Isle of Man
Games Global
The business that took over Microgaming's content operation, combining a studio network with aggregation.
Reference last reviewed 27 October 2026
The Australian studio that invented Megaways and licensed it to much of the industry.
Big Time Gaming's contribution was a mechanic rather than a game. Megaways replaces fixed paylines with reels that vary in symbol count on every spin, producing a number of ways to win that changes continuously and can reach six figures. Bonanza, released in 2016, established it.
The commercially important decision was to licence the mechanic to other studios rather than keep it exclusive. Dozens of Megaways titles have been produced by other developers under licence, which turned a single studio's idea into an industry-wide format and created a revenue stream independent of its own game performance. No other mechanic has been licensed at that scale.
The studio was acquired by Evolution in 2021.
The companies that design and build the games themselves, principally slots. They are paid a share of the revenue their games generate rather than a licence fee, which is why a studio's commercial fortunes depend on a small number of titles performing across many operators.
Isle of Man
The business that took over Microgaming's content operation, combining a studio network with aggregation.
Malta
A studio that moved from instant-win scratch games into some of the most played high-volatility slots.
Las Vegas
The former Scientific Games, now a cross-channel supplier of land-based machines, online slots and social casino.
Stockholm
The studio that defined the modern online slot, and whose catalogue remains a fixture in every lobby.
Stockholm and Malta
A studio defined by extreme volatility and deliberately uncomfortable themes.
Växjö, Sweden
A Swedish studio that stayed independent and slot-only, with Book of Dead as its signature title.