Big Time Gaming
Q&A w/ Katya Machuganova, Product Owner at Silverback Gaming: Are trademarks really worth it
More and more studios are trademarking mechanics. What has led to this situation?
Momentum has been building behind studios trademarking mechanics for some time but undoubtedly the success of Big Time Gaming’s Megaways has been a catalyst for more developers getting in on the action. Megaways introduced a unique, highly engaging mechanic that has become a slot format in its own right and has now been licensed by hundreds of studios, taking its success to the next level. Other developers want to replicate this success by creating and trademarking unique mechanics of their own. This in turn has seen more focus put on mechanics and the impact they can have on the game in terms of ensuring a slot stands out from others stocked in the operator’s lobby. Another driver is the desire to monetize IP within the slot provision space and to prevent rivals from copying mechanics and features that developers believe give them the edge.
What are the upsides to a studio trademarking a mechanic?
By trademarking a mechanic, the studio can legally protect its intellectual property and prevent others from creating slots that use a similar mechanic without their permission. This can prevent the dilution of their brand and the potential loss of revenue that could result from competitors using their IP. This has become surprisingly common in recent years due to the highly competitive nature of the market and the need for developers to come up with engaging gameplay that appeals to players and drives them to their slots over those of their rivals. Those who opt to licence their trademarked mechanics can open up new, lucrative revenue streams. Beyond that, a trademark can establish a studio as an innovator which can help secure operator partnerships and premium lobby positioning.
What challenges do studios face when it comes to trademarking a mechanic?
Trademarking is not a straightforward process and the legalities around it are often complex. In some cases, it might not even be possible for a studio to secure a trademark if the mechanic features components that are already being widely used by other developers or if it is deemed to be too generic. Trademarking is often costly and draws resources away from the studio’s primary focus, which is to develop slots that players want to play. This can make it tough for a studio to determine if trademarking is right or not – if the studio has invested heavily in developing a unique mechanic, then it might be worth protecting its IP through trademarking. But this still doesn’t guarantee success – if the game doesn’t hit the mark with players, it will flop regardless of whether it uses a trademarked mechanic or not.
What does a mechanic need to include in order to be trademarked?
For a game mechanic to be eligible for trademark protection, it must meet certain legal requirements. It must be distinctive, so the game mechanic needs to be unique or different from other mechanics used in the industry. It must be non-functional, which means it can’t be essential to the functioning of the game or necessary for gameplay. It must be used as a trademark or a source identifier for the studio, such that consumers associate the mechanic with that studio or its products.
In addition to meeting these legal requirements, a game mechanic should also provide value to the gameplay experience in order to be worthwhile for the studio to trademark. A successful game mechanic should enhance the gameplay experience, provide a unique and engaging challenge for players, or otherwise contribute to the game’s overall enjoyment.
The decision to trademark a game mechanic should be based on a variety of factors, including legal considerations, the unique value of the mechanic to the game, and the studio’s overall business strategy. By carefully considering these factors, studios can make informed decisions about which game mechanics to trademark and how to use them to enhance their products and protect their intellectual property.
Is this push for trademarked mechanics ultimately benefitting players?
Yes and no. In some respects, the push for developing mechanics that can be trademarked has forced studios to invest more heavily in this area of the game and this has resulted in new player experiences hitting the market that have proved to be popular. In particular, NetEnt’s Cluster Pays, Reel Play’s Infinity Reels, Yggdrasil’s GIGABLOX and Nolimit City’s xWays and xNudge. But in some cases, studios have developed mechanics solely for the purpose of trademarking without giving much consideration to whether players will actually enjoy the experience they provide or not. Another consequence is a potential rise in legal disputes and ultimately the hindering of the sharing of ideas and innovations across the industry. If studios become super protective over their IP and are less willing to collaborate with others, innovation and progress become stifled.
What is Silverback Gaming’s approach to trademarking?
We do have a trademarked mechanic, ClockWaysTM, that will debut on our soon-to-launch title, Mega Fishing Deluxe. During one of our brainstorming sessions, we came up with the idea of a unique game mechanic that would completely change how a traditional slot works. After some further discussion, we came up with a game-changing concept that is super simple and easy to understand – we want players to be pleasantly surprised rather than startled. With ClockWays, the player always wins. On every few regular spins, paylines are evaluated and wins are paid. All the external symbols that have landed on the reels and form a kind of frame will rotate i.e. will change their relative positions with a number of places clockwise or counter-clockwise in search of new winning combinations. After the first rotation, paylines are evaluated again with the new symbol positions and new pays are awarded. Reels will rotate as many times as needed to form a guaranteed winning combination.
