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Top-Tier Mobile Game Publishers Spend $21 Million on Custom Tech
Top-tier mobile game publishers are investing more than $21 million to build and maintain internal technology and tooling. That’s the startling headline of new research from mobile game development company, Metaplay, which also dives into the hidden, human costs of game programmers who are diverted to work on tech instead of gaming content.
Based on a survey of 125 senior executives at large mobile game development companies in the United States, the data shows that large publishers are spending an average of $21,662,784 to build and maintain their backend tech. Respondents, all of whom are C-level execs or tech team leads at companies with at least 50 staff, were asked questions relating to the size of their tech teams, how long they had been working on internal tools, and their teams’ remuneration. They said:
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$138,864 is the average salary of an employee working on internal tech at major publishers in the United States
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52 is the average number of employees working predominantly in internal tech
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36 months is the average number of months the companies surveyed had been building internal tech (just over three years)
Beyond the hard numbers, there are human costs associated with the in-house development of backend tech. Almost three-quarters (74%) of respondents said their game programmers had been impacted by being redeployed to work on internal tech as opposed to gaming content. Of those who had redeployed staff, 41% said that doing so had slowed the game development process, 34% said it had increased ‘crunch’ working practices, and 34% said this led to higher employee turnover.
Teemu Haila, co-founder and Chief Product Officer at Metaplay, commented:
“As a company which has spent almost four years focused entirely on building backend tech for mobile games, even we had to do a double-take when we saw these stats. Shipping a long-lasting hit game was already very challenging, but the current state of the mobile gaming market means investment at this level without any guarantee of success is incredibly risky. We’re trying to fix the binary choice of ‘build vs buy’ when it comes to backend tech – where ‘build’ means expensive and ‘buy’ means unscalable, so mobile devs can focus on making great content.”
Matt Wilson, mobile gaming advisor and investor, said:
“This research shows that building internal tech is becoming prohibitively expensive as well as distracting game-makers from their day jobs. As an investor, I generally want to see as much capital as possible to go towards developing the product. Many companies still suffer from an ‘if it’s not built here, it’s not good enough’ mentality but, while that may have been true in the past, it’s certainly not always the case now.”
Further key findings from the research:
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Top-tier game studios in the US are most likely to be developing strategy games (58%) and shooters (57%). They’re least likely to be working on hypercasual (22%) and card-collecting games (18%)
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Respondents’ companies are most likely to outsource or use third-party tooling for security and compliance (43%), multiplayer and/or matchmaking (42%), and game logic server hosting (41%). They’re least likely to outsource observability tooling (26%), and data pipelines (14%)
As well as being available as a whitepaper here, the research has today been released as a hard copy book which is available at Nordic Game Conference stand D6, or on request from Metaplay.
The post Top-Tier Mobile Game Publishers Spend $21 Million on Custom Tech appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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Blueprint Gaming unwraps a trio of festive favourites with three iconic series reimagined for Christmas
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Blueprint Gaming is kicking off the festive season with the launch of Saint Nicked 3 Present Tense, the first of three Christmas-themed releases that see some of its most iconic series reimagined with charming festive visuals, enriched graphics and immersive seasonal experiences designed to delight operator player bases worldwide.
The yuletide rollout continues in December with Fishin’ Frenzy The Big Christmas Catch Jackpot King arriving on 4th December, followed by the blockbuster release of Kong Even Bigger Christmas on 11th December.
Launching today, Saint Nicked 3 Present Tense captivates with its mischievous festive flair, featuring enhanced Christmas aesthetics across its characters and classic money collects. The beloved duo make a snow-dusted comeback, complete with upgraded visual effects and seasonal touches that amplify engagement throughout the holiday period.
On 4th December, players will then be reintroduced to one of the industry’s most recognisable franchises with Fishin’ Frenzy The Big Christmas Catch Jackpot King.
The festive reinvention blends the timeless simplicity and broad appeal of the original series with a fully re-themed winter environment, combining frosty settings and holiday-inspired symbols with Blueprint’s iconic Jackpot King progressive system.
The newly introduced Express Bet also provides players with an optional festive surprise. Available at 1.5x the total bet, the feature doubles the chance of triggering bonus play. The result is a high-performing seasonal variant tailored to boost operator performance in December.
Blueprint rounds off its Christmas trilogy on 11th December with the arrival of Kong Even Bigger Christmas, transforming the studio’s epic Ape-powered franchise into a snow-covered festive spectacle.
Across all three launches, Blueprint Gaming reinforces its strategy of refreshing its strongest collections of titles with reimagined releases that stay true to their signature gameplay, while offering operators new opportunities to elevate their offerings during one of the busiest periods of the calendar year.
Jo Purvis, Director of Marketing, PR and Events at Blueprint Gaming, said: “Our Christmas trilogy brings together some of Blueprint’s most iconic series, each lovingly reimagined with festive charm, refreshed graphics and engaging seasonal features. These titles give operators the perfect opportunity to offer players familiar favourites wrapped in magic, warmth and a sense of festive fun.
