Who is the CEO of Dream Games? A Profile of Soner Aydemir and His Meteoric Rise in Casual Mobile Gaming
The casual mobile gaming industry has been growing at an astounding rate, with consumers downloading over 140 billion games per year. And one startup dominating this market is Turkey‘s Dream Games. The mastermind behind Dream Games is Soner Aydemir, whose success story provides valuable lessons for aspiring gaming entrepreneurs.
From Intern to Mobile Gaming MVP: Aydemir‘s Early Days
Aydemir‘s journey began as an intern at Peak Games in Turkey. After graduating from Bogazici University with a degree in Economics, he gained crucial experience at Peak that would prime him for future success.
Aydemir spent years methodically rising through the ranks at Peak Games. He started as a Marketing Specialist, then became a Product Owner leading key titles. Within 6 years, he was the Vice President of Product and a central figure in Peak Games‘ rapid growth.
During Aydemir‘s tenure, Peak Games exploded from a small startup to a mobile gaming giant:
- Over 1 billion downloads across its hit catalog
- 50 million monthly active users at its peak
- $1.8 billion valuation with mega-hit Toy Blast
| Year | User Milestone | Top Games | Valuation |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 | 10 million downloads | Toy Blast, Spades Plus | — |
| 2016 | 17 million daily active users | Toy Blast, Toon Blast | $1 billion |
| 2019 | 50 million monthly active users | Toy Blast, Toon Blast | $1.8 billion |
Aydemir was able to absorb crucial lessons in product development, scaling, and marketing that would prime him for future success as an entrepreneur.
Birth of a Unicorn: Aydemir Co-Founds Dream Games
After playing an instrumental role in Peak Games‘ rise to prominence, Aydemir leveraged that experience to launch his own mobile gaming startup. In 2019, Aydemir co-founded Dream Games along with Serdar Yilmaz, another former Peak Games director.
Dream Games is headquartered in Istanbul with additional offices in Berlin and Abu Dhabi. The company has assembled a world-class team of over 200 employees to build out a fast-growing casual gaming portfolio.
Aydemir serves as CEO, providing strategic direction and product/marketing leadership. Yilmaz complements Aydemir‘s skills as COO, overseeing corporate functions and operations.
But the secret weapon at Dream Games is Aydemir‘s Innovation Lab, led by veteran game producer Ilyas Kaya. This lab rapidly prototypes and tests new game concepts using data and user feedback.
This winning combination has allowed Dream Games to far surpass normal growth trajectories and achieve unicorn status within 2 years:
- Raised $155 million in Series B funding in 2021
- Valued at over $1 billion with just one hit game
- 85 million downloads across its titles
| Metric | 2021 Year End |
|---|---|
| Funding | $155 million |
| Valuation | $1 billion |
| Titles | 1 game |
| Downloads | 85 million |
Royal Match: The Runaway Hit Defining Dream Games
The meteoric growth of Dream Games has been fueled by the breakout success of its first title: Royal Match.
Royal Match was conceived by Aydemir‘s innovation team as a casual puzzle game with a royal theme. The gameplay involves matching gems and solving challenges in a visually stunning setting.
Royal Match has proven wildly addictive and appealing, especially among female audiences. The game has amassed impressive statistics:
- 70 million downloads globally
- 1600 puzzle levels and expanding
- Over $600 million in lifetime revenue
- 27 million monthly active users
Royal Match has begun earning over $40 million per month from in-app purchases. This stellar performance has validated Aydemir‘s vision for quickly building a mobile gaming leader.
Inside Turkey‘s Gaming Boom and Dream Games‘ Future
Dream Games‘ success story has also been aided by the thriving gaming startup scene in Turkey. The region has produced multiple billion-dollar gaming companies:
- Peak Games ($1.8B valuation)
- Rollic Games ($168M acquisition by Zynga)
- Masomo ($100M acquisition by DeNA)
Turkey now ranks third globally for mobile gaming downloads, fueling investor interest. This resulted in Dream Games raising its $155 million Series B in 2021 from top VCs and gaming publishers.
Looking ahead, Aydemir wants Dream Games to innovate on proven formulas and launch 8-10 games annually. He states that his goal is:
"To be the casual games company of the future. We expect to lead with the quality, quantity and data-oriented nature of the games we produce."
Aydemir‘s leadership style also focuses on empowering teams and nurturing creativity. This will be vital as Dream Games expands its portfolio beyond Royal Match into new casual genres.
Conclusion: Lessons from a Visionary Gaming Entrepreneur
Soner Aydemir‘s trajectory provides invaluable lessons for those aiming to build successful gaming startups:
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Learn the space inside and out – Aydemir cut his teeth for years at Peak Games before founding Dream Games. His experience was essential.
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Leverage proven formulas – Casual puzzle games represent a lucrative segment. Dream Games innovated on this proven concept.
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Assemble rockstar teams – Skilled, motivated talent in areas like development, data science, and marketing is foundational.
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Iterate rapidly – Dream Games‘ development process emphasizes rapid prototyping and iteration to create hits.
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Manage the ecosystem – From funding and IP to UA and monetization, gaming startups must expertly manage diverse areas.
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Build for the future – Aydemir keeps long-term vision in mind, even amid short-term success.
As Dream Games continues scaling under Aydemir‘s leadership, it serves as an inspiring model for gaming entrepreneurs worldwide. The company‘s meteoric rise shows no signs of stopping any time soon.