When browsing through the news about new video slots and online casinos, news from 3 major software providers make up about 80% of the stories. These three software giants are naturally NetEnt, Microgaming and PlayTech, but there are a huge number of smaller software companies out there, some of them on the verge of breaking through, and others just starting out.
We’ve had an interesting time lurking around the internet trying to look for innovation, quality or an unusually cool storyline from the lesser published game-smiths.
First up, let’s revisit two of our old acquaintances, Leander Games and Quickspin, who we spoke to at ICE 2013.
Leander Games have been busy bees, releasing a number of slots, the latest of which are Zombie Rush and a mobile version of their colorful slot adventure Potion Factory. In the background, they have also been developing their casino platform software, as well as signing massive deals with major gaming companies like Rational Group, who plan to launch a casino with their popular Full Tilt branding.
Quickspin have not been idle either, putting out slots like Three Musketeers and Firestorm, and their Big Bad Wolf slot received the Game of the Year title at the EGR Operator Awards 2013. On the business front, their latest big deal was a partnership with Ladbrokes, which is considered one of the largest gaming and betting companies.
It’s good to see that the companies that caught our attention for their original and entertaining games back at the beginning of 2013 are still on the rise and producing enjoyable high-quality games.
Further afield, we turn to Yggdrasil, a sacred cosmic ash tree from Norse mythology, from which Yggdrasil Gaming draw their name. Yggdrasil Gaming are also a very successful new software provider, who have already signed deals with Mr Green, Leo Vegas and many other casinos. Their latest games are Robotnik, which we have to say looks stunning, and Fruitoids, which features sticky symbols and many multipliers. In addition to slots, Yggdrasil also make lottery software.
Unfortunately, not everyone has been blossoming. Sheriff Gaming, for example, was one of the companies forced to close their doors after serious legal problems. A takeover attempt was made to launch the games under the name of a new company called Blue Gem Gaming, but the Dutch authorities were having none of that, and quickly closed down the company.
Online casino software pioneer Cryptologic were purchased by Amaya and companies like IGT and Realtime Gaming have also had some interesting developments, which will be the subject of our next article.
So make sure to check back in for more news about these and other online casino software providers in our next installment on the latest developments in video slots and other casino games.
What’s Buzzing With the Smaller Software Providers
