Who We Are
CYGMA is a non-profit association founded by industry leaders to support and grow the game development community in Cyprus through collaboration, knowledge sharing, and building strong links with the global games industry.
our mission <<<
Our mission is to support collaboration, nurture knowledge-sharing, represent the collective interests of game creators, and help shape a thriving industry where studios can build, grow, and succeed. We also highlight Cyprus as a trusted and inspiring home for game development worldwide.
Created for Game Developers by Game Developers
Built by experienced game industry professionals, CYGMA understands the real challenges and needs of game development and creates practical, experience-driven initiatives that help studios and talent grow through events, collaboration, and shared expertise.
СYGMA Сommittees
CYGMA’s committees are working groups that focus on improving different areas of the games industry and how it collaborates with the global ecosystem. By bringing together experienced professionals, they create a space for knowledge exchange, shared expertise, and practical industry impact — making participation both valuable and meaningful for members.
Policy & regulation
Entry-level membership for studios and professionals who want to be part of the Cyprus games industry and access essential member benefits.
education standards & academic partnerships
For studios and companies seeking deeper involvement, expanded benefits, and an active role in shaping the local games industry.
safe play
A strategic membership for companies ready to take a leadership role, influence industry direction, and access the highest level of benefits and visibility.
cyprus promotion & international outreach
A special membership designed for academic organisations, offering benefits and opportunities to contribute to and shape game development education initiatives.
investment & platforms relations
Supports studio growth by strengthening funding opportunities, building strategic partnerships with major platforms and publishers.
Board of Directors
The CYGMA Board of Directors is formed by proven founders and leaders of successful game development companies, combining strategic vision, entrepreneurial experience, and global industry insight to drive the sustainable growth of the Cyprus game ecosystem.
Anton Yudincev
Gaijin / Founder
Anton Yudintsev is the founder of Gaijin Entertainment, the Hungarian-based game developer and publisher behind the internationally successful free-to-play MMO War Thunder and other titles such as Crossout and Enlisted. Since founding the company in 2002 with his brother Kirill, Anton has grown Gaijin into a multinational operation with offices across Europe and the Middle East.
Under his leadership Gaijin has become known for its technical excellence, proprietary Dagor Engine technology, and a portfolio of games enjoyed by millions of players worldwide. Anton’s experience in sustaining long-term live services and navigating global markets offers valuable perspective for CYGMA’s industry development and international outreach goals.
Roman Zanin
Wargaming / General Counsel
Roman Zanin is an experienced legal executive who serves as General Counsel, Tax & Compliance at Wargaming, the Cyprus-headquartered global video game developer and publisher behind the World of series. In this role he leads legal strategy, compliance, and risk management for one of the industry’s most influential online game companies, helping ensure Wargaming’s operations and partnerships are sound and future-ready.
Over more than a decade in in-house leadership, Roman has built and guided legal teams, shaped compliance frameworks across multiple jurisdictions, and contributed to expanding legal standards in game business environments. His work supports both internal governance and the broader ability of game companies to operate internationally with clarity and confidence, making his insight invaluable to CYGMA’s strategic vision.
Elena Grigorian
My.Games / CEO
Elena Grigorian is a seasoned game industry leader with over 20 years of experience in strategic management, marketing, and executive leadership, most recently as CEO of MY.GAMES, one of Europe’s largest game publishers and developers known for titles like War Robots and Rush Royale. Before leading MY.GAMES, she spent eight years at the helm of Disney’s video games division, where she shaped global product and marketing strategies.
At MY.GAMES Elena has overseen substantial growth, building high-performance teams and scaling the company’s global publishing footprint across Europe, Asia, and the United States. Her background in both operational leadership and international market strategy equips her with deep insight into how games can succeed on the world stage — a perspective she brings to strengthening Cyprus’s role in the global games ecosystem.
Sergey Orlovskiy
Helio Games / Founder & CEO
Sergey Orlovskiy is a pioneering game entrepreneur and founder of Nival, one of the oldest and most respected independent game development studios in Eastern Europe, known for strategy and RPG titles like Rage of Mages and Heroes of Might and Magic V. Under his leadership the company evolved from PC development into online and cross-platform experiences, and he later expanded his entrepreneurial footprint with Helio Games and other ventures.