This is a good example of being innovative for the players’ benefit. Our feature guarantees wins which adds anticipation, fun and value to the player’s play. However, it also protects players from potential large balance losses and keeps the balance reasonably stable while still eligible to win big. Everything we do at Silverback is about delivering experiences that players actually want to enjoy, and we have taken the exact same approach with ClockWays.
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Here are this weeks latest slots releases compiled by European Gaming
PG Soft, a world-class digital mobile games company, has released its powerful new title, Kraken Gold Rush. PG Soft’s game invites players to embark on the perilous high seas and navigate past The Kraken’s monstrous tentacles, desperate to drag ships into the abyss. Sticky Wilds and multipliers reaching x100 help players hunt down a legendary haul of 10 million gold coins.
Evoplay has launched Velvet Gems, a glamorous slot filled with sparkling stones, seamless gameplay, and high reward potential. The game immerses players in a luxurious realm of shimmering rubies, emeralds, and sapphires, where each spin radiates opulence. Striking visuals and a refined soundtrack create a premium atmosphere, making it a perfect choice for players seeking an elegant, feature-rich experience.
The authorities thought they’d finally locked away The Syndicate, the most notorious crew of fugitives in history. But in Nolimit City’s latest release, Breakout, not even a maximum security prison can hold them. This jailbreak-themed slot adds to the list of this year’s releases; Dead Men Walking, Tsar Wars and Kill Em All.
Think you are brave enough to return to the Castle of Terror? This lab experiment-horror sequel from Big Time Gaming is a bone-chilling adventure packed with electrifying features designed to give you the fright of your life. This is a slot where players find themselves in a spooky lab where they must brace themselves for Bonus Respins that are triggered by landing Scatters.
BGaming brings the party to the reels with the release of its latest slot, Fiesta Clusters. This vibrant, highly volatile slice of action combines the celebratory spirit of Cinco de Mayo with the expressive artistry of Día de los Muertos, delivering vibrant thrills for players and a seasonal spike potential for operators around Halloween.
Push Gaming is set to deliver twice the thrills this Halloween with the release of two new seasonal titles, Tarot Treasures and Tricky Treats. Both games highlight the recent launch of Push Gaming’s new product segmentation. Push Action delivers titles with enhanced layers of mechanics and player interaction, a category which Tarot Treasures proudly joins.
Spinomenal has launched Buffalo Rampage – Hold & Hit 3×3, a 3×3 reel, 5 lines video slot. Buffalo Rampage – Hold & Hit 3×3 unfolds across a sun-scorched desert at dusk, framed by towering cacti and brought to life with a slow-paced and Western-inspired soundtrack that immerses players in the action.
TaDa Gaming, has added some dark magic to its TriLuck slots series with its five reels, three rows and 50 fixed paylines new game, 3 Witch’s Lamp. Green, Purple and Blue Potion Pot Scatters can trigger the bonus game’s free spins, five fixed jackpots, ignite coins for wins and increase the bonus prizes.
Blueprint Gaming
has introduced a new four pots mechanic and enlarged 5×3 grid to its latest release, Cash Strike Power Force 5, marking an innovative double debut for the internationally recognised series. With various iterations from the Cash Strike family consistently ranking in the supplier’s top 10 revenue-generating markets, the new title builds on the impressive momentum from its predecessors.
Play’n GO invites players underwater in Bubblin’ Riches, a 6×4 slot where golden coins and greedy fish collide for submerged surprises. Set in a playful underwater reef, Bubblin’ Riches brings a burst of colour and charm to the reels. At the heart of the action is a bloated Goldfish with a hoarding habit – every Coin Scatter that lands could feed its fortune, or set off a surprise payout.
Playson turns up the heat in its scorching new release Flaming Bells: Hold and Win, where nostalgic gameplay is reinspired with a 5,000x Grand Jackpot, Extra Bonus Game and valuable Multipliers. Collect symbols gather all visible cash values from the reels, including other Collect icons and the three in-game Jackpot symbol values.
ELA Games beckons players to step into a shadowy realm of sorcery and mystery with its newest release: Witches’ Book. Bathe in the magic as a powerful coven of three witches conjures their spells across the reels, revealing mysterious rewards and surprises. Each spin is a step toward ultimate strength, where massive riches and bubbling magic await.
Amusnet has released its latest online video slot, 27 Wild Shots. This vibrant slot game blends the style of classic fruit games with the charm of a fairytale twist, led by none other than the Little Red Riding Hood herself. The three reels burst with familiar symbols of juicy fruits, reimagined in a lively forest theme.
The post Week 42/2025 slot games releases appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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Provider’s bone-chilling slot is back for a second instalment and with bigger bonuses, bigger frights and even bigger wins
Think you are brave enough to return to the Castle of Terror? This lab experiment-horror sequel from Big Time Gaming is a bone-chilling adventure packed with electrifying features designed to give you the fright of your life.
