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Top-Tier Mobile Game Publishers Spend $21 Million on Custom Tech

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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:

  • $138,864 is the average salary of an employee working on internal tech at major publishers in the United States

  • 52 is the average number of employees working predominantly in internal tech

  • 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:

  • 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%)

  • 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.

George Miller (Gyorgy Molnar) started his career in content marketing and has started working as an Editor/Content Manager for our company in 2016. George has acquired many experiences when it comes to interviews and newsworthy content becoming Head of Content in 2017. He is responsible for the news being shared on multiple websites that are part of the European Gaming Media Network.

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EGT to reveal advanced Supreme cabinets and multigame mixes at BEGE Expo 2025

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EGT will send off this year’s gaming events season with another memorable participation in BEGE Expo. Traditionally, guests will be able to enjoy a wide selection of brand-new innovative products and bestsellers, as well as other surprises at the company’s stand 2.22 on November 26th and 27th.

Following their recent successful debut, the two new models from EGT’s Supreme series, S 55 V ST and S 55 S ST, will be presented to the local gaming audience for the first time during the show. Featuring captivating 55-inch UHD 4K displays, they will make a long-lasting impression on visitors with their stunning visuals, numerous interactive features, and smooth gameplay.

Alongside the General mixes, the Supreme cabinets will reveal the fascinating world of Supreme Selection Series multigames, including its latest addition – Jackpot Supreme Purple Selection mix. It will stand out with its premium collection of 50 exciting titles, blending well-established favorites and fresh new offerings with great potential.

Attendees will also be able to get acquainted with another brand-new multigame from the EGT portfolio – Power Red Selection. Including 54 titles, it will provide players with the opportunity to try their luck with both classic slots and roulette games, which can be set as Single Zero (European) or Double Zero (American) roulette.

The company’s jackpot family will be represented by the top-performing Asian-themed Zhao Cai Shuang Yu, Sheng Sheng Bu Xi, the absolute bestseller Bell Link, as well as Bell Link Boost and Gods & Kings Link with their new additions Bell Link Boost 2 and Gods & Kings Link 2.

EGT will also showcase its latest ETG developments. Guests will be able to learn more about the new Parallel Spins roulette center. It provides a state-of-the-art multiplayer experience with dual G RSA roulette centers positioned side by side. It allows simultaneous gameplay across both wheels, while a shared overhead structure delivers attractive options for branding and excellent visibility. Dedicated software enables true parallel spin functionality, which adds even more thrill to the game and increases player engagement.

EGT’s casino management system Spider with its 15 modules will be on display as well to demonstrate that it can be an indispensable assistant to casino managers in organizing daily activities at gaming venues. Numerous AWP and VLT solutions, created specifically for different markets, will complement the company’s product selection for the show.

EGT Digital will also showcase its rich variety of casino games, as well as the in-house developed iGaming platform X-Nave, providing operators with everything they need to build and grow a successful online business.

Nadia Popova, Chief Revenue Officer and VP Sales & Marketing at EGT, commented: “It is always a pleasure for us to take part in BEGE Expo – the largest gaming exhibition on the Balkan Peninsula, bringing together industry professionals from the whole region. Once again this year, we will welcome our partners, clients and friends at our stand to share our upcoming initiatives and discuss how together we can achieve even greater success.”

The post EGT to reveal advanced Supreme cabinets and multigame mixes at BEGE Expo 2025 appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

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VGCCC: EGM Application Improvements Consultation

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VGCCC has launched consultation on proposed reforms to the application process for Electronic Gaming Machine approvals in Victoria.

“Our Electronic Gaming Machine (EGM) application process for new premises approvals under section 3.3.6 and EGM increase applications under section 3.4.17 of the Gambling Regulation Act 2003 is undergoing a significant uplift to align with modern expectations, recent legislative change, and our strengthened mandate to minimise gambling harm. It also intends to reduce red tape by ensuring applicants focus on priority factors that commonly determine the suitability of an application,” VGCCC said.

VGCCC is inviting feedback from all stakeholders — including, but not limited to, industry participants, councils, experts and community organisations — to provide feedback on:

• the clarity and practicality of the revised application and hearing processes

• ambiguities, redundancies or gaps in the revised application form and practice notes

• any other opportunities to improve the application and hearing process.

Consultation period closes on 19 December 2025.

The post VGCCC: EGM Application Improvements Consultation appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

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TaDa Gaming Releases Clover Ladybug

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TaDa Gaming, the award-winning casino content provider, has released Clover Ladybug, a vibrant slot where expanding Wilds, playful multipliers and the lucky ladybug herself lead the way to exciting 1500x wins.

Set on a 5×3 grid with 20 paylines, Clover Ladybug transforms the simple joy of nature into a lively slot experience. The reels are filled with clovers, golden bells and other lucky icons, all brought to life with bright, colorful graphics and a joyful soundtrack that celebrates every win.

At the heart of the gameplay lies the Wild expansion feature. Wild symbols can appear on any reel and will randomly expand in cross or diagonal patterns when they land. When multiple Wilds overlap, they stack into multiplier Wilds, creating thrilling combinations and boosting win potential across the board.

The Clover Ladybug feature adds another layer of surprise and charm. Acting as a collector, the Ladybug gathers clovers from the reels and can randomly return them back onto the board, triggering expansions and increasing rewards in unpredictable ways.

With its dynamic Wild mechanics, uplifting animations and smooth pacing, Clover Ladybug delivers approachable, high-energy gameplay that feels both classic and fresh.

Sean Liu, Director of Product Management at TaDa Gaming, said: “Clover Ladybug embodies everything players love about our approach to design—simple mechanics, vivid energy, and a sense of joyful unpredictability. Every spin feels alive with movement and potential.”

The post TaDa Gaming Releases Clover Ladybug appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

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