Looking for Turkey game studio incentives? You are in the right place. Here is a number that gets the attention of every game studio CFO: 70%. That is how much of your user acquisition budget, platform commissions, and international marketing costs the Turkish government will reimburse — in cash, not tax credits — if your company operates from Türkiye.

This is not a theoretical scenario. As of January 1, 2026, a new Presidential Decree (No. 10962) restructured Türkiye’s service export incentive system with IT and gaming companies explicitly in mind. And there is no minimum establishment period for the primary program. You could incorporate a company this month and start claiming incentives on your very first marketing campaign.

If you are running a game studio, a SaaS company, or a mobile app business anywhere in the world, this article breaks down exactly how the system works, what it covers, what it does not, and what you need to do to take advantage of it.

The Business Case: Why International Studios Are Looking at Türkiye

Türkiye’s gaming market crossed the 1 billion dollar mark in 2025. The country has produced globally recognized exits — Peak Games sold for 1.8 billion dollars, Dream Games achieved a billion-dollar valuation. But beyond these headline numbers, there is a structural reason why international studios are paying attention. This is why Turkey game studio incentives are attracting global attention.

The Turkish government actively wants to attract IT and gaming companies. Not passively through tax incentives, but actively through direct cash reimbursements covering your operating expenses. The logic is straightforward: every dollar you spend on international marketing from Türkiye counts as Turkish service exports, and the government wants more of that.

For an international studio, the math works like this. Say you spend 500,000 dollars a year on user acquisition. If you route that spend through a Turkish entity, you get 250,000 to 350,000 dollars back from the government. Your net UA cost drops by half or more. On platform commissions alone — the 30% that Apple and Google take — you can recover half of that cut.

Combine this with Türkiye’s competitive developer salaries (roughly one-third of Western European rates), its strategic timezone bridging Europe and Asia, and a deep pool of technical talent, and the picture becomes very compelling.

Two Programs, One Goal: Which One Fits Your Company?

The 2026 framework offers two main incentive tracks for IT and gaming companies. Think of them as tiers.

The Service Sectors Acceleration Program

This is the entry-level track. It is designed for companies at any stage, including newly formed ones. There is no minimum age or revenue requirement. You simply need to register with the Service Exporters’ Union (HİB) and apply for program coverage through the Ministry of Trade. The base reimbursement rate is 50% of eligible expenses, rising to 70% for spending in government-designated target markets.

E-TURQUALITY

This is the premium tier for established companies. It requires three years of operation and 1.5 million dollars in annual service exports (with a fast-track exception for companies with two years and 10 million dollars in total exports). The limits are substantially higher — up to 500 million TL per year in total support, which translates to roughly 11 to 12 million dollars at current exchange rates.

A company cannot participate in both programs simultaneously. For most international studios entering Türkiye, the Acceleration Program is the natural starting point.

Turkey game studio incentive programs comparison acceleration vs e-turquality

What Expenses Are Covered by Turkey Game Studio Incentives?

The categories below apply specifically to IT, gaming, software, and mobile application companies under the Acceleration Program.

Digital Product Promotion (UA)

Your user acquisition and digital advertising spend. If you are running campaigns on Meta, Google, TikTok, Unity Ads, AppLovin, or any other platform to acquire users for your game or app, 50 to 70 percent of that spend is reimbursable. The annual cap is 50 million TL per product, with up to 10 products eligible. For a mid-size studio, this single category alone can recover several hundred thousand dollars per year.

Platform Commission Support

The fees you pay to Apple App Store, Google Play, Steam, Epic Games Store, and similar distribution platforms. Half of those commissions come back to you. Annual cap: 20 million TL across up to 10 products.

Hosting and Infrastructure

Your server, CDN, and cloud service costs. AWS, Google Cloud, Azure — whatever you use. Annual cap: 5 million TL.

Advertising and Marketing

Beyond digital UA — think creative production, PR, influencer campaigns. Annual cap: 25 million TL.

Overseas Office Support

Rent, furnishing, and operational costs for offices you open outside of Türkiye. Up to 6 million TL per office per year, with support for up to 25 offices. This is particularly relevant if you are maintaining a business development presence in key markets.

Personnel Support

Salaries for marketing, business development, and sales staff — both domestic (up to 90,000 TL per person per month) and international (up to 250,000 TL per person per month), for up to 5 people.

Event Participation

Costs for attending international events like GDC, Gamescom, Tokyo Game Show, and similar industry conferences. Up to 3 million TL for prestigious events.

All limits are indexed to annual revaluation rates, meaning they adjust for inflation automatically.

Turkey game studio incentives cost recovery example 10 person studio

What Is Not Covered? Important Limitations

The 2026 regulations removed several previously available categories. It is important to understand these exclusions so you can plan accordingly.

Developer and engineer salaries are no longer covered under export incentives. Only marketing, sales, and business development roles qualify. However, developer costs can be offset through separate TÜBİTAK R&D programs.

Domestic market spending does not qualify. Only expenses related to international markets and export activities are eligible.

Revenue-sharing models and success-fee arrangements with publishers are not covered unless structured as direct service purchases.

Turkey Game Studio Incentives: Step-by-Step Application Process

Here is how Turkey game studio incentives work in practice — the path from deciding to enter Türkiye to receiving your first payment.

First, you establish a Turkish legal entity. This can be a subsidiary of your existing company or a new incorporation. The process takes approximately one to two weeks.

Second, you register with the Service Exporters’ Union (HİB). This is the industry body that serves as the gateway to the incentive programs.

Third, you apply for program coverage through the Ministry of Trade. Your application includes your company profile, target markets, and planned activities.

Fourth, you execute your activities — run your campaigns, attend your events, pay your platform commissions — and maintain proper documentation throughout.

Fifth, you submit your expense documentation through the DYS (Support Management System) portal. After review and approval, reimbursements are deposited into your account.

The key to maximizing your recovery is proper structuring from day one. Which expenses qualify, how invoices should be documented, which vendors and platforms are eligible — these details make a significant difference in total recovery amounts. This is where working with an experienced incentive consultancy matters.

Why Work with Proteşvik?

Proteşvik is a specialized incentive consultancy based in Ankara, Türkiye. We help IT companies, game studios, and software businesses maximize their Turkey game studio incentives recovery.

What we do: we help you determine the right program for your company profile, handle the application process, structure your expenses for maximum eligibility, manage the documentation and submission process, and ensure you recover the highest possible amount.

If you are an international studio exploring whether Türkiye makes sense for your business, we offer a free initial assessment. We will analyze your current expense structure and give you a concrete estimate of what you could recover under the 2026 framework.

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