AI is shrinking video game development teams to one, a shift that is reshaping how games are built in Turkey and beyond.
Solo developers leverage generative tools to cut costs
Emirhan Gül, a 24‑year‑old former developer at an Istanbul startup, says he now runs his studio with just two full‑time staff. After five months of churning out 23 titles, he left a company where “budgets were high, there was a lot of work, and they hired anyone, even if they didn’t know much,” according to his interview. The launch of Claude Code in early 2025 convinced him that a single coder could handle the workload that previously required a dozen hands.
“I’m the only developer in my team. When we started, I had to write all the code myself. I also have to manage game design, social media, investment meetings, and the like,” he explained. “With Claude Code, I can do all that easily. It really sped things up and helped me a lot.” He pays $200 a year for Claude Pro and finds the expense justified because the AI tools eliminate the need for additional programmers.
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Gül’s experience mirrors a broader trend. A recent survey indicates that more than a quarter of gaming workers worldwide have been laid off in the past two years as firms adopt AI. In the United States, Microsoft’s Xbox division announced cuts affecting over 3,000 jobs, roughly 20% of its staff, while also divesting five development studios.
Turkey’s gaming boom faces a slowdown
Turkey once hosted more than 800 active studios, making it the largest European hub after London. In 2021, Turkish developers produced over half of the top ten mobile games on Apple’s App Store, and companies like Peak and Dream Games achieved unicorn status. Yet the pipeline of new startups has collapsed, falling from nearly 200 in 2021 to just 30 last year. The decline has left many aspiring coders without entry‑level positions.
Academic Nazım Adaklı, who teaches AI in games at Bahçeşehir University, notes that “instead of hiring five junior programmers at the startup where he works, my developer friend does all the work himself with AI.” He warns that junior roles are disappearing, urging students to start their own ventures rather than wait for traditional studio jobs.
Application numbers for Turkey’s Steam events illustrate the contraction. In 2023, 67 small studios applied; the following year the figure rose to 254, reflecting a surge of solo or two‑person teams eager to release titles.
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Ender Tınkır, another solo developer who left major studios such as Peak and Dream Games, attributes his productivity to AI tools.
From a broader perspective, the rise of AI‑driven development lowers the barrier for individuals to transform ideas into marketable games.
While this expands creative opportunities, it also intensifies competition, as more creators flood platforms with similar products. The net effect may be a higher volume of releases but not necessarily greater profitability for most developers.