Gaming
European Gaming meets Gökçe Nur Oguz, CEO and Co-Founder of Playable Factory
Q: Tell us about how & why you came to found Playable Factory?
Over four years ago – when we founded the company – gaming was booming and it still is today. All our friends were working in the sector and we wanted to, too. We were new to it all. Monetization, LTV, CPI… sounded like another language to us but gradually we learnt from our friends and tapped into the scene. As we grew our understanding, we realised playable ads played an important role. If done well, they can add to the experience of gaming. But good ones were frustratingly hard to find. So, along with my co-founders, Berat and Omer, we started making them ourselves and the rest is history.
Q: What were you doing before that/what led to it?
After university, I completed a PhD in Fluid Dynamics, a subdiscipline within physics and engineering. There were a few gamification projects, like building games for people to play that would simultaneously have a background programme running to solve an operational problem. This part had me captivated. Outside of academia, I was always gaming and would gamify everything I did. Not just computer games, but card games, board games etc… So it felt natural to me to do something I enjoyed.
Q: Describe Playable Factory & Gearbox in a nutshell?
Playable Factory is a company that focuses on the creative needs of digital advertisers. The focus is mostly on playable ads and recently on video ads for gaming clients specifically. Our secret (or not so secret) weapon is Gearbox, an online editing and iterating platform for creatives. This is split into two: Gearbox Playable, create your own tailor made playable ads (create, iterate, download and repeat) and Gearbox Video, a tool that allows users to record gameplays easily and create/edit/tweak to their heart’s desire. You can generate hundreds of videos in an automated process with one click.
Q: What kind of support can a gaming developer (or brand marketer) expect from your
platform?
Gearbox is made for people who want to monetize their games. It’s a one-stop shop for advertising and promotional videos. No prior coding knowledge is needed so anyone can use it, which hasn’t really been done to this extent before – with full, fast-response, technical support. It’s like having the full agency experience on one platform. For developers, we provide them with market insights around playable ads, guiding them to the right concept in
a speedy manner. They can get creative with graphic filters, text to speech options, banners… and any feature that improves the performance of the playables or video ads.
Q: Who are your clients?
We work with top mobile game publishers: Zynga, Playtika, Dream, Voodoo, Lion Studios, Gram Games and lots more. Apps publishers like Funimate, Trendyol and Gopuff. And brands include Hasbro, LEGO, Unilever and L’Oréal.
Q: What is unique about the Turkish mobile market/why has it become known as the Silicon
valley of the mobile gaming market?
Turkey’s become a global mobile gaming hub. It’s amazing to watch it take off. Some of the best publishers and developers in the world are based here. I think it’s got a lot to do with the ability for rapid development. You’ll find teams of 4-5 young people making a steady stream of mobile games that they send out into the market. Thanks to home-grown success stories, the eyes of investors have turned towards us. But it’s also down to the culture here. Gaming is hugely popular in Turkey and you can feel the passion and drive among people in the
scene here. Local and global economic forces make international expansion lucrative and it feeds back into making the industry making it even bigger and better – and long may it continue.
Q: Have you always been passionate about gaming? When did you first get into it?
I’ve always liked games: console, board games, mobile games… For me, it’s cracking the puzzle that gets me hooked on a game. In my childhood, my younger sister and I were always inventing our own games. Now, business-wise, my co-founder Berat and I, enjoy gaming together and playing board games in our downtime. We actually got the licence for the hugely popular party game Codenames from Czech Games. Since then, we’ve published two more board games together. This was before we entered mobile gaming.
Q: What’s your favourite mobile game?
It has to be 2048. I like puzzles and numbers 🙂
Q: What’s been the biggest challenge you’ve overcome in your career to date? And greatest
success?
Without a doubt: building a company from scratch on a technology that we learned all by ourselves, with no training. I didn’t know how to build playable ads, I didn’t know anything about HTML5 gaming and coding so finding a good developer and establishing a business was the biggest challenge.
Q: What’s one piece of advice you’d give to start-ups in the gaming industry?
