Inside Pragmatic Play: An Exclusive Interview with Head of B2C Marketing Daniel Hansen
We recently sat down with Daniel Hansen, Head of B2C Marketing at ARRISE, the company powering industry leader Pragmatic Play. The interview reveals the secret sauce that's propelling this company to the top of the online casino game world.
We cover everything from Pragmatic Play's rapid rise to their unique game development process and emphasis on player satisfaction. Whether you're a casual player or a gaming aficionado, this interview will give you the inside scoop on why Pragmatic Play titles are a mark of quality in the best online casinos.
Q1. Can you share Pragmatic Play's journey since it first started? What would you say has really made the company stand out and succeed in this competitive industry?
As a relatively young company in the industry, one could see Pragmatic Play’s rise to prominence as somewhat meteoric, and the team there are a hungry bunch, which is something I admire about the company. Pragmatic Play has humble beginnings, and its journey is one of continual learning and development. If I had to pinpoint a key element of their success, I’d have to say it would be the ability to be responsive to industry changes and a desire to create some of the market’s most genre-defining games, which has allowed Pragmatic Play to quickly rise to prominence and remain at the forefront of the industry.
While there’s no exact recipe for success in this industry, Pragmatic Play has created a formula of developing each title first and foremost with a focus on what casino players want, and use that as the basis for pioneering features, developing particular themes or graphics, paired with mechanical ingenuity which encourages repeat play across all of its titles.
These foundations are prominent in recent hits like John Hunter and the Book of Tut Megaways™, where special expanding symbols can fill the reels to aid in unlocking additional wins. This gameplay is presented within an immersive adventure that fans love from the John Hunter series and utilises the popular Megaways™ mechanic to enhance the gameplay experience.
Players have quickly come to associate slots developed by Pragmatic Play with quality, and this underpins all of its titles. The drive to continually bring players the highest standard of Slots available on the market is what has ultimately led to the success it enjoys today.
Q2. What does Pragmatic Play do differently from other iGaming companies to make its games more engaging and entertaining for players?
Pragmatic Play consistently develops an impressive number of premium games each month, which appeal to different audience preferences and markets. This provides them with the opportunity to analyze, iterate and build upon what players are drawn to from its portfolio. They can simultaneously launch sequels, fresh themes and mechanics each month and gain more insight from each as to what players love and what element of these online slots they like the most.
This allows Pragmatic Play the freedom to try new concepts and fundamentally evolves the content that they produce, directly impacting the titles and the entertainment that each game delivers. The hit Wisdom of Athena™, released in June, for example, is an amalgamation of different mechanics and already popular features from its hit title Gates of Olympus™. The slot offers a 'pay-anywhere' mechanic, multipliers, and a tumble feature that triggers after each win. This feature allows players to build upon their wins. With each successive win, mystery symbols at the top of the game board are revealed, increasing the chances of scoring. The slot's multifaceted design draws from elements that players have enjoyed in other titles from the supplier's extensive portfolio.
Q3. Pragmatic Play has a very diverse gaming portfolio, spanning from slots to live casino games. Can you walk us through how new titles are developed when created by Pragmatic Play?
Pragmatic Play is always keen to develop new types of Slots or Live Casino titles, with the decision-making around this beginning during the ideation period. The brilliant team there will discuss ideas, themes or features that will quickly become the foundation of an upcoming title. They encourage all members of the team to have input at this stage and create a solid groundwork for the supplier to build from. This is informed by listening to customers from a variety of different jurisdictions to meet players’ needs. After this initial ideation process, multiple teams will get to work to deliver the artwork, music animations, mathematics and more to create the title that you eventually play. Pragmatic Play also works closely with the compliance team throughout this process to ensure each title meets each jurisdiction's requirements and fundamentally safeguards players. This collaborative approach allows each game to benefit from various opinions and preferences and ultimately improves the overall product.
Q4. Can you tell us a little bit about your Live Casino operation and its top games?
Pragmatic Play’s Live Casino titles are built around three core components: twist, transform and elevate the Live Casino experience for players. This is evident across its titles that offer transformative experiences to players, as seen in Snakes & Ladders Live™, where the popular board game has received a Live Casino makeover.
Additionally, Pragmatic Play likes to offer a twist to more traditional Live Casino staples evident in Vegas Ball Bonanza™. In this dynamic Live Casino gameshow, players purchase tickets to match numbered balls that are randomly drawn from a tumbling device. The inclusion of the Lucky Numbers and Bonus Multiplier bonus features enhances the experience and win potential whilst still providing familiar gameplay.
