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Celebrating six months of outstanding success: Interview with CEO Ivan Kravchuk

Published

2 years ago

August 23, 2022

Reading Time: 4 minutes

Slot studio Evoplay has gone from strength to strength over the past six months with some fantastic new titles as well as celebrating its debut across MGA markets.

Ready for the World Cup and an exciting few months ahead for the company, we sat down with Evoplay CEO Ivan Kravchuk to talk through their CEE team’s perseverance, as well as overcoming the challenges that have made the studio such a standout brand today.

Evoplay has performed fantastically so far this year expanding into multiple new markets – despite the challenges faced in Eastern Europe and Ukraine for your team, how have your team persevered?

The beginning of the war wasn’t an easy time for us and our team, but we managed to overcome the difficulties and continue our story as an outstanding provider of some really fantastic games. In order to do that, we really needed to summon a lot of resources in order to quickly adapt our operations to quickly and ensure the safety of our employees.

Our people are what we value the most, and that is why our first measures were focused on relocating employees to a safe place. As part of our contingency plans, we relocated 15% of our staff to our main office in Cyprus, and opened a new office in a safer area part of the country – in Lviv, the west of Ukraine. Accommodation, transfer, and any other support were our main priorities as we wanted to provide our people with a helping hand at this difficult time.

I am very proud to work with such compassionate and courageous people as from the first days of the war, they have participated in many volunteering activities, and I believe we as a country will return from this stronger than ever.

Following on from an outstanding year of success in 2021, which saw you awarded with SBC Leader of the Year as well as the launch of Star Guardians, how has Evoplay built on its momentum during the first six months of this year?

Star Guardians was presented to the iGaming industry at the end of 2021, so the first half of 2022 was also focused around entertaining players around the world with the release, with the futuristic title snagging two awards at this year’s CasinoBeats Game Developer Awards. As a revolutionary product, it’s received sos much positive attention not only from players and casino providers but also from our team. I should also mention Star Guardian’s artbook and comic book – which were both released this year – have become an unprecedented offering in the industry, and a fan favourite

Of course, Evoplay never wants to rest on its success, we have an ‘eternal engine’ which keeps pushing us to create something new, investing in innovations that other developers are afraid of. During the half-year period, we launched 12 products, supercharging our titles with Bonus Buy, Jackpot, and other gamified features that challenge the traditional concept of gaming. To illustrate this, our April release Goblin Run is an industry-first crash game that turns gameplay on its head to offer something fresh. We totally deviated from the classic crash-style game scenario, creating a fully-fledged storyline with a protagonist, antagonist, an opportunity to change skins, all played out with a very the impressive range of settings for a 3D game.

2022 has also been marked by entering into new partnerships with outstanding representatives of the iGaming business, while we also received a letter of recognition from the MGA and Italian certification for our 62 titles.

Looking to gaming trends – what’s in demand from players right now? What kind of gaming experiences are players looking for now that we’re truly post-pandemic?

More traditional demographics still choose retro-styled slots, while new generations are thirsty for unconventional products and immersive gameplay. At the same time, even retro games fans can find a fresh gaming experience and innovation with retro slots – if they offer something new. That is why we take a new look at classic slots and reconceptualise them with additional features such as multiplayer modes, Bonus Buy, jackpots, etc.

I’m very proud of our team and I believe Evoplay’s uniqueness lies in its ability to deliver excellent, high-quality products for both categories. One of our most commercially successful games is Fruit Super Nova which delivers an old-school ambiance, while Star Guardians offers futuristic take, and both of these are spectacular examples of our diverse product offering. That, I believe is what is key to catering to player demand right now – it’s all about multiple themes that can engage and excite.

With the World Cup on the horizon, we no doubt expect Instant Games to again perform strongly with sports fans looking for additional entertainment. How is Evoplay looking to capitalise on this, given your heritage for Instant Games?

We are well-prepared for the World Cup as we already have an exciting package of titles dedicated to football on our teamsheet, all with a host of exciting features available that we’ve created to wow fans! Currently, we’re working on a new sports-themed title, which is set to win the audience of bettors and instant games fans who have always been our focus of interest. Not to give too much away, suffice to say, it will be a game delivering a multiplayer experience and a completely new level of betting excitement. We see it as the next all-time hit in the vertical of sports-themed games and we’re looking forward to seeing what sports fans make of it.

Last but not least, one for our readers – with Star Guardians still proving to be a one-of-a-kind hit with players – what’s up next for Evoplay’s next flagship game?