Recognized as an influential voice in game development and technology strategy, Sergey has played a leading role in shaping developer business models, raising investment, and advancing technical innovation. His long history of building globally respected studios brings rare strategic depth to CYGMA’s board.
Ilya Karpinskiy
Owlcat Games/ Co-founder
Ilya Karpinskiy is a co-founder and strategic leader in the game development space, with a career spanning executive and entrepreneurial roles across major game companies and investment ventures. He helped found Owlcat Games, the Cyprus-based studio responsible for acclaimed narrative RPGs like Pathfinder: Kingmaker and Wrath of the Righteous, and later played key roles in establishing The Games Fund, one of the first game-focused venture funds.
Before that, Ilya held senior positions at Nival Network and within the Mail.ru and MY.GAMES organisations, contributing to third-party development, strategic partnerships, and business expansion. His blend of creative, operational, and investment experience enriches CYGMA’s board with insight into both building successful studios and nurturing investment ecosystems that support sustainable growth.
Andrey Ivashentsev
GDCy / Co-founder & COO
Andrey Ivashentsev is a technology entrepreneur, immersive-tech innovator, and ecosystem builder with a diverse career spanning game development, extended reality (XR), and strategic industry roles. He co-founded GDCy, a central game development community in Cyprus that organizes flagship events, meetups, and learning programs connecting local and global developers. Andrey’s background includes leadership in immersive tech initiatives like Metaplan and the MIXR conference series, as well as prior roles at major companies including Microsoft and Game Insight, where he contributed to product strategy, platform growth, and industry partnerships.
With deep experience in organizing industry events and fostering connections across Europe and beyond, Andrey brings visionary leadership to the Cyprus Game Makers Association.
George Mountis
Chrysostomides / Partner as Secretary
George Mountis is a leading Cypriot legal expert and co-managing partner of his firm, heading its litigation and dispute resolution practice with extensive experience in high-profile commercial, corporate, and multi-jurisdictional cases. Widely recognized by Chambers Global, Chambers Europe, and The Legal 500, he is regarded as one of Cyprus’s foremost litigators, known for his strategic thinking and ability to navigate complex, high-stakes disputes.
In addition to litigation, George plays a central role in arbitration, mediation, and competition law, holding FCiArb status and accreditation as a CEDR mediator, and advising on some of the most significant competition law matters in the country. His board experience across major non-profit and business institutions brings strong governance, risk awareness, and strategic oversight to CYGMA’s Board of Directors.
Meet CYGMA team
We bring together experienced industry leaders who combine global game development expertise with a shared mission to grow, connect, and strengthen the Cyprus game development ecosystem.
Andrey Ivashentsev
General Manager
With a background spanning Microsoft (Games in CIS & CEE, AR/VR), C-level leadership at Game Insight, and diverse entrepreneurship experience, Andrei brings a deep, hands-on understanding of how the global games industry is built and scaled. As a Co-Founder of GDCy, he helps shape the strategic direction of the Cyprus games industry and connects it to the wider international market.
Tim Fadeev
Head of Events
A game industry community builder and event strategist with hands-on experience across live operations, production, and studio growth at IGG, Awem Games, and Heatherglade. Tim builds the community behind GDCy and GDCy Fest and helps position Cyprus as a mature game development hub.
Jane artemova
Head of Business Development
With experience at Devtodev by AppsFlyer and Playkot, she has worked closely with Apple, Google, Meta and leading game publishers to build partnerships across the global games ecosystem, bringing a commercial perspective to growing Cyprus game industry.
Julia Paliy
Head of Brand
With leadership roles at Xsolla (Head of Player Experience), Ultrahorse Games (Head of Player Experience & Product Manager), and Game Insight (Head of Player Experience & Head of Esports), Julia shapes how brand, community, and player experience work together in successful game companies. She helps define a strong and recognisable identity for the Cyprus games industry.
Leysan Fathulina
Head of Legal
With international experience advising tech and digital businesses on corporate, commercial, and regulatory matters, Leysan helps game studios navigate contracts, compliance, and governance with confidence — turning legal complexity into a practical advantage for the Cyprus games industry.
Yulia Tarasova
Head of Education
Yulia is a social impact entrepreneur and Co-Founder of KidIT, an international EdTech project at the intersection of gamedev and technology. She coordinated bringing MIT’s MISTI Global Teaching Labs to Cyprus and having the program with top Cypriot universities.