This is a slot where players find themselves in a spooky lab where they must brace themselves for Bonus Respins that are triggered by landing Scatters. When they drop, they awaken monstrous reels with different Bonuses coming into play depending on where the Scatter lands.
This includes:
Brains – extra Brains land on the reels.
Alive – A random Win Multiplier is applied to all wins.
Shock – Wilds reveal Random Multipliers.
Monster – A random symbol becomes Wild on reels two to five
Horror – A random reel will be filled with Wilds.
If one or more Scatters appear during the Bonus Respin, the lab erupts into chaos, triggering 10 Free Spins for a spine-tingling time. But if two or three Scatters drop, the experiment escalates with another 10 Free Spins awarded.
During Free Spins, the Win Multiplier begins at 1x but mutates after every winning spin, amplifying rewards with each electrifying jolt. Free Spins also come infused with Bonuses, which collide to make each round terrifying and thrilling.
Depending on which reels the triggering Scatters landed, players might find that the machine gun surges again, granting four Extra Spins plus two more for each additional Scatter beyond the second.
For those who dare to take control, the Bonus Buy feature lets players pull the lever instantly. For 100x the stake, charge up 10 Free Spins with two bonuses, or for 300x, unleash 10 Enhanced Free Spins with three bonuses.
With Castle of Terror II, players get to step into the lab but must brace themselves… their creation may be more powerful than they ever imagined.
Nik Robinson, CEO at Big Time Gaming, said: “Castle of Terror II is a terrifying slot that’s not for the faint-hearted. Players find themselves in a spooky lab where creepy experiments take place, but if they can hold their nerve, there are plenty of bonus features to discover.”
“The action starts with the Bonus Respins and the various features that can play out across the reels. But the real experimental stuff happens in the Free Spins, where bonuses collide and big wins can emerge from the chaos.”
“Castle of Terror II really does put players on the edge of their seats with heart-stopping action and plenty of unexpected jump scares. Think you have what it takes to enter the Castle of Terror for the second time? There’s only one way to find out.”
The post Big Time Gaming drops big scares in Castle of Terror II appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
Big Time Gaming
Evolution at G2E Las Vegas 2023 with world-class online live casino, RNG and slots showcase from its seven brands
At G2E Las Vegas 2023 Evolution will showcase its world-leading portfolio of innovative online casino products from its seven Group brands — Evolution, Ezugi, NetEnt, Red Tiger, Big Time Gaming, Nolimit City and DigiWheel.
Following the Group’s inaugural appearance at the 2022 event, this year will see Evolution with an even bigger presence, on stand #4430 in the iGaming section of the show. Visitors to the Evolution stand will be treated to a host of new and soon-to-launch games from across the Group’s brands, which together offer an unrivalled choice of online live casino, live game show, RNG and online slots titles and solutions for iGaming operators of all sizes.
Amongst the main attractions in live casino will be two new global releases from the Evolution brand: Red Door Roulette — an innovative mash-up of two of Evolution’s most successful titles ever, Crazy Time and Lightning Roulette — and Video Poker, a live casino version of an old favourite that offers the ultimate fusion of nostalgia and player-focused modern gaming technology.
Evolution’s eagerly-awaited Crazy Time live game show itself, and its sister game show title, Crazy Coin Flip, both set for imminent US launch, are sure to be big crowd-pullers, too. A digital Crazy Time spinning money wheel will be a major focal point on the stand, while Crazy Coin Flip, which blends the best of RNG slots into a uniquely thrilling live game show experience, will demonstrate Evolution’s innovative fusing of live online gaming and slots action.
iGaming operators looking for the latest and best in online slots will not be disappointed, either. Evolution’s NetEnt brand will present Finn and The Candy Spin, an exciting sequel to the NetEnt classic, Finn and The Swirly Spin, while the Group’s other slot brands — Red Tiger, Big Time Gaming, and Nolimit City — will all premiere new slots titles at the show.
Jacob Claesson, Evolution CEO North America, said: “We are thrilled to be back at G2E Las Vegas and we are especially looking forward to launching our new live game shows such as Crazy Time and Crazy Coin Flip in the US for the first time. These titles have been incredibly successful in Europe and other markets and we’re confident that US players will absolutely love the fun and entertaining experience of taking part live and online. Clearly, North America is a massively important market for Evolution, and North American operators will see these and many more new and upcoming releases on our even bigger and better 2023 stand. We truly have something for everyone. Not only will attendees see classic and all-new games to suit all player types and operators in the North American market, but there are also global releases for international operators, plus lots to interest operators in Latin America, as well.”
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