I never truly understood the importance of a team before I started working in gaming. PhDs involve mostly working solo and it misses the team spirit. The pressure is high because the success of your work is always dependent on you, and you alone. The gaming industry is totally different. Success reflects on the team who built the game. I wish I’d known that before joining the industry. So, my advice would be to evaluate your team, and believe in them because that’s the only way to reach success. If you don’t like the people you work with, it’s often much harder for you to fulfil your full potential. When your motivations align with your team’s, you can combine forces and focus to get the success you deserve.
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Call of Duty
Monster Energy and Call of Duty Unite Again with Exclusive In-Game Rewards and Expanded Program Timing
Monster Energy is teaming up once again with Call of Duty to deliver bonus in-game rewards, bonus 2XP and an expanded promotional window that gives fans even more opportunities to fuel up and power their gameplay.
Gamers and Monster fans can start collecting codes to stockpile rewards ahead of the highly anticipated release of Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 on November 14. Following the record-breaking success of the last year’s program – the 2025 campaign has been extended and will run through March 31, 2026, with code redemption available until April 30, 2026.
Players who purchase specially marked Call of Duty cans of Monster Energy, Monster Zero Sugar, or Monster Zero Ultra can find a unique code under the tab and redeem it online at callofduty.monsterenergy.com. Every can unlocks bonus in-game items and double experience points.
2025 in-game rewards include:
• 1 Can = “Energy Flash” Large Decal + 15 min 2XP
• 2 Cans = “Peacekeeper MK1 – Hyper Green” Weapon Blueprint + 15 min 2XP
• 3 Cans = “Green Fury” Operator Skin + 15 min 2XP
• 4 Cans = “VS Recon – Green Thunder” Weapon Blueprint + 15 min 2XP
• 5 Cans = “Daylight Ripper” Operator Skin Recolor + 15 min 2XP
In addition, select retailers will feature specialty bonus in-game content such as Emblems, Charms, Weapon Stickers, and Dual 2XP.
And as an added bonus, fans who create an account on callofduty.monsterenergy.com before October 31 will score a Black Ops 6 in-game skin – no purchase required.
“Monster Energy is built on fueling competitive spirit and our collaboration with Call of Duty continues to push that to new levels. With expanded timing, bonus rewards and the unmatched value of Double XP in every can, this year’s program is our biggest and most exciting yet,” said Dan McHugh, Global Chief Marketing Officer at Monster Energy.
“We’re proud to continue building on the success of our partnership with Monster Energy. Monster is the go-to fuel of gamers and they are going to drink up these exciting in-game rewards,” added Cody Neal, Associate Director of Global Partnerships, Call of Duty.
The limited-edition Monster Energy Call of Duty cans are available in 16oz in Original Monster Energy, Monster Zero Sugar and Monster Zero Ultra. Special 4, 12, and 15 can Monster Energy Call of Duty multipacks are on shelves now.
The post Monster Energy and Call of Duty Unite Again with Exclusive In-Game Rewards and Expanded Program Timing appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.
Gaming
Gamescom 2025: New Records and Important Impetus for the Games Industry in Germany and Worldwide
Gamescom 2025 ended with numerous new records and strong momentum for the games industry in Germany and worldwide. Records were once again set, particularly in terms of key figures such as internationality (70% of visitors from abroad, exhibitors from 72 countries), digital reach (more than 630 million views worldwide by 23 August evening alone), exhibition space (233,000 square metres) and the number of exhibitors (1568). On site, 357,000 fans visited the world’s largest festival of games culture. The number of trade visitors rose to 34,000, with a particularly strong increase in participants from the US, China, Canada and Japan.
“This year, gamescom 2025 is sending out a particularly positive signal. After two challenging years for the games industry, you could really feel the mood improving this year. The new record figures underline not only the global appeal of gamescom, but also the upward trend in the entire games industry. gamescom 2025 is also a milestone for the German games industry: political support for the additional tax-based games funding at gamescom was stronger than ever – from both the federal and the state level alike. This creates hope that progress will be made quickly. But there were also positive signals on many other political topics, whether for e-sports from Federal Minister Bär at the political opening or from Federal Minister for Family Affairs Karin Prien, who was just as convinced of the important work of the USK in the protection of minors as she was of the enormous potential of games for the education sector,” said Felix Falk, Managing Director of game – The German Games Industry Association, the co-organiser of gamescom.