Our current flagship game, Star Guardians, is still among ours and ours players’ favourites, so we keep giving it attention, fleshing out its promotional activities and enhancing the gameplay in real-time with user feedback. It’s a launch that has meant to us, and we’re here to keep evolving the game to entertain players even more.

On to the next big news, I’m sure plenty will be delighted to hear that our team has already started developing a conceptual idea for our next flagship game, and we can’t wait to see the result, so stay tuned! We also have several ambitious games in the pipeline, aimed at targeting a real variety of players. One of our primary goals is to extend our audience reach with sports bettors and Esports fans, as we know exactly what kind of exciting fast-action gameplay they’re looking for, being players ourselves. Our job is now to create that for the gaming world!

Latest News

BLAST expands into Dota 2 with five events set to be rolled out in 2024/25

Published

3 hours ago

May 8, 2024

George Miller

Reading Time: 2 minutes

BLAST expands into Dota 2 with five events set to be rolled out in 2024/25

BLAST to start hosting regular Dota 2 tournaments in 2024/25
First studio event to take place in November 2024
BLAST.tv will become new home of Dota 2 esports, platform will allow fans to tailor their viewing experience, get closer to the action and impact the entertainment unfolding before their eyes

Esports entertainment company BLAST has revealed plans to enter Dota 2 with a full schedule of events to be rolled out in 2024/25. BLAST will become the new home of Dota 2 esports through arranging a tournament series focused on unparalleled production quality and game changing fan-first moments.

The tournament organiser will host a first Dota 2 studio event in November, ahead of four events taking place in 2025. The full extent of the new Dota 2 tournament series will be revealed in the summer, where further information on format, prize pool and locations will be shared.

Andrew Haworth, VP of Ecosystems, Valve & Riot Games, said: “We are delighted to be entering Dota 2 and have plans for BLAST to bring a new level of production and excitement that Dota fans haven’t seen before. It’s a game we love as fans and players, we’ve been following closely as an interested tournament organiser for the last few years. As we’ve grown as a business and expand into further titles, Dota has always been on our wish list.

With the recent changes to the Dota ecosystem we feel it’s the perfect opportunity for BLAST to come in, provide the community with the next level of tournaments and become the new home of Dota 2.

“BLAST prides itself on unparalleled production quality and game changing fan-first moments while bringing together the very best teams and biggest superstars to fight it out for glory on the server. We look forward to bringing this approach to the world of Dota 2 and providing fans with the best esports entertainment on offer.”

This strategic move marks a significant expansion of BLAST’s tournament portfolio, further diversifying its offerings beyond its successful ventures in Fortnite (FNCS), Rocket League (RLCS), Counter-Strike, and Rainbow Six Siege.

BLAST.tv, a custom made esports live viewing platform, will add Dota 2 to its offering meaning fans will be able to enjoy a tailor made competitive esports viewing experience and platform. Fans will never miss a key moment of the action with the BLAST.tv interactive timeline feature, which catalogues standout highlights to be replayed instantly on the playback timeline.

The platform has a custom built video player with 4K capabilities and a moderated live chat feature that will enable fans to connect with a like-minded community, where fans will be able to impact the events unfolding before their eyes through interactive polls.

Outside of the live experience, BLAST.tv will be a one-stop-shop for Dota 2 esports fans. Providing them with the latest player stats, team standings, mini-games, news and exclusive content and experiences.

The post BLAST expands into Dota 2 with five events set to be rolled out in 2024/25 appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

Latest News

Emma Shilling Receives Visionary Compliance Leader Award in the 2024 Women in Leadership Awards

Published

3 hours ago

May 8, 2024

George Miller

Reading Time: 2 minutes

SolutionsHub’s Head of Compliance, Emma Shilling, has been recognised at the 2024 Women in Leadership Awards, winning the prestigious Visionary Compliance Leader Award. This recognition celebrates her outstanding contributions, innovation, and unwavering commitment to excellence within the compliance landscape.

The 2024 Women in Leadership Awards celebrate excellence in leadership by meticulously evaluating outstanding individuals and organisations. Through a rigorous selection process based on comprehensive standards, these awards recognise impactful contributions.

This award is a testament to Emma’s remarkable achievements and her leadership excellence, specifically in eGaming compliance. As a compliance leader, she has consistently demonstrated visionary thinking, dedication to sustainability, and a passion for responsible gambling practices within the online gambling industry.

