We just love to play a bit of Slingo, so we were delighted to chat with the Marketing Manager at Gaming Realms, Ayla Uzunhasan, to learn more about this exciting game and why it’s so popular.
Hi, Ayla. It’s great to connect with you for a chat. Before we get into all things Slingo, we’d love to know more about you and your journey to date in iGaming. Was this a career you had openly pursued in the past? Or were you working in a different industry, and an opportunity presented itself?
Like most people, I didn’t imagine I would end up working in the career I find myself in, especially as I fell into the industry by accident! I was fairly young when I started my career in iGaming and wasn’t very exposed to the industry prior to joining. That being said, it is a constantly evolving sector that challenges me to develop new skills and keep pushing my own boundaries being a fun and exciting industry as a whole. Who wouldn’t love that?
It’s been an amazing journey to date since the Slingo concept was initially created, but it seems as though in the last five years, the product has started to explode into more countries and become more popular. Has this been the case? And where have you seen areas of growth?
Slingo stands out in the iGaming world by combining the fast-paced excitement of slots with the strategic depth of bingo. It offers a refreshing change from traditional casino games, with a slightly slower pace that allows for more player agency.
Slingo empowers you to take control of your gameplay, making decisions and strategising your next move. This unique blend might require a bit of initial learning, but the rewards are worth it! As you begin to understand the intricacies of Slingo, you’ll discover a game that gets more enjoyable and rewarding the more you play.
This learning curve by players corresponds to the popularity of our titles; for example, countries that have a longer history with our games are consistently some of our top performing, such as the UK, US and Italy. As players gain a deeper understanding of Slingo, it does begin to explode in popularity, becoming a genre in its own right within these regions. As we expand to new territories, we are beginning to experience this rise in player demand as they learn more about our unique titles.
We’ve been huge fans of Slingo and have covered your releases for several years now. In the earlier days, the games stayed very much to the original concept, marking off the numbers and climbing up the win ladder, but as time has passed, we’ve seen more games include interesting new mechanics and bonus rounds. Was enhancing the product this way always part of the long-term plan to help Slingo attract new players?
From the beginning, we knew the Slingo formula had staying power. While the core gameplay of marking numbers to create Slingos remains the standard classic formula, we believe infusing the concept with fresh mechanics, beyond theming and visual changes, is key to keeping the experience exciting. Our upcoming title, Slingo River Re3ls™, exemplifies this philosophy.
Slingo Rivel Re3ls™ builds upon the foundation of traditional Slingo gameplay, but we’ve added features like respins, multipliers, instant cash prizes, and collection mechanics to keep players engaged and coming back for more.
Slingo games are resonating more with online gamblers than ever before, so what do you think are the reasons behind the continued success of Slingo? Do you think it’s the inclusion of the features that can be triggered? And has securing licenses to make branded games produced an uptick in the number of overall players to the Slingo series of games?
Slingo’s success stems from a variety of factors, but one key element that sets our portfolio apart is our use of popular IPs. We’ve brought the thrill of classic video games to the iGaming world with titles like Tetris Slingo and Slingo SPACE INVADERS. We’ve also reimagined popular slots, blending them seamlessly with Slingo mechanics in games like Slingo Money Train and Slingo Cleopatra.
The fun doesn’t stop there! We’ve also captured the excitement of television favourites with Slingo Deal or No Deal and Slingo Shark Week, giving them a unique Slingo twist along with more collaborations and reinterpretations not listed. This long and proud tradition of leveraging established IPs allows us to create titles that resonate with existing fans of these franchises while also introducing the joy of Slingo to a whole new audience.
I mentioned in the last question about the licensed games in your portfolio, and although you have struck plenty of deals in the past, leading to games like Slingo Rainbow Riches and Slingo Deal or no Deal, in the last year couple of years, you appear to have upped your game considerably in securing partnerships with big developers and franchises which has led to the likes of Slingo Money Train and Tetris Slingo being released to name just a couple. Is this something we can expect to see more of in the future?
Undoubtedly, our recent expansion with Light & Wonder embodies these expectations. It will allow us to develop another Slingo title from their portfolio, building on the massive success of Slingo Rainbow Riches.