Sweet Bonanza CandyLand™ has been a hit within the Live Casino portfolio and blends elements of the original slot game Sweet Bonanza™ with immersive Live Casino features and allows six different bet types to be made during play. Classics such as Blackjack and Baccarat are also incredibly popular and are captured using 4k cameras and low latency streaming to offer the highest quality version of these titles on the market. Additionally, the use of cutting-edge technology and unique cinematic effects creates an immersive experience that elevates the action.
Q5. As of 2023, which games from Pragmatic Play's portfolio are most popular, and why do you think they've won players' hearts?
There are, of course, classic titles within Pragmatic Play’s portfolio which players continually return to and have become a staple of many slot enthusiasts’ play sessions. The multi-award-winning Gates of Olympus™ offers pay-anywhere gameplay with increasing multipliers, which utilise a popular Greek theme and remains popular two years after its release. The crescendo of excitement offered by increasing multipliers within the title has appealed to players, whilst the ability to land a huge multiplier of up to 500x in both the base game and free spins can transform wins and allows every spin to be exhilarating.
More recently, Zeus vs Hades Gods of War™ has made a splash with players, depicting two battling titans. The slot provides the ability to change the volatility level, and this decision is reflected in the title’s graphics, symbols, and bonus mechanics. This means that the slot offers two distinctive styles of play that provide a lot of replayability and has proven a hit with players since its launch. Sugar Rush™ is also incredibly popular and has secured numerous Game of the Year awards since its launch thanks to its easy-to-understand gameplay, popular sweet theme, and incrementally increasing multiplier mechanics.
Likewise, Wisdom of Athena™ has quickly become many players’ favorite title thanks to its mix of mechanical ingenuity, made possible via a mystery reel and established features such as tumbling mechanics seen in Gates of Olympus™. Outside of the Slot category, Sweet Bonanza CandyLand™ and Spaceman™ are incredibly popular, made possible by blending elements of different game categories together to provide players with a variety of content within their usual play sessions.
Q6. In recent years, there's been an increasing emphasis on responsible gaming. How is Pragmatic Play addressing this in its games and overall strategy?
Player protection is the company's top priority, and it is intricately linked to Pragmatic Play’s goal of creating a fun and enjoyable gaming experience. Responsible gaming and player protection are considered at every stage of the development process, from the conception of a new title all the way through to how it is marketed once released.
As a globally prominent supplier, Pragmatic Play offers games in a variety of markets and jurisdictions, often each with its own regulatory requirements and rules. For that reason, the supplier’s titles are first and foremost created to comply with the key requirements of each regulated market.
Q7. Could you share some of Pragmatic Play's future plans or projects? What can fans of your games expect in the next year or two?
In the future, players should be expecting even more high-quality, entertainment-focused games that will continue to deliver thrilling gameplay experiences. On the horizon, Pragmatic Play has a host of exciting titles released for players to enjoy.
Starlight Princess 1000™ hits the scene on the 26th of October, offering multipliers up to 1000 times. This new addition to the classic Starlight Princess™ saga is a must-try for any fans of the anime genre.
One of Pragmatic Play’s most popular sweet-themed Slots gets festive this November with the release of Sugar Rush Xmas™. Players can embrace the season’s spirit on the 7x7 classic Slot.
On top of these fun new Slots, Treasure Island™ is a highly anticipated new Live Casino game that makes use of state-of-the-art cinematic technology that will blow players away as they’re transported to a deserted island full of mystery and treasure. The adventure begins on the 29th of November.
Another exciting upcoming release is Lucky 6™, launching this December. This game show puts a new twist on Roulette, introducing Lucky Numbers and more, giving players even more opportunities to score big wins. This title demonstrates how Pragmatic Play continues to expand its Live Casino titles to offer even more ways to Twist, Transform and Elevate players’ gameplay experiences.
James is a casino games expert on the Playcasino.com editorial team. With many years of professional experience at a leading casino game development company and a passion for playing casino games, James has become a true expert in slots, blackjack, roulette, baccarat, and other games.
James uses this expertise to provide reliable, insider advice through his reviews and guides, breaking down the game rules and offering tips to help you win more often. Rely on James's extensive experience for expert advice on your casino play.
