Crytek launches new Istanbul studio to focus on online gaming

Crytek announced today the official opening of Crytek Instanbul which will focus on the development of free-to-play and online games, including Crytek's Warface and cloud-based social gaming network GFACE, while overseeing the growth of the CryEngine business throughout Turkey, the Middle East and North Africa.

"Crytek Istanbul not only opens the door to further growth, it represents reinvestment in a country that has special bonds for us as a company," said CEO Cevat Yerli in a prepared statement. "We have had ambitions and aspirations to invest in Turkey for a long time and believe the moment is now right to bring those plans to fruition. From day one, we will work hard to make a positive impact in Turkey and further solidify Crytek's reputation for quality and innovation."

This is the eighth international games studio under Crytek's umbrella. The opening of the studio in Istanbul is described as a return to the roots of Avni, Cevat and Faruk Yerli, the brothers of Turkish descent who founded Crytek in 1999.

Crytek's headquarters remain in Germany, while the company has studios in the Ukraine, Hungary, Bulgaria, South Korea, the U.K. and China, in addition to the new Istanbul ofice.