Circle Games Raises $25M Series A Led by Tencent to Scale Globally

Istanbul-based mobile game developer Circle Games has secured a $25 million Series A led by Tencent, bringing its total capital to $32.25 million.

Following a $7.25 million seed round 14 months prior, the studio will use the funds to expand its flagship title Sort Express, launch Jelly Escape globally, and double its headcount.

The studio has achieved eight-figure revenue, validating its early commercial model.

Istanbul-based mobile game studio Circle Games has raised $25 million in Series A funding led by Tencent, marking a significant increase in backing less than 18 months after the company's launch.

The September 2026 funding round brings Circle Games' total investment to $32.25 million, following a $7.25 million seed round in July 2025. Existing investors BITKRAFT Ventures, e2vc, APY Ventures, and a16z Speedrun also participated in the Series A.

Why Did Tencent Invest $25 Million in Circle Games?

Tencent's investment gives Circle Games additional capital to scale its mobile gaming portfolio and expand its titles internationally.

The Series A comes roughly 14 months after Circle Games' $7.25 million seed round, which was led by BITKRAFT Ventures. At the time, the studio said the funding would support the development and marketing of its mobile puzzle games, expansion of its team, and its first title, Sort Express.

The new round represents more than 3.4 times the size of Circle Games' previous seed financing, underlining the larger scale of capital now being deployed behind the studio.

How Has Circle Games Progressed Since Its 2025 Seed Round?

Circle Games was founded in 2024 by Göktürk Balıkçı, Mustafa Özdemir, Mehmet Ay, and Arda Özarslan. The founders and team have backgrounds at Turkish mobile gaming companies including Gram Games, Dream Games, and Good Job Games.

The company's first game, Sort Express, is a mobile puzzle title built around sorting mechanics. BITKRAFT Ventures said in July 2025 that the studio was preparing the game for global launch while using the seed capital for marketing, iteration, team expansion, and development of additional titles.

According to BITKRAFT partner Jasper Brand, Circle Games subsequently moved from a single pre-launch prototype to a live game generating eight-figure revenue, highlighting the speed of its development and commercialization cycle.

Circle Games' Funding Timeline

Date	Funding Round	Amount	Lead Investor	Total Funding After Round
July 2025	Seed	$7.25M	BITKRAFT Ventures	$7.25M
September 2026	Series A	$25M	Tencent	$32.25M

The Series A therefore accounts for approximately 77.5% of Circle Games' disclosed $32.25 million in total funding, based on the two announced rounds.

What Will Circle Games Do With Its New Funding?

Circle Games plans to use the $25 million Series A to accelerate its international expansion and broaden its mobile game portfolio.

Its priorities include:

• Expanding Sort Express into additional global markets.

• Scaling Jelly Escape, its recently released title, into new markets.

• At least doubling the company's employee count.

• Developing additional mobile games to expand its portfolio.

This marks a shift from the company's earlier focus on getting its first title to market toward building a broader, repeatable mobile gaming operation.

What Does Circle Games' Series A Mean for Its Growth Strategy?

The progression from $7.25 million in seed funding in July 2025 to $25 million in Series A funding in September 2026 reflects a rapid expansion in the company's financing capacity.

Circle Games is now pursuing growth across both its established Sort Express franchise and newer titles such as Jelly Escape. Its plan to at least double headcount also indicates that the Series A will support organizational expansion alongside game development and market expansion.

For Circle Games, the next phase will therefore depend on turning the additional capital into a larger international player base, a broader game portfolio, and sustained revenue growth.