Scopely signs deal for Istanbul studio Loom Games at $1bn valuation

Scopely signed a definitive agreement on Feb. 19, 2026 to acquire a majority stake in Loom Games, the Istanbul studio behind the hybrid-casual puzzle hit Pixel Flow!, in a multi-year, performance-based deal that values the company at more than $1 billion. The agreement, whose headline valuation was disclosed but whose precise equity split and payment schedule were not, spotlights the speed at which small teams can scale in mobile gaming, and the questions that follow when private deals concentrate large sums of capital.

Loom Games, a roughly 20-person team founded in 2025 by CEO Kübra Gündoğan and CTO Emre Çelik, will continue to operate from Türkiye with the co-founders remaining in their roles. Scopely cast the investment as part of a wider strategy to expand development capacity in Türkiye and the Europe, Middle East and Africa region, citing the country's growing pool of game talent.

Scopely said Pixel Flow! has been played by more than 10 million players within its first six months and sustains millions of daily active users, with the publisher adding the game had at one point reached seven-figure daily revenue. “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,” Scopely chief revenue officer Tim O’Brien said, framing the title’s performance as the primary driver of the deal.

In a prepared statement, Loom Games chief executive Kübra Gündoğan said the partnership will preserve the studio’s creative independence while tapping Scopely’s scale. “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. … This partnership marks the beginning of a new chapter for everything we aspire to create,” she said.

The deal comes weeks after Loom closed a seven-figure seed round from investors that included Arcadia Gaming Partners and early-stage fund e2vc. Arcadia noted the studio’s rapid growth in response to Pixel Flow!’s early traction, calling it a landmark outcome for a Turkish startup.

Beyond the headlines, the transaction raises pressing questions about equity and local benefit. Public reporting did not disclose the percentage acquired by Scopely, the cash paid up front, or the structure of any earn-outs and employee retention incentives. Those details matter for the 20 people whose work created the product, and for a broader ecosystem in Türkiye where exits of this size are rare and can reshape regional opportunity.

The acquisition also illustrates larger flows of global capital into EMEA game studios, with implications for local labor markets, tax revenues and the distribution of long-term value from creative work. Observers and policymakers who track technology clusters will likely press for transparency about governance and whether founders and staff retain meaningful stakes.

For players, the immediate impact is likely to be continuity: Pixel Flow! will remain under the same creative leadership and keep operating while tapping Scopely’s marketing and technical resources. For the small Istanbul team, the deal offers a windfall and a test of how well large corporate ecosystems can sustain creative autonomy and equitable outcomes for their founders and employees. Journalists and regulators will now watch for disclosure of the deal’s remaining terms, governance changes, and any commitments to staff retention or revenue sharing.