Gaming supplier Light & Wonder, Inc. used the week of the ICE London trade show to launch its new Wonder 500 product line exclusively with Sky Betting & Gaming in the U.K.
Created by Light & Wonder’s in-house development team as a result of direct operator feedback, changes in play behavior and impending reduction in maximum online staking levels in the U.K., the Wonder 500 range of titles on the OpenGaming platform offers operators a market-specific, player-friendly and engaging suite of content U.K. operators.
The series provides players with a £2 maximum stake level and a maximum win of 500 times the stake, and provides a frequent bonus hit rate which offers players an enhanced entertainment experience. This product combines proven mechanics and themes, and offers a new take on casino entertainment which players can enjoy safely and responsibly.
Light & Wonder’s long-term operator partner Sky Betting & Gaming will exclusively roll out the first Wonder 500 games to their players later this month, with Mighty Black Knight, Spartacus and Rod & Annette Go Fishing among the first titles from the series to hit the market. Many more games are planned for 2023 and beyond, and the launch will be accompanied by a promotional campaign that features a 10-day Prize Draw.
“With an ever-changing U.K. iGaming landscape, operators are facing a different environment that is packed with shifting player dynamics, new regulatory focusses, and fresh challenges,” said Rob Procter, vice president of game development at Light & Wonder. “At Light & Wonder, we continually innovate our iGaming content and products to engage players, while keeping responsible gaming at heart.”
Eamon Beardsley, head of content at Sky Betting & Gaming, added, “Having worked with Light & Wonder for many years, we have seen how they create products with the player at the front and center of the development process, and that fit with our strategy for the U.K. market.
“Wonder 500 is a fantastic addition to Light & Wonder’s in-house portfolio of games, and we can’t wait to put the product in front of our audience. We have a major promotional campaign in place to support our exclusive launch and are fully behind the series believing that it offers players a superb gaming experience.”
Meanwhile, Light & Wonder announced two deals that will expand the OpenGaming footprint around the world.
The company announced the exclusive addition of game studio Atlantic Digital, which will now team up with the Playzido Remote Gaming Server platform to deliver a range of new games based on classic film and TV titles.
Atlantic Digital has secured the gaming rights to a host of well-known, and soon-to-be announced brands, with games launching via OpenGaming from Spring 2023 onwards.
Atlantic Digital will release a series of games developed using Playzido’s proprietary RGS platform. Owned by Light & Wonder, Playzido’s rapid game development capabilities coupled with the global distribution of Light & Wonder’s OpenGaming platform are attracting new studios in the market.
As the latest exclusive and high-quality addition to OpenGaming, Atlantic Digital’s content will be made available to players through Light & Wonder’s global network of operators. The agreement represents the latest step in cementing OpenGaming as one of the world’s leading digital casino ecosystems.
The combination of Light & Wonder alongside Playzido is the perfect platform solution for Atlantic Digital to drive the distribution of our premium branded games on a global level,” said Sam Hobcraft, managing director at Atlantic Digital. “We’re able to build games quickly and efficiently via the super-professional team at Playzido, but even more importantly, we’re now able to access the biggest operators on both sides of the Atlantic. We are looking forward to an excellent relationship in the years ahead.”
Steve Mayes, digital partnerships director at Light & Wonder, added, “The team at Atlantic Digital has a proven track record in the industry and they bring with them fantastic possibilities given the wide range of brand rights that they have secured.”
Finally, Light & Wonder is expanding its distribution agreement with award-winning games studio AvatarUX.
The agreement announced in 2022 initially saw both companies collaborate to create eight new bespoke games over a three-year period, including smash hits CherryPop and MonkeyPop. Those games will now, be made available across the OpenGaming platform.
Niki Longmuir, CEO of AvatarUX, said, “Light & Wonder is an iconic iGaming brand, and our collaboration has already born significant success. Strengthening our partnership will see us roll out some of our most popular hits to its network, further increasing both our brand visibility and our revenue streams.”
Steve Mayes, digital head of partnerships at Light & Wonder, added, “Our relationship with AvatarUX has already proven to be a success after only a few short months. We’re thrilled to expand this further to include additional top-performing content that is hugely popular with players.
“AvatarUX is one of the most exciting emerging game providers in the industry, and we’re delighted to be working with them more closely than ever.”
The OpenGaming ecosystem delivers more than 3,500 games from a global network of in-house and third-party game studios.
