The iGaming world continues to drop jaws and wallets with its continued meteoric rise to gaming dominance. While the iGaming industry was born in 1994, things really didn’t kick into gear until the past twelve years. The iGaming sphere is so dominant that it now runs on par with the best land-based casinos.
The purpose of this article is to get acquainted with the biggest iGaming developers. Household names like NetEnt and Microgaming have been part of the iGaming world since day one, and they continue to push the envelope in the iGaming world.
1. IGT
We take for granted many of the most popular IGT slots like the Cleopatra series and game show slots like The Wheel of Fortune and the $1,000 Pyramid. However, IGT dates back to the mid-70s, working as a third-party software operator for retail casinos.
IGT really shook things up in the gaming world with the launch of the “Money Honey” slot machine. This was a game-changer, being the first to feature a bottomless hopper that allowed for automatic payouts—no more waiting for attendants to handle those coin payouts!
IGT also modernized the slot machines they we play at today’s retail casinos, including progressive slots like The Wheel of Fortune. As time went on, IGT introduced slots with multiple paylines, bonus rounds, and progressive jackpots.
And let’s not forget their groundbreaking introduction of the first video poker machine! Thanks to IGT, slot and poker players get the best of both worlds with 96% or higher RTP rates with variants like Bonus Poker.
2. Microgaming
Microgaming goes back to day one of the rise of iGaming in 1994. Already looking ahead from its release, Microgaming began developing original-themed slots, breaking away from the traditional three-reel slots with a single pay line. Even better is that Microgaming powered one of the first online casinos, helping members fall in love with its early signature games.
However, Microgaming really set the tone for today’s fascinating progressive slot scene. While it’s common for players to become multi-millionaires with slots like Fruit Blasters, they all owe a debt of thanks to Microgaming launching the first progressive online slot in 1998.
With the progressive network in place, Microgaming went nuclear with the launch of the Mega Moolah slot game in 2005. Even twenty years later, Mega Moolah remains one of the most popular progressive slots still available at many of the top real money online casinos.
Even in the late 1990s, before cell phones went mainstream, Microgaming already was looking forward to the eventual mobile market. As a result, Microgaming perfected the art of responsive slot games that fit most gaming devices without missing a beat.
3. NetEnt
NetEnt sent early shockwaves in the iGaming arena launching in 1996. Like Microgaming, NetEnt wasted no time innovating the iGaming scene. NetEnt helped to redefine the fabulous online video poker games that we enjoy and love today. Today, NetEnt dominates the table games outside of the live dealer arena with incredible and smooth graphics including advanced camera angles.
However, NetEnt really made its mark with innovative slots, even factoring in the early days of the internet. With an eye to the future, NetEnt pushed the bar by setting up the modern-day video slot scene. With games like Gonzo’s Quest and the immortal Starburst game slot, the modern-day interactive five, and even six-reel slots with character development and interactive bonus rounds.
4. Playtech
Playtech broke into the iGaming arena in 1999 as an Estonian company. Like its rivals, Playtech focused on table games at first, especially working on developing modern-day online poker games. Branching off to slots, Playtech wasted no time modernizing the traditional three-reel slots. With iconic games like Ugga Bugga, traditional slot players get their fix with some of the benefits of the emerging five-reel slots, like bonus features.
However, Playtech leads the pack with having one of the largest libraries of branded slots. Players can’t get enough of their favorite films like Rocky and Terminator 2 while winning rewards for playing them.
Conclusion
Even thirty years after the release of these iGaming developers, their impact is still being felt. Today, the latest trend is to create more personalized gaming experiences that make it hard for players to walk away from. With behavioral AI tools, these top iGaming developers are producing new variants that are immediate hits based on the preferences of their players.