About Play’n GO
A software provider that lives and breathes its motto – ‘Trust. Energy. Quality.’ – Play’n GO’s story starts in Sweden in the 1990s. Co-founders Joakim Dahl and Johan Törnqvist – self-proclaimed geeky gamers – saw the future in online casino games, and by 1997, they were at the forefront of iGaming.
By their own admission, Play’n GO was a small operation to start with, but by 2005, when Play’n GO was established in its own right, the company was taking shape as the formidable force we see today.
Play’n GO now has over 700 employees and has produced over 300 games. Whilst their HQ is still based in Växjö, Sweden, Play’n GO also have offices in the Philippines, London, Hungary and Malta.
What’s on offer
The list of Play’n Go services is extensive and includes casino games, bingo games, demo slots, mobile games, social casino, iGaming and online casino slots. Play’n Go also offers an eGaming platform that incorporates an omnichannel interface. Play’n Go draws inspiration from sources as diverse as Norse and Greek mythology, Arthurian legends, and aliens. They even offer an eclectic selection of music-themed games.
Licences and jurisdictions
Licensed in over 20 jurisdictions, including Europe, Latin America and Canada, Play’N GO are regulated in the UK by the Gambling Commision, in Malta by the Malta Gaming Authority, and in Gibraltar by both the Gibraltar Licensing Authority and Gibraltar Gambling Commissioner.
In 2018 they expanded into the Italian market with Lottomatica and have recently ventured into the newly opened US market – alongside Bet MGM New Jersey – after receiving an Ontario supplier licence (October 2022). In 2018, Play’n Go signed a deal with PokerStars to bring their games to their platforms, and in 2019, Iforium, a leading online casino aggregator, completed its integration with Play’n GO and launched their games on its Gameflex™ casino platform.
Pioneering
So, how did Play’n GO become one of the casino industry’s largest gaming entertainment suppliers? Well, they themselves credit their success to “recognising the potential of gaming on the GO”, making them Play’n GO by name – Play’n GO by nature! True to their word, the company was pioneering in being one of the first suppliers to bring casino games to mobile devices in 2007.
Recently, their CCO, Magnus Olsson, boldly claimed ‘you cannot run a successful casino online in Europe without our games’, and when you look at their portfolio, you can see that he may just be right. As a supplier that incorporates stunning graphics and immersive gameplay with multi-channel capabilities, Play’n GO is the full package.
DNA
“We work to achieve our vision by focusing on entertainment, fun and quality – that’s in our DNA” – Johan Törnqvist, CEO and Co-Founder of Play’n GO.
The Play’n GO brand is all about fun, innovation and creation. They see themselves not just as a gambling brand, but as an entertainment brand too. Their games are rich with glorious graphics, full of amazing story arcs brimming with backstories. Narrative and theme are at the heart of Play’N GO’s creations, with designers taking a holistic approach and believing that ‘you’re only limited by imagination’. They create not just a game, but an immersive world, and they try to do it as responsibly as possible.
Play’n GO Features
Responsible Gaming
As a supplier, Play’n Go takes responsible gaming very seriously. As mentioned, they are keen to frame themselves as an entertainment company and stress that their products are a safe gateway into the gaming environment.
Indeed, not only do Play’n Go have a Safer Gambling Council and regularly collaborate with regulators, research bodies and partners, but their CEO Johan Tornqvist recently appeared at the Kindred Safer Gambling Conference 2022 to explain just how committed the company is to keeping entertainment safe. He pledged that the company would put ethics above profit and would never incorporate the ‘bonus buy feature’ into their games. Tornqvist said he felt this feature pushed players in the wrong direction and that instead they should feel play and cost are worthwhile trade-offs.
Social Responsibility
As with all big firms within the iGaming sector, you will find CSR at the heart of the company. Play’n GO are committed to ‘climate’ and have made many pledges to make the world a better place for all to enjoy. They feel they can better the Paris Agreement, and the company is striving for carbon neutrality by 2025 and net zero by 2030.
A ‘change in progress’ Play’n Go is committed to reducing their direct and indirect carbon emissions, changing their systems and strategies and looking at big impact areas in which they can continue the process of offsetting. You can also find some nice pictures of the team planting trees on their website.
Visibility
As one of the largest suppliers of casino games around, the Play’n GO team can be found representing their brand in all the usual places – be that SIGMA or G2E. Play’n GO have, as expected, collected many awards over their lifetime, such as the SBC award for Game Developer of the Year and the IGA slot of the year, which they won three times in a row. Industry awards are all well and good, but proving you can make games that players actually rate is another matter entirely. But it is no surprise that Play’n GO won the AskGamblers Slot of the Year Award in 2019, as voted for by online slot players.
Through their Play’N SHOW initiative they have outlined their path within the sector for the next few years. Play’N GO believes that the iGaming sector is split between those suppliers and hosts who want more regulations and to promote fun and entertainment, and those who do not share those priorities. Play’N GO, of course, strives to be on the right side of regulation.
Selectivity
Play’n Go credit selectivity as one of the keys to their success. They choose their partners with care and recognise that whilst you have to diversify and differentiate, creating content that stands the test of time is a far greater achievement. They partner with those who share their ethos and standards, those that agree that content is important for retention, that not all content should be pushed on every player and that a feel good factor, and value for money, ultimately ensure a healthy return on investment. Play n’ Go are not scared to acknowledge the risk to them as a brand if they choose poor suppliers, so they invest their money and time carrying out careful evaluations.
Landbased partners with Play’n Go can avail of ground-breaking products such as OMNY. OMNY combines services, support, automation and AI, allowing operators to take advantage of the latest in professional and super efficient gaming technology: Play’n GO’s cashless modern sleek screens.
