Latest News

With 50 Million Master Bakers, ‘Bake It’ Is Now Kwalee’s 2nd-Biggest Mobile Game

Published

5 years ago

July 22, 2021

Kwalee’s Bake It has officially passed 50 million downloads, making it the publisher’s second most-downloaded hypercasual game to date. Its impressive download count is topped only by Draw It (95 million+ downloads).

Released in May 2020, this tactile game about baking perfect cakes and treats took the mobile game market by storm – it ranked at #1 in the ‘Simulation’ category in 20 countries, and achieved close to 10 million downloads in the first month alone!

Bake It gives the player a chance to explore their delicious itch for culinary baking. Players bake monumental cakes, dressing them with a smorgasbord of sweet toppings and icing and sprinkles and candies – based on what the customer’s sweet tooth craves, of course.

2020 was a testing time for Kwalee, as it was for everyone. The company — headquartered in Leamington Spa — faced the challenge of swapping the shared physical space of its studio with a remote, digital development environment due to the rampant COVID-19 pandemic.

Bake It, Kwalee’s first game launched under these circumstances, proved to be the standard-bearer in the firm’s impressive adaptation to remote working. Kwalee began 2020 as a developer and publisher with just over 60 staff, all firmly UK and office-based, and now finds itself with more than 160 team members, across 13 countries and three offices – Leamington Spa, Bangalore and Beijing.

CEO David Darling expressed his thoughts on the game’s success and its role in Kwalee’s development as a globally-distributed team:

“Seeing the success of Bake It along with a few other hit games of ours, like Object Hunt and Shootout 3D – it gives us confidence in remote working as the new model for our work culture. There’s a lot of potential we’re seeing in working this way to bring more hit games in the long term, especially with a globally-distributed team, so we’re excited about that.”

CEO David Darling

For an even greater insight into the making of Bake It, Kwalee’s Head of Development Simon Platt published an article soon after the game’s release that dove deep into the team’s experience of handling both development and publishing of Bake It during the pandemic.

Between opening up permanent remote opportunities for candidates globally and working alongside the overseas offices in Bangalore and Beijing, Kwalee’s teams have had to keep their work structure consistent online whilst meeting project goals simultaneously. It has ultimately paid off, with the recent remote releases skyrocketing in the charts.

Kwalee is currently running a challenge for third-party developers called Hypercasual Heroes, in which developers have the chance to get their games published by Kwalee and potentially secure a slice of that Bake It-style success – along with incredible, limited-time awards including a Tesla Model 3 car and $100,000 in advances with uncapped profit share to follow! Open for submissions until 31st August, developers can simply upload their 15-second gameplay video to Kwalee’s new publisher portal in order to be eligible.*

In the case of Bake It, the cherry on top was provided by the fact that interest in baking shot up during the first lockdown, often cited as a therapeutic and productive outlet to bust stress and anxiety. Bake It certainly hit the sweet spot in this regard but more than a year on, it’s also showed impressive longevity.

Bake It continues to receive updates from Kwalee’s dedicated team of designers and developers, who tailor the experiences for all kinds of players so anyone could become the best baker they can be. Android users and iOS users can find Bake It available for download on Google Play Store and App Store respectively.

Kwalee has been nominated in both Best Developer and Best Publisher categories at the upcoming Mobile Games Awards, and you can visit the official website for more information on joining our global team or getting your game published with us.

Buffalo 250 Anniversary

ICONIC21 launches Buffalo 250 Anniversary slot themed around US 250th

Published

29 minutes ago

July 3, 2026

Wladimir P.

iconic21-launches-buffalo-250-anniversary-slot-themed-around-us-250th

Fourth of July-themed release reflects the studio’s push for market-specific content in regulated US-facing iGaming.

ICONIC21 has launched Buffalo 250 Anniversary, a Fourth of July-themed slot created to mark the United States’ 250th anniversary.

The game is centered on a buffalo and set against Independence Day fireworks, using imagery associated with US identity and the country’s upcoming semi quincentennial.

ICONIC21 said the release reflects its focus on building content around themes and player preferences that resonate in specific markets, with the US described as an increasingly important market for its partners and a key source of player engagement. The company develops live casino, RNG and slots content for regulated operators.

“The Fourth of July is one of those occasions that is recognised far beyond the United States, and the country’s 250th anniversary makes it especially significant,” said Edvardas Sadovskis, Chief Product Officer at ICONIC21. “The theme combines a distinctly American symbol with a moment that has real cultural relevance for players and operators alike.”

