Strengthening the Creative Industries Through Games and Innovation
A few days ago, an important milestone for Turkey’s creative industries moved into action. Within the framework of the Creative Sectors Program, supported by the Ministry of Industry and Technology and the European Union, Orta Doğu Teknik Üniversitesi (ODTÜ) secured funding for a project that will bring games, wearable fabrics and next generation filmmaking into one forward-looking ecosystem. The initiative, developed in partnership with Türkiye Oyun Geliştiricileri Derneği (TOGED), will also draw on the expertise of ODTÜ TEKNOKENT, ATOM, Ankara Kalkınma Ajansı and the Ankara Chamber of Commerce, with ODTÜ GİSAM coordinating operations.
From vision to an active support network
The program allocates a total of 19.2 million euros to creative industries projects in Kütahya, Ankara, İzmir and İstanbul, across five initiatives that span industrial design, game and animation technologies, and digital transformation. This particular project is designed to not only boost the capabilities of small businesses and entrepreneurs in the game sector but also to nurture human talent through structured training. Plans include the establishment of design centers, motion capture facilities and audio studios, all aimed at giving Turkish developers the tools to compete globally.
At setimedia, we partnered with the ODTÜ and TOGED teams to shape the communications strategy around the announcement. Our role focused on timing the release for maximum industry attention, coordinating with sector journalists and community voices, and ensuring that the narrative highlighted both the local innovation ecosystem and the tangible benefits for creative professionals. By curating clear visuals, tailoring language for different audiences, and preparing media resources that could be easily adapted by outlets, we kept momentum high from the first day of the reveal.
Building momentum for a growing sector
The industry’s response has been encouraging. Specialist media covered the news with an emphasis on the potential boost to Turkey’s position in the global game economy. Among game developers and creative entrepreneurs, the sentiment leaned toward excitement at the prospect of access to advanced facilities and formal support structures. While the project’s deeper activities will roll out over the coming months, early conversations in developer communities have already sparked collaborative ideas.
We thank ODTÜ, TOGED and all partner institutions for their openness and trust in sharing this story. The foundation is now set for a transformative period in Turkey’s creative industries, and we look forward to following and supporting the progress as ideas become infrastructure, and infrastructure becomes opportunity.
