Mission Control Games launches with $4m pre-seed to rethink casual puzzle design

• Mission Control Games is headquartered across London and Istanbul.
• The studio aims to create new puzzle sub-genres rather than replicate existing formats.
• The company is exploring artificial intelligence as part of its game development process.

Mission Control Games has raised $4 million in pre-seed funding as it looks to build new experiences within the casual puzzle genre.

As reported by Tech EU, the Turkey-based studio said it will use the newly secured capital to expand its team and accelerate development of the company’s first title.

The round was led by General Catalyst, with participation from Arcadia Gaming Partners and e2vc. 

Bold ambitions, small team 

Mission Control Games plans to focus on rapid iteration, testing new ideas quickly and refining them through development cycles. The studio also intends to explore emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence, as part of its creative process.

The studio was co-founded by Kıvanç Okutur and Murat Gürel, both of whom previously worked on the casual hit Merge Dragons!. Headquartered across London and Istanbul, it's focused on developing puzzle games that combine accessibility with new gameplay ideas.

“We want to move fast using emerging capabilities of AI and build games that feel alive," said co-founder Okutur. “Our ambition is to become the largest mobile gaming company with the smallest team."