The mobile game studios based in Berlin
Berlin holds 10 of the 21 German mobile studios in this directory, led by Wooga at about 330 people. It is the international end of the German industry, where Hamburg is the free-to-play operating end, and German companies carry a combined corporate tax of 29.8% once local trade tax is added.
Türkiye refunds half of what a software company or game studio spends on advertising, app store commissions and hosting when it sells to customers abroad, and up to 70% when those customers are in one of twenty target markets. It is paid in cash, against invoices you have already settled. Try it with your own numbers.
01Which game studios are based in Berlin?
Sorted by size, largest first. Tap the Founded or People columns to sort.
| Studio | Founded | People |
|---|---|---|
| WoogaA prominent mobile game developer based in Berlin, Germany, specializing in story-driven casual games. | 2009 | 330 |
| DECA GamesAn independent video game publisher and developer based in Berlin, Germany. | 2016 | 200 |
| Kolibri GamesA prominent mobile game development studio based in Berlin, Germany, specializing in the idle games… | 2016 | 140 |
| Sandbox InteractiveAn independent game development studio based in Berlin, Germany, founded in 2012. | 2012 | 140 |
| Edkon GamesA professional game development company based in Berlin, Germany, with over 14 years of experience. | 2017 | 42 |
| NeuroNation - Mind & Brain Health TechnologyA Berlin-based digital health company founded in 2011, specializing in cognitive training software aimed… | 2011 | 32 |
| Swift GamesCreators of Heroes vs. Hordes on Android and iOS. | n/a | 25 |
| Spiele-Palast GmbHSpiele-Palast GmbH successfully develops online card games for browsers and mobile devices. | 2010 | 23 |
| Gryphon GamesWhere innovation meets play. | 2024 | 5 |
| SLAY GmbHA Germany-based gaming company that designs and develops social gaming products that enable teens to connect… | n/a | 1 |
Headcounts are third-party estimates and companies count staff differently. Apollo company data, exported 20 August 2026
02Why do studios base themselves in Berlin?
What keeps them there
- It attracts international staff more easily than anywhere else in Germany, which matters when the local pool is tight.
- The research allowance at 35% for smaller companies, claimed through the tax system rather than by competition.
- The federal games programme, which funds development from prototype through to release.
- Cost. Berlin remains cheaper than London or Paris for both salaries and space, though the gap has narrowed.
| Combined corporate income tax | 29.8%Trade tax is charged by the municipality on top of the federal rate, so the exact figure varies by city.source |
|---|
Berlin gives a studio access to European talent without the London price tag, and charges it back through the highest combined tax rate here.
Both German support routes fund the product. The marketing budget is paid out of profit that has already lost close to thirty percent, which is the worst of both arrangements for a studio in a growth phase.
What Türkiye would pay back on your spending
Türkiye runs a government programme that refunds part of what a software company or game studio spends on reaching customers abroad. It covers advertising, app store and platform commissions, and hosting. The refund is paid in cash against invoices the company has already settled, so it does not depend on the company making a profit. The standard rate is 50%, and it rises to 70% when the customers being targeted are in one of the twenty countries on the Turkish Ministry of Trade's target list.
Put your own yearly figures in below. The rates and the annual caps come from the same file as our full calculator, and the total updates as you type.
03Questions we get asked
Berlin or Hamburg?
Berlin for international hiring and anything close to publishing. Hamburg for experienced free-to-play operators, since InnoGames and Goodgame have been training them there for two decades.
What does trade tax do to the rate?
It is set by the municipality and takes the combined rate near 30% in most cities, which is why the federal headline rate understates the bill.
Does the federal games fund cover launch costs?
No. It is aimed at prototype and production. Promotion is treated as a commercial cost you carry.
Why a consultancy keeps a studio directory
CyberScope Solutions is an Istanbul consultancy that manages Türkiye's IT export incentive claims for software companies and game studios. We track where studios are because the question we are asked most often is who else has done this, and a list is a better answer than an assurance.
- Every figure is sourced. Each number links to the page it came from and carries the date we last checked it.
- We do the filing. Claims run through DYS, the ministry's own system, and we handle the evidence pack, the deadlines and the follow-up questions.
- You find out early if it is not for you. The first call is thirty minutes and we will say plainly if your spend pattern does not suit the programme.
Turn that number into money
Send us the rough shape of your spend. You get back what it is worth, what setting it up involves, and how fast the first claim can go in. Companies already operating here treat this as routine, and the six month window means the clock is running on invoices you have already paid.
- A reply from a person within one working day
- No mailing list, no drip sequence
- Thirty minutes, and you keep the numbers either way
Got it.
We will read it properly and reply within a working day. If you would rather get it over with now, pick a time that suits you.
Book a 30 minute call04Where these numbers come from
- https://taxfoundation.org/data/all/eu/corporate-income-tax-rates-europe/ checked 2026-08-20
- Apollo company data, exported 20 August 2026 checked 2026-08-20