It’s not enough to just develop games for online casinos, you must take the in-game experience to new heights to keep players engaged in the long-run. That was a key message from Ihor Zarechnyi, Head of Sales at Evoplay, as he shared what he believes to be the “essential ingredients” for those looking to stand out from the competition.
Over the last 12 months, Zarechnyi highlighted some of the key titles that have helped drive Evoplay’s successes in 2022 and the ways he believes the company will continue to innovate in 2023.
CasinoBeats: Congratulations on Evoplay’s fantastic start to 2023! Can you talk us through your commercial success over the last 12 months?
IZ: Thank you! Despite the challenges we have faced in the past year related to the ongoing war in Ukraine, we’re incredibly proud of our team’s success. We owe it to a few things. For starters, we’ve been putting all our efforts into creating amazing games that offer players an unforgettable experience, these include our beloved titles such as Goblin Run, The Greatest Catch, Star Guardians, and of course, our legendary Football Pack, which sportsbooks absolutely love.
Our talented developers and designers have been working tirelessly to make sure our games not only look great, but also provide immersive and fun gameplay; after all, keeping the player entertained is key.
We’ve also been working closely with our partners to ensure that our games reach as many players as possible worldwide. We’ve been lucky enough to team up with key operators in Europe, Asia, and Latin America, with deals signed with the likes of Relax Gaming, Oryx Group (part of Bragg Gaming), as well as Fortuna Entertainment Group. All of which has allowed us to expand our audience and bring our games to even more new markets.
Our focus has always been ensuring that we bring our games to some of the industry’s biggest brands, and thanks to the trust we’ve been able to foster, it really paid off. Italy in particular has been a standout success, where more than 30% of Italian operators now offer our games. In total, we worked with 131 casinos in 2022, but we’re determined to achieve even more in 2023; we already have some exciting things cooking up!
CasinoBeats: As a games studio that has won plenty of CasinoBeats Developer Awards, as well as multiple SBC Awards for leadership and innovation, what do you believe has been key to your success?
IZ: First and foremost, we value teamwork here at Evoplay. We know that when team members work together effectively, it leads to increased productivity, improved creativity, and better problem-solving. It also creates a positive work environment where individuals feel supported and valued. By promoting teamwork, we’ve been able to build a culture of collaboration and mutual support that’s helped us drive growth and success.
In addition to teamwork, we believe that innovation is crucial to staying ahead of the game. We’re always exploring new technologies and ideas to create games that are ahead of the curve. Whether it’s using cutting-edge graphics or incorporating the latest features and functionality, we’re constantly pushing the boundaries of what’s possible in the gaming industry.
Finally, collaboration has also been instrumental towards what has been a fantastic year. We work closely with our partners to understand their needs and create games that meet their specific requirements. By building strong partnerships, we’re able to bring our games to new heights and keep our players engaged.
CasinoBeats: With so many slot studios on the market, what do you believe the essential ingredients to be when it comes to standing out with players?
IZ: When it comes to standing out in the crowded slot studio market, we believe there are several key ingredients to success.
Firstly, it’s crucial to create games that offer a unique and engaging experience for players. This can be achieved by incorporating innovative gameplay features, visually stunning graphics, and unique themes that capture the player’s imagination. We want our games to stand out from the crowd and offer something truly special. There are many studios out there that develop games for online casinos, but that’s not enough to grab the ever-wondering eye of the player. It’s the in-game and out-game gamification that really resonates and generates retention.
Understanding players’ needs and preferences is also important. By listening to partner feedback and analysing player behaviour, we can create games that are tailored to their specific interests and keep them coming back for more. Additionally, we believe in using cutting-edge technology to create games that are faster, more responsive, and more visually impressive than our competitors. Features such as 3D graphics, advanced animations, and immersive sound effects can make all the difference in creating an immersive gaming experience that players will love.
CasinoBeats: Looking at streamers, Evoplay’s certainly had plenty of popularity. How much influence do you believe streamers have on player preferences in 2023, and do you design your games with this kind of entertainment in mind?
IZ: At Evoplay, we know that streamers have become a huge part of the gaming industry lately, and we appreciate their impact on the gaming community. So, when we design our games, we make sure they’re not just fun to play but also fun to watch. We include exciting animations, engaging storylines, quests, tournaments and other innovative gameplay features to create games that are popular among both players and streamers. Keeping our social media presence up to date is also a must; creating engaging content is vital, as it’s all about showing your audience that you’re at the top of your game.
Of course, we also understand that streamers have a big influence on what games players like, and we’re always looking for ways to work with them and other influencers to promote our games and reach more players. However, we don’t forget that our games are meant for everyone, not just streamers. We prioritise the needs and preferences of all players to create games that are enjoyable for everyone.
CasinoBeats: Onto the year ahead – what has Evoplay got in store for its next standout releases? Any hints you can give us as to what to expect following Dungeon: Immortal Evil and Star Guardians?
IZ: We’re really excited about the upcoming year and have been working hard to create some amazing games that we can’t wait to release. While we can’t give away too many details just yet, we’re confident that our new releases will push the limits of what’s possible in the gaming industry, and our upcoming flagship game will really raise the bar.
We can’t give too much away, but I can say that it will be a next-generation instant football game, launched in Q3 this year. Our previous instant, football-themed titles were extremely popular, so we have decided to create a similar, unforgettable title – with standout features that will make it truly special. We are also going to be releasing a wide array of instant games and, since we are one of the world’s most advanced providers in this space, we plan to continue excelling in this area.
We’re also proud to say that our upcoming releases will cater to a wide range of players with diverse themes and gameplay styles. From classic slots to adventure games, we promise that Evoplay has a little something for everyone.