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How NetEnt built an empire based on familiarity

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Initially founded as Net Entertainment in 1996, NetEnt is one of iGaming’s greatest and most recognisable online slot developers, a company that’s universally known for having a truly unbeatable catalogue of online slots.

But how did this gargantuan Swedish development studio grow in prominence over the years, casting an imposing shadow over the rest of the industry? The short answer, brand power!

That being said, we’re not exactly talking about NetEnt’s brand power here… We’re talking about the fact that NetEnt has traditionally utilised other recognised brands to boost their reputation within the world of iGaming.

In the beginning – NetEnt signs collaborative deal with Universal

NetEnt kick-started this incredibly smart strategy in 2010 when they entered into a landmark multi-year licensing agreement with Universal, the film studio behind some of Hollywood’s greatest movies and television shows.

The first big-name IP that NetEnt developed into an online slot was none other than Mr. Tony Montana himself, the notorious drug lord Scarface. Looking back it’s quite understandable why NetEnt decided to go with an R-rated character.

Not only is Tony Montana all about big money, but it’s much easier to pair a classic bad boy with a form of entertainment such as online slots that have long been looked upon as risqué.

Once it was quite apparent that NetEnt had discovered a winning strategy they continued to sign deals with other major film and television studios such as Colombia Pictures, 20th Century Fox and Sony Entertainment to get access to some of the world’s biggest brands.

These brand partnerships gave NetEnt a competitive edge over other studios who were themselves releasing run-of-the-mill online slots themed around ancient Egypt, Las Vegas and Ireland… Nothing particularly exciting when compared to NetEnt’s slots that are based on hit movies and television shows.

Aggressive expansion – NetEnt’s television and movie-themed slots arrive at casinos across the internet

After the success of Scarface, NetEnt decided to stick with creating branded online slots that feature characters and IP that wouldn’t be ‘tarnished’ by being made into an online slot game. Whether this was a decision made by movie and television executives, or NetEnt themselves remains to be seen… Either way, it worked!

Their next hit games were South Park and Creature from the Black Lagoon. Naturally, South Park featured all of the same rude and crude humour the famous animated show is known for, and as a result, it pulled in a whole host of players (old and new) that were interested in this new and unique crossover.

The same can be said for Creature from the Black Lagoon, a slot based on the unsettling 1954 horror movie of the same name. Despite the fact that not too many players will vividly remember the black and white film, players still flocked to this highly volatile slot.

In the months and subsequent years that followed NetEnt released a huge number of branded TV/movie-themed slots that pulled in huge audiences, these include: South Park: Reel Chaos, The Invisible Man, Frankenstein, Dracula, Universal Monsters: The Phantom’s Curse, Emojiplanet, Planet of the Apes and Conan.

NetEnt also used their successful partnership with Universal to muscle in on the world of music as part of the developers 20th-anniversary celebrations, they got their hands on the IP for some of the world’s biggest rock ‘n’ roll stars Guns N’ Roses, Motörhead and Jimi Hendrix.

Having seriously upped their game utilising big-name brands, NetEnt continued to pull out all the stops to wow audiences with new online slots based on iconic people, tv shows and movies.

First came Jumanji Video Slot, then Narcos (based on the hit Netflix series), followed by Street Fighter II: The World Warrior Slot and most recently Gordon Ramsay Hell’s Kitchen Video Slot.

Building for the future – NetEnt supplement their success by creating their own brand icons

Despite having seen unprecedented success due to their branded slots, credit still must be given to their army of creatives as they’re also responsible for inventing some iconic brands of their own that have gone on to spawn multiple games and feature heavily in casino lobbies.

If you ask anyone today to name a handful of the most recognisable online slot games, odds are they’ll mention NetEnt classics such as Starburst, Gonzo’s Quest, Mega Fortune and Twin Spin. All of these games have spawned popular sequels and are often used as part of casino welcome bonuses due to how popular they are with players around the world.

NetEnt seems to be one of the very few successful online slot developers that have found the perfect balance between creating timeless classics of their own and utilising big-name brands from outside the world of iGaming to help grow their reputation.

Blueprint Gaming and Play’n GO are the only two studios that can hold a candle to NetEnt, and it’s hard to say whether any other developers will get remotely close to any of them at this point. Ultimately, the costs and intricacies involved in licensing are just far too great for up and coming developers to front.

Looking back, it’s clear to see that NetEnt took a serious risk in signing expensive deals with Hollywood studios, but it’s one that paid off tenfold. NetEnt is without a doubt the biggest name in online slots, and has been for the last decade. 

We believe that their success is entirely down to the fact they’ve played host to the biggest names and therefore gained the attention of the biggest casinos, seeing their games front and centre of slot lobbies all over the world.

Alex Scott Chief Product Officer at Tequity

Q&A with Tequity’s new Chief Product Officer Alex Scott

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Following his appointment as Chief Product Officer at iGaming software pioneer Tequity, industry veteran Alex Scott outlines his vision for the company’s expanding product suite. With over 20 years of leadership experience, including driving WPT Global to become the world’s second-largest online poker room, he shares his insights on how Tequity’s approach is redefining both the games players enjoy and the way they are distributed.

You have held senior leadership roles at major operators and suppliers. What convinced you to join Tequity, and what are your main priorities as CPO?

