Latest News
UK Game Developer Kwalee Surpasses 100 Employees In Year of Explosive Growth
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Leamington Spa-based mobile game developer and publisher hits milestone with overseas studios in Bangalore and Beijing underway
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Kwalee has grown rapidly in 2020 despite the COVID-19 pandemic, recruiting globally while embracing remote work for the first time
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After tripling in size over the past two years, Kwalee sets sights on more hit games and more growth, with 60+ current vacancies
Kwalee, a leading developer and publisher of hyper-casual mobile games, has expanded its team to more than 100 people after maintaining a rapid rate of growth throughout 2020.
Despite the company’s Leamington Spa headquarters lying empty for much of the year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Kwalee team adapted quickly to temporary remote working measures and released multiple hit games in 2020, including Bake It, Line Up: Draw the Criminal and Let’s Be Cops 3D.
This facilitated growth across all disciplines and departments, from Publishing Managers to Game Designers, with Kwalee welcoming team members from as far afield as Turkey, the Philippines, India, Spain and China. And while Kwalee has always recruited internationally, 2020 was the year in which the company cemented its global outlook by permanently opening several positions to remote workers and committing to open new studios in Bangalore and Beijing. Across all locations, Kwalee has more than 50 open positions.
Founded and led by games industry legend David Darling CBE, a co-founder and former CEO of Codemasters, Kwalee has become one of the UK’s biggest gaming success stories while specialising in hyper-casual games – a style of mobile games that are defined by their accessibility and designed to be played in short bursts. Kwalee has become a leading developer and publisher in this space and has racked up nearly half a billion downloads worldwide.
Kwalee has also earned itself a reputation for being a rewarding workplace, not least for the weekly ‘Creative Wednesdays’ where anyone in the company can pitch their game ideas and vote on which ones get made. This also ties into a generous profit share bonus scheme, which surpassed £1 million in payouts in February 2020.
“We’re extremely proud to have expanded the Kwalee team to more than 100 people – particularly in such a challenging year,” said CEO David Darling. “Our rate of growth has been phenomenal and we all look forward to that continuing, both in Leamington Spa and internationally.
With so many vacant positions still open and big plans for 2021 and beyond, we can’t wait to welcome many more great people to help us release many more great games. Between remote working and the overseas studios we’re building, there are now more options than ever for the world’s best talent to work with us, which is very exciting indeed.”
Jithin Rosh, based in Bangalore, became Kwalee’s 100th team member. Joining as Marketing Artist & Animator, he commented:
“Working for a gaming studio like Kwalee is truly exciting! All my life I’ve been playing games – now I’m part of that process, making games with fun and talented people. I’m very happy to be here and to be Kwalee’s 100th employee!”
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Buffalo 250 Anniversary
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
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
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.
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