Political interest in gamescom 2025 was greater than ever before. In total, over 600 politicians came to Cologne to see for themselves the current developments in the games industry and the enormous economic, cultural and technological potential of games. Whether from the federal states, the federal government or the EU, the political guests came from all levels. In addition, a particularly large number of international delegations travelled to gamescom, for example from this year’s gamescom partner country Thailand as well as from Brazil, Indonesia and India.
Gamescom 2026 will take place from 26 to 30 August. It will open on 25 August 2026 with the gamescom Opening Night Live.
The post Gamescom 2025: New Records and Important Impetus for the Games Industry in Germany and Worldwide appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
The Gaming industry is growing day by day. It has already become a global entertainment giant. From sweeping open-world quests to quick, addictive mobile games, the industry has expanded into a multi-billion-dollar giant.
The global gaming industry was valued at over £135 billion ($184 billion) in 2023 and is projected to reach £184 billion ($250 billion) in 2030. It is driven by cloud gaming, which eliminates the need for costly consoles, high-speed internet, and immersive technologies like VR and AR. Revenues from VR gaming alone in 2023 exceeded £1.9 billion ($2.6 billion), and the AR gaming business is set to grow at a pace of over 30% annually.
The transition from physical to digital is virtually complete: in large markets, over 90% of games sold today are digital, with downloads, live services, and subscriptions replacing cartridges and discs.
Alternative Ways to Invest in Gaming
The gaming industry is not merely a business of copying the most recent blockbusting release; it’s a rich, diverse ecosystem with several streams of revenue, from historic game publishing to aggressive esports and the burgeoning betting and online gambling sector. Today’s investors are able to access entertainment-oriented and wagering-led segments, each with their distinct risk and reward profiles.
Video Game Development & Publishing
Envision house brands behind the mega-franchises of Call of Duty, FIFA or The Legend of Zelda. These brands have enormous fan bases and generate revenue that stretches far past the initial buy, with in-game purchases, downloadable packs and subscription content keeping gamers engaged and expenditures year-round.
Esports
Esports have now evolved from casual living-room games to multi-million-dollar tournaments streamed live in front of a global audience. Internet gambling on esports competitions is also becoming a niche but growing market, offering a new source of revenue for both organisers and financiers.
Online Betting & Casinos
This segment is focused on convenience, accessibility and growing demand for real-money play. Online gaming sites and casinos are taking advantage of more lenient rules in key markets, so that they now represent a more mainstream and profitable part of the gaming economy.
Spotlight on Online Gambling
Online casinos are no longer merely whirring slot machines; they’re pushing boundaries. Some of the top 20 online casinos have gone beyond traditional slots and table games, incorporating esports betting, skill-based game challenges and interactive live dealer games.
Why does that matter to investors? Easy. It signals flexibility. These platforms are captivating players where they are: at their phones, on streaming websites, and in hybrid entertainment spaces that blur the line between socialising and gaming. This flexibility is what can keep revenue streams consistent even when trends shift.
Why Investors are Paying Attention
The gaming market has something that a lot of others envy: loyal consumers who are spenders on a regular basis. It’s £3 ($5) on a character skin or £36 ($50) on a new game, but the spend is cumulative, and it doesn’t evaporate during poor economies.
And gaming pervades everywhere. A hit title in Japan can find fans in Brazil in days. And for companies, that global reach means multiple streams of revenue and endless room to grow.
Risks in Investment
There is no investment without risk. Regulations change overnight, especially in online gaming. Game developers also come and go with their biggest hit; one flop can jerk their stock price. And in this competitive environment, being new is a never-ending struggle.
Gaming Investment Strategies
Diversify among multiple corners of the sector. That way, you’re not betting everything on one game or one trend. Gaming-focused ETFs deserve a look as well if you enjoy a pre-packaged solution that spreads the risk.
The post Investment Opportunities in the Multi-billion-dollar Gaming Sector appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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