---
title: 'Backend Engineer at Pinegames'
canonical: 'https://feeny.ai/job/backend-engineer-pinegames-istanbul-w49qakee63bf'
type: 'job'
last_seen: '2026-09-12'
---

# Backend Engineer at Pinegames

- **Company:** Pinegames
- **Location:** Istanbul, Turkey
- **Employment:** full-time
- **Work type:** onsite
- **Posted:** 2024-05-22
- **Last confirmed live:** 2026-09-12
- **Apply:** https://jobs.lever.co/pinegames/78c025d5-802e-4525-812a-36f112b7c0a5

## Job description

We are looking for an experienced and passionate Backend Engineer to join our team. As a Backend Engineer at Pine Games, you will be responsible for designing, developing, and maintaining the server-side logic and architecture of our games. Your expertise will be crucial in creating scalable and reliable backend systems that support our growing player base.

At Pine Games, you'll be surrounded by exceptional teammates and work in a fast-paced environment that fosters collaboration, innovation, and creativity. If you thrive on challenging tasks and aim to make a significant impact, you could be the perfect fit!

What you’ll be doing:

- Design, develop, and deploy scalable backend architecture for our games
- Ensure the performance, reliability, and security of backend systems
- Collaborate with software developers and product managers to integrate server-side logic with game mechanics
- Build and maintain APIs, databases, and server infrastructure
- Optimize and monitor server performance, identifying and resolving any issues
- Implement and manage cloud-based services and infrastructure
- Delivering well-structured and flexible code that can be easily updated as the products evolve

Desired skills and experiences:

- Bachelor’s degree in a relevant field from a reputable university
- Proven experience as a Backend Engineer, preferably in the gaming industry
- Strong knowledge of OOP and familiarity with Design Patterns
- Experience with Java Spring Boot based backend systems
- Familiarity with Java, Spring, Redis, MySQL, and AWS
- Proficiency in backend programming languages such as Java, Python, or Node.js
- Excellent problem-solving skills and attention to detail
- Ability to work well in a collaborative, fast-paced environment
- Passion for gaming and a deep understanding of game backend architecture

## #LI-DNI

## About Pinegames

## Company Overview
- **One-liner**: Pine Games is a mobile gaming studio based in Istanbul that creates evergreen, IP-based casual puzzle games designed for long-term player engagement.
- **Entity Type**: Private (Pre-Seed stage)
- **Headquarters**: Istanbul, Turkey
- **Founded**: 2024
- **Founders**: Yankı Yağız Akpek (CEO), Burak Sarp (CTO), Yasin Yıldırım (Art Director)

## Core Business
- **Primary industry**: Mobile Gaming (Casual Puzzle Games)
- **Target customers**: B2C (mass-market mobile gamers, broad global audience)
- **Mission or purpose statement**: To create timeless and evergreen games that leave a lasting impact and bring joy to millions of players around the world [linkedin.com](https://linkedin.com/company/pinegames).

## Products & Services
Pine Games has announced a two-phase product strategy:
- **Initial Lean Puzzle Games**: A series of smaller, data-driven puzzle games to build a foundation and user base.
- **Flagship IP-Based Puzzle Games**: Premium, innovative puzzle games built around well-known intellectual properties (IPs), designed to tackle modern user acquisition challenges in a privacy-centric era.

## Market Standing
- **Valuation**: $10 million (at time of funding, January 2024) [gamesbeat.com](https://gamesbeat.com/pine-games-raises-2-25m-to-make-mobile-games-in-istanbul/)
- **Total Funding**: $2.25 million (Pre-Seed round closed January 16, 2024) [linkedin.com](https://linkedin.com/company/pinegames)
- **Key Metric (Employees)**: 21 employees as of late 2024 (+17.6% YoY growth) [linkedin.com](https://linkedin.com/company/pinegames)
- **Notable Investors**: 500 Emerging Europe (Lead), Laton Ventures (Lead), Mert Gür (Founder of Loop Games / Match 3D) [gamesbeat.com](https://gamesbeat.com/pine-games-raises-2-25m-to-make-mobile-games-in-istanbul/)
- **Growth Signals**: Rapid headcount growth (from 4 at founding to 21 in under a year), 5 active job postings as of late 2024, and a 400% year-over-year increase in hiring [linkedin.com](https://linkedin.com/company/pinegames).