ICONIC21 added that it works with operators to shape its roadmap around player data, market demand and local relevance, and that it assesses follow-on titles using internal views, performance data and operator feedback. The provider said it has expanded beyond a classic casino portfolio — including roulette, baccarat and blackjack — into RNG and slots while keeping a market-specific focus for regulated environments.

The post ICONIC21 launches Buffalo 250 Anniversary slot themed around US 250th appeared first on EE Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

Betsson CEO Pontus Lindwall

Gaming in the Nordics launch event sets annual Copenhagen conference from 2027

Published

29 minutes ago

July 3, 2026

Wladimir P.

gaming-in-the-nordics-launch-event-sets-annual-copenhagen-conference-from-2027

Invite-only Copenhagen event at Better Collective HQ featured Nordic regulators and operators discussing compliance and channelisation.

Gaming in the Nordics has set plans for a full-size annual conference in Copenhagen starting in June 2027, following an invitation-only launch event held at Better Collective’s HQ in Copenhagen.

The launch event focused on the Nordics’ role in Europe’s iGaming market, with sessions on regulation and compliance. Morten Ronde, CEO of the Danish Online Gambling Association and Partner at Nordic Legal, said the region’s “pragmatism and willingness to be early adopters” could make Nordic jurisdictions the first to deploy “the next generation of innovative iGaming regulation.”

Anders Dorph, Director of Danish regulator Spillemyndigheden, discussed operator compliance, the role of Big Tech, and player monitoring. On the benefits of a regulated market, Dorph said Danish-licensed operators “are all very eager to be compliant. The industry [in Denmark] wants to be compliant. And that is a fact.”

From an operator perspective, Betsson CEO Pontus Lindwall and Immense Group CEO Jesper Kärrbrink addressed market channelisation and player protection. Lindwall outlined three prerequisites for a healthy market with high channelisation: “1) a competitive product; 2) meaningful player protections; and 3) real enforcement.” He added: “We are in a business where there is harm,” and argued that protecting players requires channelisation because “We also need to be able to reach these players, which we can only do if they are inside of the regulated system.”

Gaming in the Nordics founder Willem van Oort said: “I think the Gaming in the Nordics Launch Event was a fantastic success… I am very much looking forward to repeating this experience next year on a larger scale.” Other speakers listed by the organiser included Better Collective co-founder and co-CEO Jesper Søgaard, Birgitte Sand (Birgitte Sand & Associates), Pekka Ilmivalta (Nordic Legal – Finland), Josh Hodgson (H2 Gambling Capital), Daniel Valiollahi (BOS), Rasmus Kjaergaard (Mindway AI), Jeffrey Haas (Blask), and day chair Peter-Paul de Goeij (QuodBonum.se).

The post Gaming in the Nordics launch event sets annual Copenhagen conference from 2027 appeared first on EE Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

Africa

PopOK Gaming sponsors Botswana’s TT Cup Challenge horse racing event

Published

29 minutes ago

July 3, 2026

Wladimir P.

popok-gaming-sponsors-botswana’s-tt-cup-challenge-horse-racing-event

Organisers say the annual community race drew more than 3,500 spectators, with Botswana Gambling Authority and the Ministry of Sport and Arts involved.

PopOK Gaming has sponsored Botswana’s annual TT Cup Challenge Horse Racing Event, backing the community race as it drew what organisers described as its biggest crowd to date.

The company said this year’s TT Cup Challenge attracted more than 3,500 spectators from neighbouring villages. The event is positioned as a community sports fixture celebrating Botswana’s horse racing tradition.

PopOK Gaming said it worked alongside long-standing partners including the Botswana Gambling Authority and the Ministry of Sport and Arts, and with TT Cup founder Mr. Tymon and other sponsors, to support delivery of the event.

The company also used the event for stakeholder engagement, saying its team met with Mr. Kemorwale, CEO of the Botswana Gambling Authority, and the Hon. Minister of Sport and Arts, Jacob Kelebeng. PopOK Gaming said discussions covered the future of Botswana’s gaming sector, industry development, and opportunities for collaboration.

PopOK Gaming said the sponsorship forms part of its wider strategy to build partnerships in regulated markets while supporting community engagement and responsible industry development.

The post PopOK Gaming sponsors Botswana’s TT Cup Challenge horse racing event appeared first on EE Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.