Brewing Success in Erbil: How Istikan Studio is Putting Iraqi Game Development on the Global Map

As the global video game industry continues to decentralize, unexpected cultural hubs are beginning to emerge from regions with little to no historical precedent in commercial game development. Among the most fascinating new entrants is Istikan Studio, an independent developer based in Erbil within the Kurdistan Region of Iraq. Operating as the dedicated game development arm of the Iraqi telecom and digital solutions enterprise Tornet, this tightly knit seven-person team has spent the past several years carving out a distinct niche for itself. Without relying on external venture capital or foreign investors, the studio is steadily building a diverse, culturally grounded catalog of games that ranges from cozy culinary simulations to sprawling idle strategy titles.

Ahead of the upcoming Pocket Gamer Connects Jordan conference, studio manager Danar Kayfi sat down to discuss the realities of building an independent game studio in Iraq, the surprising ways international markets have embraced their work, and the structural foundations required to turn the country’s burgeoning talent into a sustainable, self-sufficient industry.

Roots in Local Culture and a Growing Catalog

Named after the traditional istikan—the iconic small glass used to serve tea across Iraq and much of the Middle East—the studio draws deep inspiration from its immediate surroundings. According to local folklore, British colonial officers once referred to the vessel as an "East Tea Can," a linguistic evolution that eventually birthed the word istikan. Much like the glass itself, which is a staple of everyday life in homes, offices, and bustling bazaars across the region, Istikan Studio aims to create games that weave themselves seamlessly into the daily routines of players.

The studio’s current release slate is remarkably active, reflecting a period of intense productivity for the small team. Their cozy tea shop simulator, Istikan Chai, has already enjoyed multiple content updates and is slated for both a Halloween-themed refresh and participation in the Steam Autumn Sale. Meanwhile, General Idler, a deep idle strategy title that challenges players to conquer a world comprising 195 countries, is transitioning from its initial demo phase to a full version 1.0 release on Steam.

At the same time, the studio’s mobile and puzzle projects are expanding. Social Suspect, a murder investigation puzzle game, recently launched on both iOS and Android following a successful game jam prototype. Another upcoming title, Bathroom Please!, a comedic dash to the restroom through offices, parks, and public pools where every second counts, is preparing for its Steam Next Fest demo and an official launch.

A Collaborative In-House Structure

Despite managing multiple concurrent projects across different platforms, Istikan Studio maintains a remarkably lean core team. Comprising just seven individuals—three developers, three artists, and studio manager Danar Kayfi, who also contributes to design and programming—the entire operation is based locally in Erbil. To handle the heavy workload without burning out, the team organizes itself into three pods of two people, with each pod typically taking a game from initial concept to store shelf in three to six months.

Every single aspect of production, from initial design and core engineering to art assets, quality assurance, store submissions, and long-term post-launch support, is handled entirely in-house. This complete vertical integration ensures that the cultural identity of the team remains intact. Because the entire staff is Kurdish-Iraqi, the games naturally reflect the distinct aesthetics, humor, and atmosphere of their homeland.

When deciding which platforms to target for new titles, the studio takes a player-first approach, working backward from how an audience wants to experience a game. For instance, a cozy management title with short, satisfying session loops works exceptionally well on both a Steam Deck and a mobile device, which led to Istikan Chai launching across PC and mobile platforms. Conversely, deeply strategic idle games like General Idler find their natural home on Steam, where dedicated PC players are happy to invest dozens of hours in a single purchase experience. Meanwhile, value-added services and telecom carrier projects developed for Tornet, such as Animal Match and Torliga Champions, are routed directly to mobile channels where those specific audiences congregate.

In recent years, Steam has emerged as the premier platform for the studio’s proprietary titles, offering a small team in Erbil a level playing field to reach a global audience without requiring a massive marketing budget. Demos and digital festivals like Next Fest also provide invaluable opportunities to test gameplay loops and validate concepts before fully committing development resources.

Unlocking Unexpected Global Markets

One of the most remarkable milestones in Istikan Studio’s brief history has been its unexpected breakthrough in East Asia. More than 75% of Istikan Chai’s Steam sales originate from China, a phenomenon that caught the developers entirely by surprise. The studio launched the game with Simplified Chinese localization from day one, but did so without a publisher, paid marketing campaigns, or even a presence on regional platforms like Bilibili or WeChat. Despite no one on the team speaking Chinese, players in the region gravitated toward the title in droves, ultimately prompting the developers to add new cities and cultural content specifically to celebrate their Chinese audience.

