development philosophy that prioritizes quality and refinement over a rushed market entry, allowing the team to build a strong foundation before unveiling its work. The studio’s launch was characterized by its founders’ combined pedigree and their stated goal of delivering premium experiences, an announcement that marked a noteworthy addition to Istanbul’s dynamic and rapidly expanding game development ecosystem.