SolutionsHub Director Nick Wright, said “We are very proud of Emma. Her strategic vision, dedication to pragmatic and ethical compliance, and pursuit of excellence underscores our commitment to fostering a culture of compliance and innovation.

“This award reinforces Emma’s reputation as a compliance leader and enhances her credibility within our industry and beyond.”

In response to receiving this award Emma said “I would like to thank those that nominated me and the judges for this honor. To be recognised with this award is immensely satisfying for me personally and a testiment to our teams collective commitment to innovation while furthering responsible gambling practices and maintaining the highest standards of compliance.”

SolutionsHub, a leading compliance consultancy, specialises in tailoring comprehensive solutions for Isle of Man-licensed eGaming businesses. With a seasoned team of industry veterans and former regulators at the helm, SolutionsHub ensures that businesses maintain the highest standards of integrity, transparency, and regulatory compliance in the often challenging online gambling sector.

Emma Shilling is Head of Compliance at SolutionsHub, where she leads the compliance team in delivering bespoke compliance solutions for Isle of Man licensed eGaming businesses.

Note: The Women in Leadership Awards are organized by EMG Publishing Group and recognise exceptional female leaders across various sectors.

The post Emma Shilling Receives Visionary Compliance Leader Award in the 2024 Women in Leadership Awards appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

Latest News

ESL FACEIT Group Partners with s1mple for Launch of Play Like s1mple Project

Published

3 hours ago

May 8, 2024

George Miller

Reading Time: 2 minutes

The Legendary Counter-Strike Star’s Educational Program Will Offer 60+ Tutorials and Exclusive FACEIT Features To Help Players Up Their Game.

ESL FACEIT Group (EFG), the leading esports and video game entertainment company, and renowned Counter-Strike player Oleksandr “s1mple” Kostyliev today announced a partnership with Play Like s1mple Project – an educational video series designed to change how players approach mastering Counter-Strike 2.

The program will include more than 60 interactive sessions, with a focus on in-game skill development and strategy as well as out-of-game topics such as career advancement. The program aims to empower gamers of all levels to unlock their full potential in Counter-Strike 2.

“We’re thrilled to launch the Play Like s1mple Project and provide gamers with a unique opportunity to learn from one of the best in the business,” said s1mple. “Whether you’re a casual player looking to improve your skills, better understand the game, and achieve a champion mindset or a great pro aiming to take your game to the next level, this program has something for everyone. I wish someone could have shared these skills with me when I just started my journey in CS.”

Play Like s1mple Project will bring the comprehensive educational program to the global gaming audience in partnership with FACEIT, the leading community platform for online PvP play. FACEIT has been the home of competitive Counter-Strike for more than a decade and will now offer a suite of educational programming that supports the in-game learning experience it offers for casual players and aspiring pros alike. Through this collaboration, Play Like s1mple Project participants will gain exclusive access to FACEIT’s premium features and exclusive on-platform content.

“s1mple’s success, longevity in Counter-Strike and legacy with FACEIT, makes him uniquely qualified to help our global community learn and master their game at the highest level of competition. ” said Fabio Floris, President, Digital Platforms, ESL FACEIT Group. “Viewers will not only pick up the intricacies of top-tier CS, but also insights on what it takes to break into the industry in other ways, including as caster, talent manager, and more.”

Key features of the Play Like s1mple Project include:

Unmatched Talent: s1mple, possibly the greatest player in Counter-Strike history, will share his expertise and practical knowledge.
Legendary Experience: Comparable to legends like Jordan or Messi, s1mple will share secrets and best practices developed over more than a decade of play.
Career Development Resources: Gain insights into the esports industry and learn how to turn your passion for gaming into a successful career with guidance from industry experts.

FACEIT Community Support:

Join a community of gamers and CS enthusiasts.
Get tips and strategies directly from s1mple
Connect with like-minded individuals worldwide.

Exclusive Content and Competitions:

Access premium content.
Participate in tournaments for the community.
Have personal communication with s1mple and other top players, providing unparalleled insights into the world of professional gaming.

Registration for the Play Like s1mple Project will open May13 with limited spots available. Visit playlikes1mple.com for more information, and follow All Stars Promo on Twitter or Instagram. For more information on the FACEIT platform, check out eslfaceitgroup.com and follow EFG on LinkedIn.

The post ESL FACEIT Group Partners with s1mple for Launch of Play Like s1mple Project appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.