David Fall, Business Development Manager at ELA Games, chats to CasinoBeats about the studio’s rapid growth in 2024 and why it has decided to lean into streaming as part of its marketing mix to support this development.
CasinoBeats: ELA Games has grown substantially both operationally and in terms of recruitment. How important has it been to scale the team to continue the business’s development?
David Fall: The studio outlined its ambitions early in 2024 and quickly recognised the need to scale operations. Throughout the year, we’ve doubled our team, bolstering our capabilities with valuable design, management and technical talent. ELA Games isn’t afraid to push the boundaries and recruit the necessary talent to realise our ambitions and plans.
This rapid expansion of personnel allows us to achieve so much more. Specifically, we’ve increased our output from one to two games per month, boosting our exposure to the public with the goal of becoming a well-known name for players. We’re excited to show the public what we have coming up.
CB: One way that ELA Games is differentiating itself is through the use of streamers. How have you tapped into that market and what are the benefits of doing so?
DF: Utilising streamers’ influence with their large and diverse audiences is something that I resonate with, seeing as I’m also a streamer. So, seeing our success with this marketing tactic brings me extra joy.
We’ve identified a collection of macro and targeted micro-streamers who align with our growth objectives. They streamed a number of our games, including Cash of Gods and Lucky Dwarfs, which saw traffic to these games increase drastically. Our high-quality animations, unique and exciting gameplay mechanics and colourful aesthetics were big contributors to attracting and retaining these new players. We look forward to developing these partnerships and seeing more streamers introduce our games to their audiences in the coming months.
CB: You have come from a streaming background yourself – what are your experiences in slot streaming and how are you applying it here at ELA Games?
DF: My experience as a streamer gives me a unique advantage as ELA Games’ Business Development Manager. I understand how each game might resonate with streamers and players, and I can channel my deep knowledge of slot gameplay to create high-impact and popular titles. I’m also familiar with the business side of slot streaming, giving me a unique perspective on how to handle collaborations with any streaming partners ELA Games is interested in.
However, a significant part of game development is listening to player feedback. I test our games rigorously, and we consult with our streamer partners to improve our products. This two-way collaboration gives us a unique advantage, and we’re able to curate a portfolio of games that players will continue to enjoy.
CB: Why do you think ELA Games titles are popular among streamers? Were they developed with streamers and their audiences in mind?
DF: We put a lot of attention and care into the art and design. When we develop our games, we build captivating worlds supported by high-quality graphics, fluid animation and vivid themes. These elements, combined with our engaging game mechanics, mean ELA Games titles are perfect for streamers and their audiences.
Cash of Gods is one of our most popular slots. It’s a well-rounded game and simple to understand. However, due to its mythological theme, it’s extremely popular with the Greek market. Our more experimental and creative games, like Joker Cashpot or Bandidos Bang!, are gaining traction in the streaming world. The gameplay is unique and refreshing, which resonates with streamers’ viewers.
CB: Tell us about some of your recent partnerships, including with Relax Gaming and Slotegrator. How are you collaborating with these new partners?
DF: As part of our growth strategy, we identified key industry figures and signed mutually beneficial partnerships with them. Recently, we partnered with Relax Gaming and Slotegrator, two crucial B2B iGaming providers and aggregators that will help ELA Games gain exposure to a more diverse audience.
We’re always open to discussion and are eager to explore new possibilities with more partners. If you’re a directory, iGaming platform or B2B distributor, we encourage you to get in touch with us by reaching out directly or by visiting us at one of our stands at some upcoming events we’ll be attending.
Check out our website for more info: https://www.elagames.com/ or contact us at [email protected]
CB: ELA Games recently launched a video series. What is the series about and what sort of content can our readers expect from it?
DF: We started our new video series, ELAborated Games, two months ago. We have so many more episodes in the works, and we’re excited to expand the format in the future. These short videos cover everything that we’ve been cooking at the studio, including new games, exciting partnerships, industry recognition and much more. We’ve received amazing feedback regarding the video format, and I’m excited to see how we can spice them up and develop the series with every release!
CB: We are fast approaching the SBC Summit in Lisbon, where ELA Games will be exhibiting. What are your plans for the event?
DF: This event is going to be a bit different for us, as we’re unveiling some ambitious plans. I can’t delve too much into the details, but we’re going to be increasing our output to two games per month, made possible by our recent explosion in talent. But, more importantly, we’re going to be demonstrating our new games live! We have four games we’d like to show off:
- Madshow Circus: We cooked up a chaotic and 5×4, 10 payline, maddening circus-themed slot. It comes with two major bonus features: Wild Ride and Knife Klash, both full of multipliers to maximise gains.
- Devil’s Treasures: A thrilling online slot game featuring the groundbreaking PopWins™ mechanic from AvatarUx! Each winning symbol increases reel height, and I’m so excited to see attendees chaining together huge wins.
- AquaMafia: Dive deep for captivating gameplay with this slot’s Sticky Respin feature! Winning symbols stay locked and the reels respin until no winning combinations form. Great potential for some massive wins there!
- Farm Hunt: Enjoy some countryside gaming with a slot that’s packed with bonus features. Like various surprises when playing? This is a slot for you.