For SayGames, the Cyprus-headquartered global mobile game publisher, 2025 was not just another year of growth – it was a year of alignment; a moment when long-term strategy, technology and partnerships finally clicked into place.
Working with studios across the globe, SayGames builds and scales mobile games for a worldwide audience. But in an industry growing fiercer by the quarter, the company has made a deliberate choice: less noise, more depth. Rather than chasing volume through endless experimentation, it has shifted toward a focused, partnership-led model anchored in data, technology and long-term thinking. “2025 was the year when our strategy truly came together,” says Anton Volnykh, Chief Publishing Officer at SayGames. “We consciously shifted toward working with fewer projects but with much deeper involvement. Where we commit, we do it fully – bringing monetisation expertise, analytics, machine learning models, testing infrastructure and close day-to-day collaboration with developers.”
From Scale to Sustainability
The mobile gaming landscape has changed dramatically in recent years. Where rapid prototyping and mass testing once defined success, today the cost of user acquisition and production has raised the bar for everyone. For SayGames, this shift confirmed a belief that had been forming for some time: real growth isn’t about how many games you launch – it’s about how long they live. In 2025, that belief translated into a strong focus on deeper, more resilient in-app economies. The ambition went beyond fast global launches, aiming instead for monetisation that could endure. “We’ve seen more projects this year that can sustain strong in-game monetisation over time,” Volnykh explains. “That’s critical for us and for our partners. A game shouldn’t just launch well; it should live and evolve.” The results tell a compelling story. By year’s end, SayGames had around eight titles simultaneously ranking in the Top 200 Free Games on both iOS and Android. One flagship title, My Perfect Hotel, continued its impressive run, holding a Top 30 position on iOS Free charts. Across its portfolio, the publisher now counts more than 200 games and over 8 billion downloads worldwide. “These results aren’t accidental,” Volnykh says. “They reflect a system – strong partnerships supported by strong technology.”
Partnerships over Projects
At the heart of SayGames’ momentum is a clear philosophy: the company doesn’t work with games in isolation – it works with people. “We don’t partner with ‘a project,’” Volnykh emphasises. “We partner with the team behind it.” By narrowing its focus to fewer collaborations, SayGames is able to go deeper – offering hands-on support across product strategy, analytics, marketing, monetisation and live operations. The aim isn’t short-term wins but relationships that mature over time. “We invest in relationships,” Volnykh explains. “That means long-term collaboration, openness to experimentation and a willingness on both sides to learn and improve together. This relationship-driven model has become the backbone of how we operate.” Equally important is that developers retain creative ownership. SayGames does not impose rigid formulas. Instead, it provides infrastructure, expertise and market insight – allowing teams to focus fully on building high-quality games. “When the creative side is in good hands, quality follows naturally,” Volnykh says. “We take care of the publishing complexity so teams can focus on the craft.”
Technology as a Growth Engine
If partnerships shape SayGames’ culture, technology powers its scale. Over recent years, the company has invested heavily in analytics systems, internal tools and machine learning models designed to sharpen decision-making and reduce uncertainty. “Our tech stack gives teams a clear picture of what’s happening inside their games,” Volnykh explains. “They can understand how players behave, where engagement drops and which features truly work. That insight helps teams take better decisions much earlier.” In today’s market, where early signals matter more than ever, this infrastructure is critical. SayGames’ tools allow teams to evaluate a game’s potential long before major investments begin – thereby reducing risk while increasing confidence.
Balancing Experience and Experimentation
One of the key challenges in mobile gaming is staying innovative without relying on guesswork. SayGames addresses this by combining experience with structured experimentation. “Over time, we’ve learned what tends to work – and what doesn’t – when it comes to player behaviour and monetisation,” Volnykh says. “That experience gives us a strong foundation instead of starting from scratch every time.” At the same time, every game is treated as its own ecosystem. Teams are encouraged to experiment with new ideas – in gameplay, visuals or mechanics – while using data to quickly understand what resonates with players. This philosophy has reshaped how SayGames approaches soft launches. No longer a final gatekeeper, a soft launch is now a learning phase, built on rapid iteration, clear assumptions and tight feedback loops that refine games before global scale.
Expanding Globally, with South Korea in Focus
In 2025, SayGames also expanded its international presence, with a particular focus on South Korea – the country stands out for its technical expertise, strong visual quality and mature approach to game development. For SayGames, South Korea is more than a market – it’s a talent ecosystem. Many studios share a long-term mindset, precision and commitment to quality, making collaboration both natural and productive. “We also see a strong opportunity to help Korean teams reach a global audience,” Volnykh adds. “Many create excellent games but focus mainly on local niches. With our publishing technology and global experience, we can help those projects scale internationally.” Several recent partnerships already demonstrate how powerful that transition can be.
Industry Trends and the Road Ahead
Zooming out, Volnykh points to several trends that shaped 2025. One is the move away from narrowly defined genres toward more accessible experiences – developers adapting specialised ideas for broader audiences without losing their uniqueness. Puzzle games, in particular, are evolving rapidly. Deeper mechanics, richer progression systems and hybrid formats are opening fresh ground for innovation. Looking ahead to 2026, competition is only set to intensify. “The cost of testing new ideas is much higher now,” he explains. “Early versions of games need to be much closer to a real product to show meaningful results.” In this environment, success will depend less on novelty and more on execution. Strong vision, reliable data and solid technology will become decisive factors. “We believe the industry is moving toward fewer but much stronger products. Games built with clarity, depth and high production quality – supported by the right tools – will define the next wave of success.” Looking to 2026, SayGames’ priorities remain consistent: great products for players, strong support for partner studios and long-term relationships built on trust. What will continue to evolve is the company’s technology, with further investment in analytics and internal tools. A busy release schedule lies ahead, alongside ongoing updates to existing titles. “Many of our older games have grown significantly,” Volnykh notes. “They’re worth revisiting. We’re excited about what’s coming next.”
Founded in 2017, SayGames is a leading publisher of hybrid-casual mobile games, specialising in developing, operating, and promoting engaging titles for a global audience. The company established its headquarters in Cyprus in 2020, opening its first office in Limassol, followed by a second office in Paphos in 2021. With additional operations in Warsaw, SayGames now employs over 240 people, has launched more than 200 games, and surpassed 8 billion downloads worldwide. Known for its marketing expertise, technological innovation and data-driven approach, SayGames partners with talented studios worldwide to build sustainable, long-term success stories.
This Special Feature first appeared in the February edition of GOLD magazine. Click here to view it.
