Latest News
Exclusive Q&A w/ Daniel Eskola Head of R&D at Relax Gaming on the release of Money Train 3 and its commercial success so far
Money Train 3 has now been live for over a month. What can you tell us about its performance so far?
We couldn’t be happier with the reception of Money Train 3! Internally, the expectations were high following the success of the record-breaking prequel, but the results have exceeded our forecasts. The sequel has outperformed all of our previous launches, it’s been enjoyed around the world and our operator partners are seeing phenomenal results. It’s a fantastic time for Relax and speaks volumes about the hard work and dedication that went into the game and evolution from the original Money Train.
We have seen quite a few maximum wins from the game already. How important has this dynamic been to the initial success of a game?
Creating attainable maximum wins is an aspect of our content that we do not take lightly. We believe in fairness and showing integrity through our work, creating effective maximum win caps is just one way of ensuring this. In its first four days, the game had already hit fourteen 100,000x bet wins, which sent a clear message early on about the achievability of the wins and doubtlessly encouraged others to play the game.
Moreover, we often receive emails from players asking for replays of their big wins, wanting to relive the amazing rush of winning big, this shows us that we succeeded in building up the thrill-factor. With this in mind, we feel that with a transparent business model like ours, the outcome is usually positive on all fronts – players enjoy themselves, which spills into fantastic results for our partners and of course, Relax Gaming. iGaming is not just about winning money of course, but it certainly contributes to a more trustworthy and entertaining experience.
Which mechanics have resonated most with players?
One of our latest additions, the Shapeshifter, has had a great response so far and makes for an extra exciting Bonus Round as it adds tremendous anticipation to each respin. The feature was inspired by player feedback so it’s incredibly rewarding to see that our team satisfied Money Train fans in this way. This feature, together with the persistent Necromancer, the Tommy Gun and Persistent Collector/Payer have all contributed a new dynamic to the Money Train mechanic.
The research process our team is accustomed to garners fantastic results and demonstrates their passion for building great games and knowing what their players want. Operators offer a huge helping hand in this regard as well, as they share all sorts of insights that funnel into our concepting stages.
Were there any lessons you took from the release of the first two installments that proved useful with this game’s introduction?
Absolutely, each game was built on the last and was a better game because of it. Listening to player feedback took much of the guesswork out of the production and helped us hit the mark on the scale that we have. The concepting stage took longer than usual as we knew that we had to deliver a bolder and better experience than the already extremely successful Money Train 2, the end result speaks for itself. The truly unique feature of the Money Train series is that there are so many different combinations of special symbols to achieve the max win and each game in the series becomes more complex as we push the limit whilst still keeping the game easy to understand for the players.
There was a great deal of anticipation in the run-up to this game’s release. That’s obviously a positive thing from a commercial point of view, but how do you go about maximising the potential of that?
We spread the message across our operators by hosting insightful meetings, webinars and presentations improve their ability to promote the game upon release. We’re transparent in everything that we do and we like to involve our partners as much as we can, we believe that the deeper the understanding of a game, the easier and more natural it feels to promote it. Keeping our communication channels open is a great way to spread the word about success like this.
It’s early days, but are there any initial thoughts about a Money Train 4 or a new Money Cart game?
It’s a tad too early to tease anything in this regard. The project will require an enormous amount of ideation and conceptualisation to ensure we can keep impressing the market and improving the quality. For us to consider building Money Trian 4 we have to be certain that it will be even more innovative than the last.
That said, we will share that we have some very exciting productions underway. Dream Drop Jackpots is still making headlines with frequent winners and fresh titles, and now, paired with Relax Rush (our recently released suite of promotional tools), even more creativity is about to be unleashed!
Latest News
ComeOn Group unveils new live casino innovation with industry-first 7-seat Blackjack tables for its branded Nordic Ruby Lounge
ComeOn Group is excited to announce a groundbreaking addition to its Nordic Ruby Lounge portfolio: the launch of the industry’s first dedicated 7-Seat live casino Bet Stacker Blackjack.
Together with partner Evolution, this innovative live casino experience reinforces ComeOn Group’s commitment to delivering premium, player-centric gaming to its audience. Bet Stacker Blackjack joins an already solid lineup in the Nordic Ruby Lounge, which includes Native-Speaking Swedish Classic Blackjack and Free Bet Blackjack, further enhancing the diverse and immersive options available to players.
Greg Kett, Director of Casino at ComeOn Group, said: “The launch of Bet Stacker Blackjack marks another milestone in our mission to bring innovative and high-quality gaming experiences to our players. We are proud to continuously push the boundaries of live casino entertainment and set new industry standards.”
The Nordic Ruby Lounge is part of ComeOn Group’s prestigious Ruby Lounge portfolio, which debuted in early 2022 with a strong commitment to premium, safe, and exclusive entertainment. Designed as a “brand within a brand”, the Ruby Lounge live casino studio delivers an immersive experience, featuring expertly hosted Blackjack and Roulette tables by ComeOn’s dedicated live dealers.
With its tailored and personalised approach, the Nordic Ruby Lounge stands out as a truly one-of-a-kind live casino offering, setting new benchmarks in the industry. As live casino gaming remains a strategic focus for ComeOn Group, the launch of Nordic Ruby Lounge marks a significant milestone in the company’s ongoing growth and innovation efforts.