“Saint Nicked 3: Present Tense sets the tone, with Fishin’ Frenzy The Big Christmas Catch Jackpot King and Kong Even Bigger Christmas continuing the momentum through December. It’s a line-up designed to elevate seasonal engagement and deliver standout entertainment across the holidays.”
The post Blueprint Gaming unwraps a trio of festive favourites with three iconic series reimagined for Christmas appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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Casino Guru Awards 2026 introduce four new categories celebrating leadership, responsibility, and culture in iGaming
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Casino Guru proudly unveils four new award categories for the upcoming Casino Guru Awards 2026, further expanding its mission to recognize individuals and organizations shaping a fairer, safer, and more forward-thinking iGaming industry.
Following three years of continued growth and rising influence, the Casino Guru Awards remain the only industry awards focused primarily on fairness, transparency, integrity, and responsible innovation. The 2026 ceremony, scheduled for May 25, 2026, at The Xara Lodge in Malta, in partnership with NEXT.io during NEXT Valletta, will spotlight outstanding achievements from across the global iGaming landscape.
This year’s newly introduced categories reflect Casino Guru’s commitment to acknowledging emerging talent, ethical leadership, and positive workplace culture.
New Award Categories for 2026
Woman Leader of the Year
This category celebrates an exceptional female leader whose vision, resilience, and strategic influence have helped transform her company and the industry as a whole.
Judges will look for measurable achievements in 2024–2025, including business growth, crisis management, innovation in user experience, safety, transparency, and responsible gambling.
The award is open to women driving meaningful impact while championing diversity, mentorship, and collaborative progress within iGaming.
Rising Star in Responsible Gambling
Designed to recognize organizations making remarkable early strides in safer gambling initiatives, this category highlights innovation and genuine commitment from companies of all sizes.
Whether through impactful tools, awareness campaigns, or fresh approaches to player protection, nominees must demonstrate provable results that contribute to higher standards of responsibility and safety across the industry.
Young Changemaker Award
Honoring an individual under 30, the Young Changemaker Award shines a spotlight on rising professionals whose ethical innovation, creativity, and forward-thinking actions have made a visible impact in 2025.
Judges will consider originality, leadership ability, and tangible contributions that set a new benchmark for integrity and progress in iGaming.
Industry Culture Shaper
Recognizing that true industry progress starts within organizations, this award honors companies that cultivate positive, transparent, and supportive workplace cultures.
Nominees will be assessed based on measurable outcomes such as employee satisfaction, retention, and productivity, alongside initiatives that support wellbeing, mental health, professional development, and ethical HR practices.
Additional weight will be given to organizations whose efforts inspire better standards beyond their walls through partnerships, advocacy, or shared knowledge.
A broader vision for industry progress
“The addition of these categories marks an important evolution for the Casino Guru Awards,” said Daniela Sliva, PR & Creative Project Director at Casino Guru and leader of the Awards project.
“By spotlighting leadership, emerging talent, responsible innovation, and culture, we are amplifying the people and values that will define the future of iGaming. These awards aim to inspire positive change at every level, from individual contributors to global operators.”
The new categories will stand alongside Casino Guru’s established awards, including The Fairest Bonus Policy, The Most Transparent Casino, The Best Implementation of Responsible Gambling Tools, and others that reflect Casino Guru’s core values.
The post Casino Guru Awards 2026 introduce four new categories celebrating leadership, responsibility, and culture in iGaming appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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CT Interactive Expands in Romania with New Game Launch on Maxbet.ro
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CT Interactive is further expanding its presence in the regulated Romanian market through the launch of new gaming content on Maxbet.ro. This collaboration introduces a selection of top-performing titles designed to boost player engagement and enhance the overall gaming experience across the region.
As part of the collaboration, Maxbet.ro will feature two exclusive titles available only to its players — Kyoto Magic and Fruits & Sweets Buy Bonus.
Martin Ivanov, Chief Operating Officer at CT Interactive, said: “Our collaboration with Maxbet.ro reflects our commitment to developing high-quality content that meets the demands of the modern Romanian player. Titles like Fruits & Sweets Buy Bonus and Kyoto Magic showcase the best of our portfolio – dynamic gameplay, strategic depth, attractive bonus features and excellent math models.”
“We are confident that our exclusive titles will enhance the gaming experience for Maxbet’s players, offering them a richer, more immersive, and engaging journey,” added Bogdan Smeu, Regional Manager for Romania at CT Interactive.
In addition to the exclusive titles, Maxbet.ro will now feature a selection of CT Interactive’s most popular games, including 20 Mega Star, Lucky Clover 10, The Shining Globe, Zet Fruits and Doctor Winstein Buy Bonus.
The launch of this new content underscores CT Interactive’s commitment to the Romanian market, delivering premium gaming experiences that enhance player engagement and contribute to the long-term success of its partners.
The post CT Interactive Expands in Romania with New Game Launch on Maxbet.ro appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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