Social Media
If you just can’t get enough of the Play’n Go team, the good news is there are plenty of ways to keep up to date with the brand.
You can find Play’n GO on Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.
With over 1K subscribers, Play’n GO’s YouTube channel showcases their games in a style true to the brand’s core belief of ‘entertainment premium’ – often bypassing the gameplay and instead concentrating on the story arc. Feeling a bit like it should come with a “not actual gameplay” disclaimer, the controversial move is however an aesthetic delight, and is certainly a change from the staid “5 reels X 243 ways to win” industry format.
Recent additions to Play’n GO’s YouTube channel see the company once again raising the bar in the entertainment stakes. Their Play’n GO The Go Show presents itself like a sleek chat show and actually manages to pull off not being too cheesy. It also gives the brand a platform that allows watchers to meet the team and have them explain their vision behind their creations.
Most Popular Games by Play’n GO
With so many aesthetically pleasing and carefully crafted titles to choose from, Play’n GO doesn’t make singling out their most popular games an easy task. However, there are clearly some slots that have stood the test of time and risen to the top. Amongst the standout titles are the legendary Book of Dead, the Rise of Olympus, The Sword and The Grail, Reactoonz, and Viking Runecraft.
Rich Wilde and the Book of Dead
- Looking uncannily similar to Novomatic’s 2005 hit, Book of Ra, Rich Wilde and the Book of Dead has performed enormously well for Play’n GO, being one of the most played online slot games of all time. Released in 2016, the game consistently finds itself in top ten online casino slot ranking lists. The volatility of Book of Dead is very high, and although claims of RTP can be touted as around 96%, in reality it is more like 80% – 97%, with it taking an average of 174 spins to trigger the bonus free spins feature.
- With 10 paylines, 5×3 layout, bets ranging from 0.01 to 50, max win of x5000 coins, gamble feature and expanding symbols, Book of Dead’s Egyptian ‘Indiana Jones’ theme is an aesthetic marvel. Based on its success you can see why Play’n GO have chosen to expand the universe with titles such as Rich Wilde and the Tome of Madness, Cat Wilde and the Doom of the Dead, Legacy of the Dead, and Ankh of Anubis.
Rise of Olympus
- Part of the Play’n GO Greek Mythology series, Rise of Olympus was released in 2018. A masculine reskin of 2017’s Moon Princess, Play’n GO have, as always, created an elaborate backstory and poured resources into picture-perfect gameplay. With bare-chested Greek Gods embroiled in an epic tale of sibling rivalry, Poseidon, Zeus and Hades take players on a journey of free spins, cluster wins and a random Hand of God feature.
- A 5×5 grid, RTP of 94%, min bet of 0.20, max payout of x5000, this is a high volatility slot that can leave you hanging on for a win. The Wrath of God feature unleashes the brothers to help you on your task towards the free spins round, where destiny is in your own hands. You get to choose your own path, but with up to 20x multiplier and a 100x bonus if you clear the grid, choose wisely.
- Play’n GO have released a follow-up for 2022, Rise of Olympus 100, and their Greek Mythology series includes Rise of Gods Reckoning, Rise of Athena, and Shield of Athena.
The Sword and The Grail
- Released in 2019, The Sword and The Grail is part of the Arthurian Legend Play’n GO collection. Offering bonuses within bonuses, this slot features gameplay as visually thrilling as it is aesthetically appealing. Accompanied by Lancelot the knight, Lady Guinevere, Merlin the enchanter and King Arthur, players have the opportunity to unlock levels of bonus spins reaching a crescendo of 5 free spins with 100x multiplier.
- A classic 5×3, 20 payline slot, The Sword and The Grail boasts an RTP of 96.5% and an SRP of 118%. Bets can start from as little as 0.10, and whilst volatility is extremely high, the max payout is a whopping x10,000.
- Play’n GO has many other titles in the Arthurian series for players to enjoy, such as 15 Crystal Roses: A Tale of Love, Diamonds of the Realm, The Green Knight, and Rise of Merlin.
Reactoonz
- If mythology and magic aren’t your thing, then you could check out the sci-fi themed range from Play’n GO. There you’ll find games such as Reactoonz, Reactoonz 2, Dr Toonz, and Gigantoonz, all filled with funny looking alien-type creatures. Of course, this being Play’n GO, the little critters aren’t just ‘aliens’ – they have an elaborate backstory courtesy of a mad scientist called Dr Richard Toonz.
- The game itself was released in 2017 and is a whirlwind of cascading wins, cluster pays, expanding and gigantic symbols, random wilds and quantum leaps! Reactoonz is set on a 7×7 grid, with an RTP of 94.5%, a starting bet of just 0.20 and a max win of x4,570. The ultimate goal is to trigger enough wins to work through the Quantum Leap Meter, unlock the Alteration, Demolition, Implosion and Incision bonuses and reach the Gargantoon feature.
Viking Runecraft
- You’ll find Viking Runecraft within the Norse Mythology catalogue of Play’n GO games. A 7×7 reel configuration opens the portal to this Asgardian slot, where Norse gods can assist in your journey towards the free spins of Ragnarök.
- Background patterns unlocked by winning tiles help you cycle through the gods and their bonus features, levelling up along the way. Thor, Odin, Freya and Heimdal each present wild combinations that help you fill the progressive meter on your quest for free spins, with the chance to unlock extra bonus cash on the way.
- Hitting this realm in 2017, Viking Runecraft bets start from 0.10, the RTP is 94.6%, max win x5,000, and volatility is very high. If you enjoy this popular Play’n GO slot, then you’ll love others in the series, such as Dragon Maiden, Tales of Asgard: Freya’s Wedding, Odin: Protector of Realms, and Tales of Asgard: Loki’s Fortune.