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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.

AI

Veikkaus rolls out OpenBet’s Neccton responsible gambling platform ahead of 2027 reform

Published

11 seconds ago

June 16, 2026

Wladimir P.

veikkaus-rolls-out-openbet’s-neccton-responsible-gambling-platform-ahead-of-2027-reform

Veikkaus will deploy the latest version of OpenBet’s Neccton AI-enhanced responsible gambling platform across its digital and retail channels, the companies said on 16 June 2026. The rollout comes as Finland’s newly approved Gambling Act increases operator obligations to spot and address risky gambling behaviour early, including active intervention where risk indicators emerge.

OpenBet said the Neccton platform is designed to identify potentially risky gambling behaviour in real time, generate automated alerts, and support tailored player interventions. The system summarises behavioural data, risk markers and historical context in plain language, and provides AI-assisted explanations intended to support compliance teams while maintaining human oversight.

Susanna Saikkonen, Vice President for Sustainability at Veikkaus, said: “Veikkaus’ individual gambling safety net model is based on identifying risky gambling as early as possible and offering players both support and concrete limitations. The Neccton platform provides us with an ISO-certified, extensively security tested and scientifically validated tool that strengthens our ability to identify risk and support our customers in gambling responsibly.”

Dr Michael Auer, Managing Director of Neccton at OpenBet, said: “In today’s regulatory environment, operators must demonstrate how they actively prevent gambling-related harm. The latest version of the Neccton platform enables real-time, data-driven intervention and measurable duty of care. We are proud to expand our partnership with Veikkaus to further strengthen its responsible gambling framework.”

The Neccton deployment extends Veikkaus’ existing relationship with OpenBet. OpenBet has been powering Veikkaus’ next-generation sportsbook platform and providing Managed Trading Services across digital and retail channels since May 2025, according to the companies. Veikkaus is preparing for Finland’s expected market liberalisation in 2027.

The post Veikkaus rolls out OpenBet’s Neccton responsible gambling platform ahead of 2027 reform appeared first on EE Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

Jani Kontturi Head of Games at SkillOnNet

SkillOnNet adds Octoplay casino games across its UK brands

Published

12 seconds ago

June 16, 2026

Wladimir P.

skillonnet-adds-octoplay-casino-games-across-its-uk-brands

Octoplay titles go live on PlayOJO, Genting, SpinGenie and MegawaysCasino, with more regulated markets planned.

SkillOnNet has launched Octoplay’s casino games across its UK iGaming sites, making the supplier’s content available to players on brands including PlayOJO, Genting, SpinGenie and MegawaysCasino.

The UK rollout includes Octoplay titles such as Vegas is Dead: Battle Arena, Shaolin Panda: Chaos Reels, and Serpent Gold: Hold and Win. SkillOnNet said it plans to expand the partnership into additional regulated markets in the coming months.

Jani Kontturi, Head of Games at SkillOnNet said: “We’re delighted to welcome Octoplay to our platform in the UK. The studio has built a strong reputation for developing high-quality games that combine engaging mechanics with blockbuster production values. We are confident our players will love the content, and we’re excited to extend the partnership into additional regulated markets in the near future.

Ralitsa Georgieva, CEO at Octoplay: “Launching with SkillOnNet in the UK represents another important milestone for Octoplay. SkillOnNet operates some of the industry’s most established iGaming sites, and this partnership allows us to bring our games to a wider audience of players. We look forward to building on this initial launch and expanding together into further markets.”

The post SkillOnNet adds Octoplay casino games across its UK brands appeared first on EE Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

iGaming content

Microgaming launches new Playboy-branded slot, Playboy Gems and Desires

Published

13 seconds ago

June 16, 2026

Wladimir P.

microgaming-launches-new-playboy-branded-slot,-playboy-gems-and-desires

Microgaming has launched Playboy Gems and Desires, the latest addition to its official Playboy-branded games portfolio.

The slot uses a reel set featuring Wild stacks that land on reels two, three and four. The game also uses a ways win structure as part of its presentation.

Free Spins are triggered by landing the letters B-U-N-N-Y. During the bonus, an active Win Multiplier can build, while Reel Jackpots and a Jackpot Wheel are also included.

Microgaming said the game includes “Personal Persistence”, which allows the Free Spins Multiplier and Reel Jackpots to carry across all bet levels. The supplier stated a maximum win potential of up to 5,000x the bet.

A Microgaming spokesperson said: “Playboy is a brand with instant recognition, but also a very clear sense of style, confidence and premium entertainment. With Playboy Gems and Desires, the aim was to capture that atmosphere in a way that feels authentic to the brand, while delivering a slot experience with real energy and broad player appeal. It is another strong addition to our official Playboy portfolio and one that reflects the quality and ambition behind the partnership.”

The post Microgaming launches new Playboy-branded slot, Playboy Gems and Desires appeared first on EE Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.