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UK Game Developer Kwalee Surpasses Half a Billion Downloads of Hyper-Casual Mobile Games

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  • Leamington Spa-based mobile game developer and publisher hits milestone following 2020 successes including Bake It, Let’s Be Cops 3D and Teacher Simulator

  • 90% of downloads have come in past two years, with Kwalee growing rapidly and recently passing 100 employees

  • Many more internally-developed and published titles in the works as the race to a billion begins

Kwalee, a leading developer and publisher of hyper-casual mobile games, has surpassed half a billion downloads across its portfolio of hyper-casual games on the App Store and Google Play.

After a strong year in which the company has grown to more than 100 employees and launched hit games including Bake It, Line Up: Draw the Criminal, Let’s Be Cops 3D, Teacher Simulator and Blade Forde 3D, Kwalee’s 500 million milestone positions it firmly among the world’s premier mobile game publishers.

Underscoring the incredible reach of Kwalee’s games, latest releases Let’s Be Cops 3D and Teacher Simulator have consistently featured alongside one another in the top 5 most downloaded iOS games in the USA, since launching in October and November respectively.

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Headquartered in Leamington Spa and with growing teams in Bangalore, India and Beijing, China, Kwalee is led by CEO, founder and games industry legend David Darling CBE. Darling previously co-founded and ran Codemasters, a company reportedly the subject of a $1 billion acquisition, so his track record in the industry is beyond question. He recently won the Outstanding Leadership Award at the 2020 TIGA Awards.

Kwalee has firmly established itself as a leading developer and publisher of hyper-casual games – a style of mobile games that are defined by their accessibility and designed to be played in short bursts – and this half a billion milestone is the ultimate confirmation of that.

The single biggest contributor to the half a billion download total is Draw It, a rapid-fire and evergreen drawing game which has been downloaded 87 million times. Other major releases for Kwalee have included Jetpack Jump (42 million downloads), Bake It (38 million downloads), Shootout 3D (35 million downloads) and Rocket Sky! (30 million downloads).

Kwalee’s varied catalogue of releases includes both those developed internally and by brilliant third-party developers of all sizes, with an equal commitment and investment given to each. The company is always looking to enter partnerships with developers and will offer them genuine support and coaching on all aspects of their games, from game design to monetisation.

And when it comes to internal development, the vast majority of Kwalee hits begin with a pitch on ‘Creative Wednesdays’, a weekly opportunity for anyone in the company to pitch their dream game ideas and vote on which ones get made. This formula has powered Kwalee to 500 million downloads with countless great concepts and there is a firm belief that it will take the company to one billion and beyond.

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“Kwalee was founded with a belief in the power of digital distribution and great digital marketing to propel games to a massive global audience,” said CEO David Darling. “That’s not something that can be accomplished overnight, but achieving half a billion downloads by sticking to these principles is a very proud moment for all of us. Our approach to launching hit games is always being refined, we’re getting better all the time and we’re already setting our sights on one billion!”

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Aristocrat Leisure Completes Acquisition of Neo Group Ltd. (f/k/a NeoGames) for $29.50 per Share

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Neo Group Ltd. (formerly known as NeoGames S.A.), announced today that Aristocrat Leisure Limited, an entertainment and content creation company delivering world-leading mobile and casino games, has completed the previously announced acquisition of all of the outstanding ordinary shares of Neo for $29.50 per share in an all-cash transaction, representing an enterprise value of approximately $1.2 billion for Neo.

“We are excited to have successfully closed this transaction and joined forces with the Aristocrat team to further drive our success across iLottery, iGaming, and online sports betting,” said Moti Malul, Chief Executive Officer of Neo. “We firmly believe that this Transaction represents a great outcome for all of Neo’s shareholders, customers and employees. We are very grateful to all our stakeholders who have supported us since our inception. I would also like to thank all our employees for their commitment in making Neo the great company it is today.”

The transaction was announced on May 15, 2023.

The post Aristocrat Leisure Completes Acquisition of Neo Group Ltd. (f/k/a NeoGames) for $29.50 per Share appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

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PRAGMATIC PLAY DELIVERS BRAND NEW DEDICATED LIVE STUDIO FOR BETSSON

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Pragmatic Play, a leading content supplier to the iGaming industry, has expanded its partnership with Betsson Group to deliver an exclusive dedicated Live Casino studio featuring a mix of premium Blackjack and Roulette tables.

Incorporating all the fan-favourite features of Pragmatic Play’s Live Casino games, including multiplayer mode, chat functionality, and bet behind, the nine custom-built tables have been uniquely crafted to immerse players in the Betsson Group brands.

In total, eight new dedicated Blackjack tables and one new Roulette table will be broadcast from the custom-built live studio, every detail of which has been designed to Betsson’s precise requirements.

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It is the latest dedicated studio to be delivered by Pragmatic Play, whose operator partners can also use Smart Studio to customise elements of the Live Casino titles to produce bespoke environments that showcase their brands.

Irina Cornides, Chief Operating Officer at Pragmatic Play, said: “Delivering a dedicated studio for Betsson marks another milestone for Pragmatic Play’s award-winning Live Casino offering. Betsson is a much-valued partner, and we are delighted to provide them with an immersive live environment that is fully dedicated to their brand.”

Chellyanne Cassar, Live Casino Manager at Betsson Group, added: “We are delighted to collaborate with Pragmatic Play to ensure delivery of a bespoke dedicated studio, where we can showcase our brand-new Blackjack and Roulette tables.

“The partnership highlights our shared commitment to delivering unparalleled gaming experiences, and we’re thrilled with the final results of the studio.”

The post PRAGMATIC PLAY DELIVERS BRAND NEW DEDICATED LIVE STUDIO FOR BETSSON appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

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EL Executive Committee Names Mr Ionut-Valeriu Andrei as New Member

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The EL Executive Committee has named Mr. Ionut-Valeriu Andrei as its newest member during its meeting on April 5. Mr. Andrei is the General Manager of Loteria Română since 2022, and succeeds Mr. Olgierd Cieslik, whose term as CEO of Totalisator Sportowy (Poland) has concluded.

”It is with great pleasure to welcome Mr Ionut-Valeriu Andrei as a new Executive Committee member. As an experienced executive, Mr Andrei has already contributed in various ways to our Association and the EL Executive Committee members trust he will continue to do so in the future,” Arjan van ‘t Veer, Secretary General of EL, said.

Mr Andrei will oversee the learning and development activities of EL. His appointment underscores the further commitment of the European Lotteries to inclusivity and collaboration among its members.

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”I am honoured to join the EL Executive Committee and look forward to working closely with my colleagues to advance the mission and values of the Association,” Ionut-Valeriu Andrei said.

Mr Andrei’s co-optation will be formalised during the upcoming EL General Assembly in Salzburg (Austria) on 17 June 2024.

The post EL Executive Committee Names Mr Ionut-Valeriu Andrei as New Member appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

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