Kayfi attributes this cross-cultural appeal to the universal nature of the gameplay loop set within an unfamiliar, charmingly exotic backdrop. While the mechanics of taking orders, preparing items, serving customers, and upgrading a shop are universally understood, running a traditional tea stall in a Middle Eastern bazaar offers a novelty that few players have experienced. Furthermore, given China’s own profound, ancient tea culture, players readily connected with the game’s cozy hand-drawn art style and expressive characters. Recognizing that lightning can indeed strike twice, the studio plans to approach its upcoming culinary simulation, Tikka & Kebab, with professional Chinese localization straight out of the gate.

Intentional Portfolio Diversification

Istikan Studio’s wider catalog showcases a deliberate variety of genres, moving fluidly from cooking simulators and farming games to soccer card titles, murder mystery puzzles, and chaotic party games. This eclectic mix is not accidental; as a young studio operating in a market with virtually no pre-existing game industry playbook, the team has had to experiment to discover where its strengths truly lie. Many of their projects, including Istikan Chai and General Idler, originated as humble game jam prototypes years before the studio was formally established.

Each project serves as a learning experience. Istikan Chai demonstrated that cultural authenticity resonates globally and that casual cooking simulations remain immensely popular. Tiny Jar Farm provided foundational lessons in the structural mechanics of idle games, which were subsequently refined and applied to General Idler. Social Suspect and Bathroom Please! represent the team’s willingness to explore new genres purely for the joy of design and experimentation.

This iterative approach has helped the studio establish strict scope discipline. By recognizing that their greatest strengths lie in cozy, tactile, and culturally grounded experiences, the team can direct its future roadmap accordingly while occasionally indulging in wilder concepts like Bathroom Please!. Furthermore, by reusing engines, tools, and art pipelines across projects—such as carrying over engine architecture from Istikan Chai to the upcoming Tikka & Kebab—the small team can sustain a prolific output without sacrificing quality.

Overcoming Ecosystem Challenges in the MENA Region

Operating out of Iraq presents a unique set of obstacles and advantages for game developers. On the positive side, the broader Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region boasts a young, highly online population that is eager for digital entertainment. Players in the region are hungry for experiences that reflect their own identities, while international audiences are increasingly curious about regions they typically only see portrayed through traditional news broadcasts. Istikan Studio’s tea stall is living proof that local narratives hold global appeal.

However, practical challenges remain significant. Simple operational tasks, such as processing international payments, accessing global storefronts, and securing developer accounts, continue to pose hurdles that have nothing to do with creative talent. Because there is no established pipeline of local studios for aspiring developers to learn within, experienced industry professionals are rare, forcing many creators to work in isolation.

According to Kayfi, the Iraqi game development ecosystem requires four fundamental pillars to mature into a sustainable business landscape. First, local developers need access to business education covering critical commercial aspects such as store page optimization, wishlisting strategies, pricing models, and localization. Second, the region needs legitimate studio jobs that allow individuals to learn collaboratively within structured teams rather than working alone late into the night. Third, community infrastructure—such as the active Baghdad Gaming Lab—must expand through regular game jams, meetups, and open sharing of industry metrics, including financial realities. Finally, improvements in access to global online banking and payment infrastructure are essential to remove unnecessary administrative barriers.

A Unique Funding Model and Future Outlook

While most independent developers in the region struggle to secure adequate funding—often finding that capital is concentrated exclusively at the extreme ends of the spectrum, favoring either very early prototypes or massive established companies—Istikan Studio occupies a privileged position. Because its parent company, Tornet, covers all operational costs as part of its digital solutions division, the studio is insulated from the exhausting cycle of venture capital funding rounds. This stability allows the team to plan its development roadmap over much longer horizons, a model Kayfi believes other regional companies could successfully emulate.

Looking ahead to the remainder of 2026 and into 2027, Istikan Studio shows no signs of slowing down. Alongside the launch of Bathroom Please! and ongoing live support for General Idler and Istikan Chai, the team is developing BloooBleee, a chaotic party game featuring squishy blobs building towers and shoving each other off as rising floors threaten elimination. A demo for BloooBleee is anticipated to make an appearance at Pocket Gamer Connects Jordan.

The studio’s flagship upcoming project, Tikka & Kebab, will transport players to a charcoal grill house situated within a Kurdish bazaar, with a demo planned for December and a full commercial release slated for the first quarter of 2027. Additionally, the studio is actively prototyping a new three-dimensional mobile puzzle game and exploring console ports for its PC portfolio, with a primary focus on bringing its library to the Steam Deck. As more local teams begin to successfully navigate the complexities of international publishing and digital distribution, the path forged by Istikan Studio may well serve as a blueprint for the future of Iraqi game development.