Hexa Sort Creators Raise $4.5 Million to Build New Mobile Puzzle Franchises

New Era of Puzzle Gaming

Cheer Games, a mobile studio founded by the veterans behind the global hit Hexa Sort, has closed a $4.5 million pre-seed funding round. Led by Makers Fund with participation from Play Ventures, the investment aims to shift the mobile gaming landscape toward long-term franchise building. The capital will fuel the growth of their Barcelona headquarters and the development of a new slate of puzzle titles. The founding team includes CEO Emre Gercel, CPO Berkay Ozturk, CTO Ertan Ünver, and CMO Kutay Koralturk. These leaders previously served at AppLovin’s Lion Studios, where they oversaw games generating over $50 million in revenue. Their collective expertise spans product design, engineering, and the growth systems required for top-grossing success.

Building Durable IP

Cheer Games intends to move away from the industry's typical short-term release cycles. By focusing on durable and scalable puzzle mechanics, the studio wants to build institutions rather than single-hit wonders. CEO Emre Gercel noted that the team chose to bet on building something more resilient than current market trends allow.

We started Cheer because we believed we could build something more durable than the industry's short-term thinking allows for.

To power these experiences, CTO Ertan Ünver is leading the development of a high-performance technical pipeline designed for rapid iteration. The studio utilizes a focused, high-talent-density approach to engineering to ensure their casual titles maintain the quality needed for long-term live operations. This internal development engine is built to support the studio's goal of creating rewarding and creative player experiences.

Strategic Investor Support

Makers Fund and Play Ventures highlighted the rare synergy of the founding team as a primary reason for their support. Investors pointed to the group's battle-tested experience as a critical advantage in today's competitive market. The funding also includes support from a strategic group of angel investors within the gaming sector. Currently employing 11 people, Cheer Games is actively recruiting global talent to join its office in Spain. The founders believe the combination of Barcelona's global stage and their own professional hunger provides the perfect environment for growth. Their first title is already in a soft-launch phase to test core gameplay fundamentals.