Manisa Shows Transformations in Its Gaming Ecosystem

12 October 2026

Manisa, a city in Turkey's western region, is witnessing a transformation in its gaming ecosystem. While the city has been known for its vibrant entertainment hubs, a series of youth-focused educational programs and incubators, championed by the local municipality, has thrust the city into spotlight.

Akademi Manisa Bears First Fruits in Programming

Akademi Manisa, the new non-profit coding academy opened its doors in July 2023. 126 children and young adults attended its inaugural session in August 2023, to learn algorithms, game development and app development. 83 students enrolled in the "Minecraft to Algorithms and Coding" workshop for under-15s, while 43 joined "2D Game Development with Unity" for students aged 15 and up - an ambitious effort by Manisa Metropolitan Municipality to equip the next generation with digital know-how.

Games and Local Culture

Local gaming hubs have sprung up across Manisa in recent years - the tech-friendly city is well-equipped with high-speed internet and has attracted booming gaming enthusiasts to venues like MDevi.Net Gaming Zone, Atlantis Game Center, Haydar Game Zone and Next Game Park. Manisa's gaming culture is not confined to video games though. The city is also associated with a traditional board game called Mangala or Göçürme, a game of strategy and eloquence, testament to the city's longstanding interest in mind-sport.

A Digital Night: Manisa's Gaming Revolution

The educational startup is championed by Manisa mayor Besim Dutlulu, who started the city's latest initiative in 2019 after initial investments, through which the Manor Game JAM event was organised. Part of that investment has steered city funding to business accelerator Manisa 2235, which recently created programmes like Housing Academy, then Akademi Manisa. Even before the programme was announced, it attracted 400 young applicants, and after the competition narrowed the cohort down, the programme began in August of 2023, inspired in spirit by pioneering universities of Silicon Valley.

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Manisa's local councils have announced ambitions to become the country's forerunner in the gaming economy by 2030, with the Game Accelerator and mayor partnering with private equity groups and venture capitalists to launch a Manisa Games Fund, with investment support also granted to PlayFields, meeting the demand for student lodging near Manisa University departmental gaming units.

Underlying this is a clear push into integrating gaming within an aspiring structure of digital city services. While this may mean a broader overhaul of Manisa's internet infrastructure, the advocacy, both municipal and central government, for the digital city concept because of the gaming economy only appears to be growing.