Tequity is a business that I’ve admired since I first became aware of it. In that time I’ve heard so many positive things about how the company is able to move very quickly and decisively, while still delivering ultra high quality products for its partners. When I started interviewing for the position and meeting the people involved, that only reinforced the positive impression I had. It was clear to me that this was a company that is at the forefront of innovation in the iGaming space, creating and delivering content that is fresh and exciting.

My priority as CPO is to further accelerate the development of top-quality products that are highly relevant to today’s players. I’m excited to roll up my sleeves and get stuck in – there are so many possibilities!

Tequity recently secured BMM Testlabs certification for its RNG and the first batch of Originals titles. How does that accelerate your product roadmap?

This certification will open up many more potential customers for Tequity, and therefore many more opportunities for businesses to take advantage of Tequity’s services, like our bespoke Exclusives and our top-performing Originals. Operators fighting for market share are always looking for those added-value elements that can set them apart from the competition and our fully brandable, customisable and feature-packed content offers that key point of difference.

It will also enable the studios using our RGS and Publishing solutions to widen their own distribution and reach many more potential customers as well – just another reason to choose our RGS. We have seen the strong demand for our games and solutions from partners all over the world, and we believe that this appetite will be more than matched by operators in the regulated market space.

Finally, it represents s a step towards a wider regulated market expansion which I am excited to be involved in.

Player preferences are moving decisively toward fast-paced, community-driven experiences. How do Tequity’s game divisions cater to this next generation of player engagement?

One of the things that sets Tequity apart is that the company truly understands what the modern generation of players are looking for. They are discovering online casino in a very different way to past generations, and require simpler, easier to understand, more socially-driven content if you want their full attention. Today’s players expect instant gratification and seamless, mobile-first experiences that fit into their fast-paced lifestyles. They also want gameplay to feel like less of a solitary activity and more of a shared event.

Having spent recent months immersed in casino game development for the crypto generation, I’m really looking forward to contributing to these efforts and having an impact of my own.

You will be joining the Tequity team at iGB Live in London next month. What is the key takeaway you want operators and studios to leave with?

As the newest Tequity signing, I’m looking forward to meeting the rest of the team and many of our partners and customers at iGB Live.

Tequity is an extremely fast and capable company that builds high-quality, interesting products at the cutting-edge of the industry. My hope is that operators and studios leave the event understanding our expertise and capabilities. But I also want them to leave with a sense of the enthusiasm and passion that we have for building great games that stand out from the crowd.

The post Q&A with Tequity’s new Chief Product Officer Alex Scott appeared first on EE Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

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Ariel Reem CEO at Games Valley

Games Valley adds SPRIBE’s Aviator crash game to aggregation platform

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Deal adds the flagship crash title to Games Valley’s operator distribution network via a single integration.

Games Valley has added SPRIBE’s crash game Aviator to its aggregation platform, extending operator access to the supplier’s flagship title.

Under the agreement, Aviator will be distributed through Games Valley’s platform to its network of operators across regulated and emerging markets.

SPRIBE said Aviator reaches more than 77 million monthly active players, processes over 400,000 bets per minute, and accounts for more than 90% of the global crash-game market.

Ariel Reem, CEO at Games Valley, said: “Aviator is one of those rare games that has become a category-defining product. For operators, this is exactly the kind of content that can make an immediate impact. At Games Valley, we’re focused on giving operators access to the games players already know and trust, while helping them maximise performance through a fast, flexible aggregation platform.”

Giorgi Tsutskiridze, CCO at SPRIBE, said: “Games Valley has built a strong reputation as a modern aggregation partner for operators that want access to premium casino content quickly, efficiently and reliably. Through this partnership, we are able to bring Aviator to a wider network of operators through a platform that understands the value of proven, high-performing content in both established and fast-growing markets.”

The post Games Valley adds SPRIBE’s Aviator crash game to aggregation platform appeared first on EE Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

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Microgaming expands Playboy-branded live casino and adds new slot

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Playboy Gems and Desires launches 10 June as the supplier highlights roulette and faster baccarat formats in Microgaming Live.

Microgaming is spotlighting its official Playboy partnership across live casino and slots, as it continues to build a portfolio of Playboy-branded content for operators. The company said its latest slot, Playboy Gems and Desires, launched on 10 June.

In live casino, Microgaming said Playboy Roulette is positioned as the core title within a wider Playboy-branded suite available through Microgaming Live. The supplier said the live range includes multiple table formats presented in a branded studio environment.

Microgaming also pointed to Playboy Speed Baccarat, which it said runs rounds 30% faster than standard baccarat and includes features such as multi-table mode, side bets, statistics and racetrack bets.

Across the live product line-up, the company said the Playboy branding extends to elements including Playboy Bunny presenters, branded tables and live chat, alongside operator-facing marketing options. On slots, Microgaming said Playboy Gems and Desires includes Wild stacks, B-U-N-N-Y-triggered Free Spins, a Jackpot Wheel and a top win potential of up to 5,000x the bet.

A Microgaming spokesperson said: “Playboy is a brand with a unique place in popular culture, and our official partnership gives us the opportunity to build something that feels much broader than a single table or title. What makes this relationship so exciting is the ability to bring that unmistakable sense of style and premium entertainment to life across various formats. Playboy Gems and Desires is the latest chapter in that story, and a strong example of how the Playboy identity can continue to evolve across both slots and live casino.”

The post Microgaming expands Playboy-branded live casino and adds new slot appeared first on EE Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

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