AI is shrinking video game development teams to a single developer, a trend that Turkish creators like Emirhan Gül say is changing how games are built.
From crowded studios to solo ventures
Gül entered a lively Istanbul startup after college, working on the design of 23 mobile games in just five months. He described the environment as “high budgets, a lot of work, and hiring anyone, even if they didn’t know much.” The pressure to churn out a new title each week led to burnout, prompting him to leave the company.
Turkey once ranked as Europe’s second‑largest game development hub, with more than 800 active studios. In 2021, Turkish firms produced over half of the top ten mobile games on Apple’s App Store, and two local companies—Peak and Dream Games—achieved unicorn status.
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After turning down a U.S. job offer, Gül founded his own studio. The launch of Claude Code in early 2025 convinced him that a team of two full‑time staff could replace the dozen‑person crew he previously managed. “I’m the only developer in my team. When we started, I had to write all the code myself,” he said. “With Claude Code, I can do all that easily.” He pays $200 a year for Claude Pro, a cost he deems justified given the productivity boost.
AI tools trigger layoffs and a shift in hiring
A recent survey indicates that more than a quarter of gaming industry workers have been laid off worldwide in the past two years as firms adopt AI solutions. Microsoft’s Xbox division announced the elimination of over 3,000 jobs, roughly 20 % of its workforce, while also divesting five development studios.
In Turkey, the pipeline of new startups has slowed dramatically, dropping from nearly 200 in 2021 to just 30 last year. Nazım Adaklı, a lecturer on AI in games at Bahçeşehir University, noted that larger companies are reluctant to hire entry‑level talent. “Instead of hiring five junior programmers at the startup where he works, my developer friend does all the work himself with AI,” he told a local outlet.
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Ender Tınkır, a former Peak employee, left a big studio to strike out on his own. He said AI has become part of his daily work, using it for prototyping, visual variation, coding, and iteration.
More people are developing games on their own, but most are not making a living off of it, observed Begüm Ceren Onar, a game designer who was laid off after her studio cut 17 of 20 staff.
AI now handles routine coding and design tasks, reducing the need for large teams.