Key Takeaways
- • Zubr Capital, a Limassol-based private equity firm, announced a Series A investment in Soloband Games, a Cyprus mobile gaming studio, with deal terms undisclosed but earmarked for user acquisition expansion and global market penetration.
- • Soloband Games has achieved product-market fit with its flagship title "World Tour Merge" (Merge 2 genre), demonstrating 1+ million downloads, a 4.8-star player rating, and positive revenue momentum as of the investment announcement.
- • The studio operates with 25 professionals combining talent from established gaming studios including Playrix and Melsoft, with early-stage backing from former Melsoft executives Andrei Yarantsau and Alexander Shilyaev who provided both capital and operational guidance.
- • The global mobile gaming in-app market is projected to reach approximately $100 billion by 2028, with the Merge 2 segment showing sustained growth in both downloads and revenue, positioning Soloband Games within a high-growth vertical.
- • CEO Aleksandr Kislitsyn stated the studio has prioritized modern product development and intuitive design since 2024, with Zubr Capital's investment director Nikita Krivelevich citing strong retention metrics and a clear path to scaling as primary investment drivers.
Summary
Zubr Capital has completed a Series A funding round in Soloband Games, a mobile gaming studio headquartered in Limassol, Cyprus, marking a notable expansion play within the country's gaming sector. The investment represents a transition into a new growth phase for the studio, which seeks to scale its core product and strengthen its competitive position in the global mobile gaming marketplace. While the specific investment amount was not disclosed, the capital will be directed toward expanding user acquisition efforts, reaching new international audiences, and enhancing live operations infrastructure to support sustainable long-term growth.
Soloband Games operates with a 25-person team led by CEO Aleksandr Kislitsyn, drawing talent from industry-leading studios such as Playrix and Melsoft. The team's expertise spans game design, live operations, and product scaling—capabilities essential for competitive positioning in mobile gaming. The studio's flagship offering, "World Tour Merge," operates within the Merge 2 game segment, a category in which players combine items to unlock new content and explore themed environments. The title has achieved measurable commercial traction, surpassing 1 million downloads with a 4.8-star player rating and demonstrating positive revenue performance metrics.
Early financial backing came from established gaming industry executives Andrei Yarantsau and Alexander Shilyaev, both former executives at Melsoft Games, who contributed both capital and operational expertise to the venture. This strategic early support provided the studio with experienced guidance during critical product development phases. Nikita Krivelevich, investment director at Zubr Capital, noted in a statement that Soloband Games exemplifies the firm's investment thesis, citing deep industry expertise, demonstrated product-market fit, strong player retention, and a viable pathway to global scaling as core investment rationales.
The timing of this investment aligns with significant market tailwinds. The global mobile gaming in-app market is projected to approach $100 billion by 2028, with the Merge 2 segment specifically demonstrating sustained growth in both user acquisition and revenue generation. CEO Kislitsyn emphasized that since 2024, the studio has focused on developing modern products meeting premium design standards while maintaining intuitive, familiar mechanics that sustain player engagement—a positioning that supports the studio's competitive differentiation within a crowded market segment.
Soloband Games operates with a 25-person team led by CEO Aleksandr Kislitsyn, drawing talent from industry-leading studios such as Playrix and Melsoft. The team's expertise spans game design, live operations, and product scaling—capabilities essential for competitive positioning in mobile gaming. The studio's flagship offering, "World Tour Merge," operates within the Merge 2 game segment, a category in which players combine items to unlock new content and explore themed environments. The title has achieved measurable commercial traction, surpassing 1 million downloads with a 4.8-star player rating and demonstrating positive revenue performance metrics.
Early financial backing came from established gaming industry executives Andrei Yarantsau and Alexander Shilyaev, both former executives at Melsoft Games, who contributed both capital and operational expertise to the venture. This strategic early support provided the studio with experienced guidance during critical product development phases. Nikita Krivelevich, investment director at Zubr Capital, noted in a statement that Soloband Games exemplifies the firm's investment thesis, citing deep industry expertise, demonstrated product-market fit, strong player retention, and a viable pathway to global scaling as core investment rationales.
The timing of this investment aligns with significant market tailwinds. The global mobile gaming in-app market is projected to approach $100 billion by 2028, with the Merge 2 segment specifically demonstrating sustained growth in both user acquisition and revenue generation. CEO Kislitsyn emphasized that since 2024, the studio has focused on developing modern products meeting premium design standards while maintaining intuitive, familiar mechanics that sustain player engagement—a positioning that supports the studio's competitive differentiation within a crowded market segment.
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