The post ComeOn Group unveils new live casino innovation with industry-first 7-seat Blackjack tables for its branded Nordic Ruby Lounge appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
Shochiku Ventures, the CVC arm of Shochiku Group, a cornerstone of Japanese entertainment for over 125 years, is launching the Shochiku Game Accelerator 2025, which will offer startups up to $100,000 USD.
The accelerator’s funding is available to startups providing game-enhancing technologies such as middleware, SaaS, and infrastructure. This funding is not for game development itself but for services that improve existing games.
Building on Shochiku’s recent indie game publishing success (e.g., MiSide – 80,000+ Overwhelmingly Positive Steam reviews), the program focuses on Proof of Concept (PoC) development, leveraging Shochiku’s existing game titles. Selected companies will receive funding, a trip to Tokyo, and access to top Japanese VCs, publishers, and partners.
Key Details:
- Funding: Up to $100,000 (USD) per selected company (non-equity)
- Focus: Game-enhancing technologies (middleware, SaaS, infrastructure – not game development)
- Opportunity: PoC development with Shochiku titles, Japan market entry/expansion, networking with key industry players.
- Backed By: Shochiku Ventures, part of the historic Shochiku Group.
- Application Deadline: May 19, 2025 (11:59 PM JST)
The full press lelease below:
The post Shochiku Ventures (Shochiku Group) Launches $100K Game Accelerator appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
Latest News
XSOLLA RELEASES Q1 2025 REPORT ON THE FUTURE OF GLOBAL GAMING AND GAME DEVELOPMENT: ANALYSIS OF METRICS AND EMERGING TRENDS
Key Topics Include the Global Gaming Market, Mobile Monetization Trends, Player Engagement Led by Gen Z and Gen Alpha, and Rising Investments Tools and Platforms
Xsolla, a leading global video game commerce company, proudly announces the release of the Q1 2025 Edition of “The Xsolla Report: The State of Play.” This detailed report provides crucial insights, trends, and opportunities shaping the gaming landscape, empowering industry professionals to adapt and thrive in today’s rapidly changing market.
The Q1 2025 Edition focuses on the rapid growth of the global gaming market, which is expected to reach $522.5 billion in 2025 and expand at a 7.25% Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR), hitting $691.3 billion by 2029. The United States, poised to generate the largest revenue share for mobile games, will further solidify its position as the world’s top gaming market, contributing approximately $141 billion to the total revenue. This surge is driven mainly by the continued rise of mobile gaming, fueled by increasing smartphone adoption, advancing technology, and a more connected global market. The mobile gaming market is expected to accelerate at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 11.3%, with 9.9% growth projected for 2025 alone.
The report also highlights shifting player engagement trends, with Gen Z and Gen Alpha leading. These digital-native generations are redefining the gaming landscape by gravitating toward interactive, socially connected, and player-generated content. Platforms like Twitch and YouTube fuel deeper community interactions, solidifying gaming as not just entertainment but as a social and cultural force.
Technological advancements continue to shape the industry, with AI and cloud gaming at the forefront of innovation. Cloud gaming, projected to generate $25.3 billion by 2029, is breaking accessibility barriers by enabling high-performance, device-agnostic streaming. Meanwhile, AI is revolutionizing game development, optimizing workflows, and creating personalized player experiences boosting engagement and retention. As the gaming sector rapidly evolves, industry leaders such as Activision Blizzard, NVIDIA, and Microsoft are positioning themselves at the forefront of innovation, driving investment and expansion across cloud gaming, AI, and new monetization models.
“The convergence of AI and cloud gaming is revolutionizing the industry, making high-quality gaming experiences more immersive, scalable, and accessible than ever before,” said Chris Hewish, Chief Strategy Officer at Xsolla. “AI is streamlining development and enhancing player engagement, while cloud gaming is removing hardware barriers, allowing more players to connect seamlessly while providing alternative payment models like pay-as-you-go for users. This technological shift isn’t just shaping the future – it’s defining it.”
In addition to these findings, the report also highlights a defining trend shaping the industry: the democratization of game development, which is paving the way for social impact gaming. With game development tools increasingly accessible, a new generation of change makers is emerging—young creators leveraging gaming to address community challenges and drive meaningful social engagement.
The full report outlines the current trends and strategic opportunities in the global gaming market, offering invaluable insights for developers and industry stakeholders.
For more information and to access the Q1 2025 Edition of “The Xsolla Report: The State of Play,” visit: xsolla.pro/txrq125
The post XSOLLA RELEASES Q1 2025 REPORT ON THE FUTURE OF GLOBAL GAMING AND GAME DEVELOPMENT: ANALYSIS OF METRICS AND EMERGING TRENDS appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
-
Latest News3 months agoGamCare releases Annual Report following record breaking year of support on the National Gambling Helpline
-
Latest News3 months agoGovernment support, medals, and global recognition define a landmark year for Indian esports and video gaming in 2024
-
Latest News3 months agoKambi Group plc repurchase of shares during 18 December – 23 December 2024
-
Latest News3 months ago
India Levels Up: Emerging as a Global Gaming Powerhouse in 2024
-
Latest News3 months agoImagine Live Partners with King.rs
-
Latest News1 month agoSportradar’s Alpha Odds Receives Dual Honors at European iGaming Awards 2025
-
Latest News1 month ago
Fall in Love with Nature’s Greatest Romantics This Valentine’s Day at Springbok Casino and Claim 25 Free Spins
-
Latest News1 month agoSwintt secured ISO 27001: 2022 certification
You must be logged in to post a comment Login