iGaming has always been a big proponent of innovation. On the one hand, iGaming providers were always early adopters, working tirelessly to expand on every new platform, whether it was a smartwatch or virtual reality. On the other hand, they are eager to constantly renew their products, coming up with new formats, new game types, and new ways to entertain their players.
There are always studios and providers that excel at innovation. Here are those that have caught our eye this year.
Yggdrasil Gaming
Founded a decade ago by industry veterans in Sweden, Yggdrasil has made it their goal to elevate online gambling to the next level. Their games have always been crafted with great attention to detail, with graphics on par with the Triple-A game developers.
Over the years, Yggdrasil Gaming has introduced innovative functions and features in their games, like GigaBlox (symbols that are 4 to 6 times bigger), UltraNudge (reels that keep nudging and paying in the base game), and JackDrop (a tool to randomly reward players).
Yggdrasil is present in some of the leading online gambling outlets around the world, including Betway South Africa with whom it signed a content supply deal this September.
EVOPlay
There are countless game development studios that churn out quality games month after month, but EVOPlay stands out of the crowd. On the one hand, they have had a mobile-first approach since their founding in 2017. On the other hand, they are experimenting with fusing classic video games and slot machines into a product that will appease the new generation of players raised with a controller in their hand.
Recently, EVOPlay has launched two games that are perfect examples of the above. Dungeon: Immortal Evil is a dungeon crawler fused with a slot machine where our unnamed hero has to clean a fantasy dungeon of the many hostiles found there. Star Guardians, launched recently, goes one step further: the player needs to clean a space station of alien invaders in a third-person shooter complete with multiple weapons, power-ups, and full control of the player character in a 3D environment.
Evolution Gaming
Evolution Gaming has always been at the forefront of casino innovation. It was the company that made live dealer casino games a success in the mid-2000s, and since then, it has expanded its offer with a variety of live experiences. In the last few years, it has added new formats to its portfolio to cover live game shows similar to those that were broadcast TV staples in the 20th century, and brand new formats for the digital age, built around some of the best-known brands they have – just look at Gonzo’s Treasure Map.
Some casino game developers stick to tried-and-tested formats, while there are others that explore the unbeaten path. Whether it’s Yggdrasil’s innovative approach to slot machines, EVOPlay’s shift toward video games, or Evolution Gaming’s brand-new online game shows, you’ll find plenty of innovators in the iGaming industry in 2023.