Iraqi studio Istikan on self-funding games and finding players in China
Erbil-based Istikan Studio is a seven-person team operating as the game development arm of Iraqi telecom and digital solutions company Tornet, and it funds its work without outside investors. More than 75% of its Istikan Chai Steam sales come from China despite having no publisher or paid marketing. Studio manager Danar Kayfi spoke about building games rooted in Kurdish-Iraqi culture and what the local development scene needs ahead of Pocket Gamer Connects Jordan.
Istikan Studio is a seven-person Erbil team and the games division of Tornet, an Iraqi telecom and digital solutions firm. It develops without outside investment, handling design, art, code, QA, store submissions, and updates internally. Staff are Kurdish-Iraqi and work in three two-person pods, typically taking a title from concept to storefront in three to six months.
Its catalogue includes Istikan Chai, General Idler, Bathroom Please!, and Social Suspect. Platform choices follow player habits: cozy short-session games suit mobile and Steam Deck, while deep idle strategy fits Steam. Over three-quarters of Istikan Chai's Steam purchases have come from China, despite no publisher or paid promotion. Manager Danar Kayfi discussed these topics before Pocket Gamer Connects Jordan.
The studio's example may encourage aspiring developers in Iraq and Kurdistan by showing local teams can reach global players without outside funding. Its China sales could broaden perceptions of where games come from and create role models. If more teams ship, local skills, employment, and cultural representation may grow. However, sustainability may depend on access to business training, platforms, and markets beyond one hit.