Dream Games opens London office after Royal Match success

Dream Games, the maker of the hit mobile game Royal Match, has its first international office in London to support a global expansion.

The Istanbul-based Dream Games has had a rapid rise, as the company says it is now one of the most valuable private mobile game companies. Back in 2021, Dream Games raised $155 million at a $1 billion valuation. Now it has raised $470 million to date, with a valuation of $2.75 billion.

The company is also growing its leadership team, hiring ex-King marketing executive Richard Hocking as chief marketing officer and ex-Google and King executive Anju Sethi as chief people officer to accelerate its growth.

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Founded just three years ago, Dream Games’ first release Royal Match has built a loyal and dedicated fanbase of millions around the world, consistently ranking as a top three grossing game in the U.S. and United Kingdom.

“As a company, we have ambitious growth plans, and the opening of our London office marks the next phase in this journey,” said Soner Aydemir, CEO of Dream Games, in a statement. “Our goal is to expand our international footprint and reach the best talent in the industry to become one of the best entertainment companies in the world. London is Europe’s leading creative hub with a vibrant entertainment community, home to top-tier talent and some of our most important partners, so we’re excited to have a new base here.”

He added, “We’re also delighted to welcome Richard and Anju, both excellent and significant new hires for Dream Games, as we focus on growing our dynamic organization in London and Istanbul. They bring exceptional knowledge and expertise to the team with their significant experience in gaming and technology sectors.”

Hocking was previously global head of marketing at King, overseeing the global marketing organization, including the growth and marketing communications teams. Prior to this, he spent 12 years at Starcom, where he built and scaled Starcom Mediavest’s Performance Marketing team.

I asked why the company needed an office in London.

“We are hiring across both London and Istanbul, adding significantly to our headcount of 160. We expect to hit 250 by the end of the year,” said Aydemir in an email to GamesBeat. “In gaming, offices are more relevant than in most other industries. You have to get a lot of things right at the same time, from design and storytelling to marketing and game mechanics, and partnerships — that requires intense collaboration, especially when scaling fast.”

“It’s a privilege to be joining Dream Games at such an exciting time.” said Hocking, in a statement. “I’ve long had admiration for the quality of Royal Match and how the team has managed to evolve the puzzle genre. Their commitment to creating premium player experiences with enduring appeal speaks to why Royal Match has grown so quickly and become a top mobile game globally.”

Sethi spent 20 years of running people organizations across gaming, tech, and other industries. She is known to drive people strategies and employee experiences at companies like King, Google, Tesco and more.

“I am thrilled to join Dream Games as Chief People Officer on its incredible journey in the world of entertainment,” Sethi said in a statement. “At Dream Games, we know that our people are our biggest strength, and we are proud of the creative, purposeful, and trusting environment we created for them. We want to elevate and nurture our talent so they can reach their highest potential. I am inspired by this vision and feel privileged to be able to contribute to it.”

“Dream Games is a great example of the massive scale world-class mobile gaming IPs can achieve,” said Sofia Dolfe, partner at Index Ventures, in an email to GamesBeat. “Their first title, Royal Match, is a top three global hit and we expect it to become the core of an evergreen franchise that will entertain tens of millions of people around the world for years to come.”

She added, “We are excited to welcome Dream Games to London, as they continue their global expansion. It’s a city with a long gaming history and a great source of talent, as illustrated by their first two London hires, ex-King marketing executive Richard Hocking who joins as Chief Marketing Officer and ex-Google and King executive Anju Sethi, the company’s new Chief People Officer.”