IP-inspired titles are a great way to push the boundaries of the Slingo genre. By incorporating elements from established IPs or adapting core gameplay to reflect a specific theme, we can create fresh and engaging experiences. This approach also helps us innovate and develop new mechanics within our own titles, as seen in the revolutionary gameplay of the recent release, Slingo Day of the Dab.
Moving on to the game creation itself, this is something that we’re always interested in hearing about. When the team get together at Gaming Realms HQ and brainstorm a new game, how long is the process from the initial idea getting the green light to it then being developed and eventually being made available to play?
Development speed depends on the complexity of the game. Creating entirely new mechanics takes longer, while IP-inspired titles involve close collaboration with brand owners to ensure we capture the essence of the IP for fans. This back-and-forth process can extend development timelines.
Despite this variation, our in-house games can be developed in as little as six months, with most projects, regardless of size, taking under a year. This allows us to maintain a steady release schedule, typically delivering at least two new Slingo experiences for players each month.
Continuing on the development side, the improvement in the standard and overall design and graphics of the games is visible for all to see, and whilst the older releases are still good, the content coming out of Gaming Realms is now looking fantastic. Is the original team still in place from the early days, and it’s a case that they have developed their skill set along with the product? Or, as your popularity has increased, do you bring in new talent to take Slingo to the next level?
Gaming Realms boasts a team with a rich history. Founding members have grown their expertise alongside the company, ensuring a deep understanding of what makes Slingo so popular. In recent years, we’ve significantly expanded to meet player and casino demands.
Leading this charge is Suki Sandhu, our new Chief Product Officer. Suki oversees new developments and guides the team in elevating our existing portfolio. This blend of experienced veterans and fresh talent allows us to preserve Slingo’s core appeal while pushing the boundaries of the genre. The result? A steady stream of innovative titles that keep both new and existing fans engaged and excited for each new release.
With such a diverse range of games in your catalogue, whenever I have a Slingo session, it can always be a tough call to decide what to play, although I tend to opt for those that are feature-heavy as a general rule. However, I have always wondered which are the five most popular releases to date, as these results can sometimes turn out to be different from what we might expect. Could you share with us what rocks the top spots in the Slingo genre?
Our recent releases, Slingo Gold Cash and Slingo Hot Roll have been global hits, particularly resonating with players in the US, where the underlying IPs that the slots were created from are already established player favourites.
As a global company, we see fascinating regional preferences. For instance, Slingo Centurion and Book of Slingo dominate the Italian market, while Slingo Lobstermania and Slingo Piggy Bank are UK player favourites. We prioritise a localised approach, understanding that a ‘one-size-fits-all’ strategy wouldn’t resonate everywhere.
Therefore, we judge top performers by region, not just total spins. A large, established market like the UK will naturally generate more data compared to a growing region like Latin America, creating anomalous data points.
Okay, now that we know what’s hot, we’re going to put you on the spot and ask you for your five favourite Slingo games of all time.
Slingo Centurion holds a special place in my heart as one of my first Slingo experiences. The seven exciting bonuses and the surprise Roman soldier feature add a layer of fun randomness to the gameplay. Another favourite is the recently released Slingo Day of the Dab. This fast-paced title boasts a fantastic theme and a unique chain reaction mechanic. If you’re looking for something different, definitely give it a try!
Speaking of personal favourites, Tetris Slingo is one I’m particularly proud of. Witnessing the classic arcade feel of Tetris translated perfectly into Slingo is a joy, and it was one of the first titles I helped bring to market from the very start. I’ll also be slightly cheeky and look ahead to Slingo River Re3ls™. It is pushing the boundaries of the Slingo formula in exciting ways and sets a new standard for what a Slingo title can be, and I can’t wait for fans to experience it. Finally, Slingo Pirate’s Treasure deserves a shoutout for its thrilling bonus round, where you battle an enemy armada! It’s a fantastic adventure for any Slingo player.
We’re constantly checking out the Gaming Realms site for any upcoming releases, but have you got any news hot off the press on any mega releases you have in the pipeline?
Slingo Fowl Play is on the horizon, and it would be great to come and chat about this chicken-filled title closer to the time of release, as it is currently top secret at Gaming Realms!
Okay, we’ve made it to the end. The last question is… Can you share with us what’s currently on your music playlist or what the last song you listened to was?
My music taste is eclectic, to say the least, and probably ear-damaging with the volume I listen to it at, but my most recent listen was Slipknot, followed by Earth, Wind and Fire!