## Competitive Advantages
- **Founding Team Pedigree**: Co-founders have experience at top-tier gaming companies, including **Peak Games** (acquired by Zynga), **Dream Games** (Royal Match), **Rovio** (Angry Birds), and **Trendyol** (Turkey's largest e-commerce decacorn) [gamesbeat.com](https://gamesbeat.com/pine-games-raises-2-25m-to-make-mobile-games-in-istanbul/).
- **IP-First Strategy**: Securing rights to well-known intellectual properties to lower user acquisition costs and stand out in a crowded mobile gaming market.
- **Strong Investor Backing**: Backed by specialized gaming VCs and a successful gaming founder, providing both capital and deep industry expertise.
- **Lean & Focused Culture**: Explicit focus on "smart decisions and high-quality execution" over raw volume, aiming for sustainable, long-lasting games [gamesbeat.com](https://gamesbeat.com/pine-games-raises-2-25m-to-make-mobile-games-in-istanbul/).

## Strategic Focus
- **Current priorities**: Launching the first wave of lean puzzle games while simultaneously developing the flagship IP-based titles. Scaling the team strategically (aiming for 15+ people in early 2024, now at 21).
- **Direction for growth**: Becoming a major player in the casual puzzle segment by combining premium IP with high-quality execution.

## Why Work Here
- **Culture**: Described as a passionate, creative, and collaborative team environment focused on building "timeless" games. The company emphasizes a meritocratic, execution-focused culture [pinegames.com](https://www.pinegames.com/careers).
- **Work Policy**: On-site. All roles are based at the headquarters in Kadıköy, Istanbul, Turkey [builtin.com](https://builtin.com/company/pine-games) [pinegames.com](https://www.pinegames.com/careers).
- **Notable Perks & Environment**: Opportunity to work under a founding team with a proven track record of building hit games. The company is in a high-growth phase, offering significant ownership and impact for early employees.
- **Engineering/Creative Culture**: Tech stack includes Unity, C#, Python, Adobe Suite, and analytics tools like AppsFlyer, Google Analytics, and Looker. The team is split with 40% in Design, 30% in Technical roles, giving creative talent a strong voice [linkedin.com](https://linkedin.com/company/pinegames).

## Sources
1. [pinegames.com/careers](https://www.pinegames.com/careers)
2. [linkedin.com/company/pinegames](https://linkedin.com/company/pinegames)
3. [builtin.com/company/pine-games](https://builtin.com/company/pine-games)
4. [gamesbeat.com/pine-games-raises-2-25m-to-make-mobile-games-in-istanbul/](https://gamesbeat.com/pine-games-raises-2-25m-to-make-mobile-games-in-istanbul/)
5. [jobless.dev/companies/pinegames](https://www.jobless.dev/companies/pinegames)

## Other roles at Pinegames

- [Marketing Artist](https://feeny.ai/job/marketing-artist-pinegames-istanbul-7hwnqmw77me2) — Istanbul, Turkey
- [Performance Marketing Specialist](https://feeny.ai/job/performance-marketing-specialist-pinegames-istanbul-pm33v8qhncyn) — Istanbul, Turkey
- [Product Manager](https://feeny.ai/job/product-manager-pinegames-istanbul-ey3j27fqzg7t) — Istanbul, Turkey
- [UI Artist](https://feeny.ai/job/ui-artist-pinegames-istanbul-hhhch98ca8gh) — Istanbul, Turkey
- [Illustrator](https://feeny.ai/job/illustrator-pinegames-istanbul-w7fx4wex772j) — Istanbul, Turkey
- [Backend Engineer](https://feeny.ai/job/backend-engineer-oden-technologies-brazil-q3bmtpeqzn3k) — Brazil
- [Backend Engineer](https://feeny.ai/job/backend-engineer-catawiki-lisbon-e7r4a2e446m3) — Lisbon, Portugal
- [Backend Engineer](https://feeny.ai/job/backend-engineer-catawiki-amsterdam-g66ppq4k7km0) — Amsterdam, Netherlands
- [Backend Engineer](https://feeny.ai/job/backend-engineer-cambio-ai-inc-waterloo-073h2mqa2xd4) — Waterloo, Canada
- [Backend Engineer](https://feeny.ai/job/backend-engineer-orion-innovation-belgrade-k7ny7vqc652f) — Belgrade, Serbia