Deconstructor of Fun Cyprus 3: We Relocated our Studio from Ukraine to Cyprus and This Happened...
Nov 5, 2025
Leonid Zhuravskyi, CEO and founder of MysteryTag, shares his journey of relocating from Ukraine to Cyprus amidst personal and financial challenges. He highlights the vibrant game-dev community in Cyprus, where competitors share insights over coffee. Leonid discusses how initial higher costs led to lucrative contracts and successful game development. He emphasizes the importance of expertise in hiring and celebrates the multicultural collaboration among Ukrainians, Russians, and English speakers that makes Cyprus a unique gaming hub.
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Tough Move, Big Payoff
- Leonid moved part of his team from Ukraine to Cyprus and initially faced higher costs and difficulties.
- After a year or two the relocation opened significant new contracts and opportunities that paid off.
Recovery After Early Setbacks
- The company shrank in the first year due to high costs and falling user acquisition after COVID eased.
- In the second year they recovered and grew at a higher scale through new contracts and projects.
A Mini Silicon Valley For Games
- Cyprus hosts an unusually concentrated and active game-dev community in Europe, mixing developers, marketers, and executives.
- Leonid compares it to a small European Silicon Valley driven by idea exchange and timing.