Rollic

Rollic, an Istanbul-based company founded in December 2018, operates as a developer and publisher of mobile games. The founders, Burak Vardal, Deniz Başaran, and Mehmet Can Yavuz, established the company with a focus on the hyper-casual market. Vardal, the CEO, holds degrees in Law and Sociology and, like his co-founders, was a core gamer before entering the industry. Başaran, the SFO, has a background in Manufacturing Engineering, while Yavuz has a degree in Telecommunications. Their shared passion for gaming and diverse academic backgrounds contributed to the company's direction.

Within two years of its inception, Rollic experienced rapid growth, leading to its acquisition by Zynga, a global interactive entertainment leader. In October 2020, Zynga acquired 80% of Rollic for approximately $180 million, with a plan to acquire the remaining 20% over the subsequent three years based on performance metrics. This acquisition marked Zynga's entry into the hyper-casual gaming sector, significantly increasing its audience and advertising business. Despite the acquisition, Rollic's management team, led by Burak Vardal, continued to operate from their Istanbul headquarters.

The company's business model centers on creating free-to-play mobile games for iOS and Android, monetized primarily through in-game advertising and, increasingly, through in-app purchases. Rollic's strategy involves a rapid development and testing process, analyzing hundreds of game concepts monthly to identify those with the potential for high player retention and viral spread on social media platforms like TikTok. This approach led to the creation of a portfolio that surpassed two billion lifetime downloads by August 2022. The company has recently shifted its focus from purely hyper-casual to a hybrid-casual model, which blends the simple mechanics of hyper-casual games with deeper engagement features to improve long-term retention and increase in-app purchase revenue. This strategic pivot is exemplified by their 2024 hit, *Color Block Jam*, which became Rollic's highest-earning game from in-app purchases.

Rollic's portfolio includes numerous chart-topping titles, with 21 games reaching the #1 or #2 spot in the U.S. App Store's most downloaded games list. Popular releases include *High Heels!*, *Hair Challenge*, *Tangle Master 3D*, and *Arrow Fest*. The company fosters a developer ecosystem in Turkey and has also expanded through acquisitions, such as purchasing Berlin-based studio NanoTribe in 2022 and Popcore in the same year. Rollic also engages in partnerships, such as integrating Kenneth Cole's fashion collection into *High Heels!* and collaborating with Power Slap to launch a new mobile game.

Keywords: mobile gaming, hyper-casual games, hybrid-casual games, game publisher, game developer, Istanbul startup, Zynga acquisition, free-to-play, in-app advertising, in-app purchases, iOS games, Android games, Burak Vardal, Tangle Master 3D, High Heels!, Color Block Jam, mobile game monetization, game development ecosystem, viral gaming, TikTok marketing, user retention, mobile entertainment, casual games, puzzle games, simulation games