🎤 Yggdrasil Gaming Slots Q&A with Marcin Tomala

Q: How was 2024 gone for Yggdrasil Gaming so far?

MT: “2024 has been a massive step forward for Yggdrasil, with a lot of great things going on all at once – and we’re not slowing down for 2025 either.”

Q: How are new slot games created? What’s the process?

MT: “Of course, I cannot share too much detail, but what I can say is that this process is much more intricate than most people may think. It involves a lot of careful thinking on many fronts – from market research, game concept, art development, and coding, to marketing and security.

Creating a high-quality slot game is a complex process with a lot of moving parts, where each one works in unison to bring the best player experience and results.”

Q: What are Yggdrasil Gaming’ most popular slot games? Are there any that are particularly popular only in the UK?

MT: “Yggdrasil is a global game provider, with a multitude of markets and countries covered. In the UK, the top spot is surely occupied by our iconic Valley of the Gods, the spiritual predecessor to its modern evolution, Valley of the Dead.

As for other markets, the top spots from our game’s portfolio vary greatly – different player bases have different tastes and trends – but the titles that are often popping up in our rankings are the timeless classics of Vikings go Berzerk, Valley of the Gods, Raptor DoubleMax or Multifly MultiMax.”

Q: What % of players play on mobile vs desktop/ tablet devices?

MT: “The ratio between desktop and mobile players varies between different countries and markets - unfortunately, I can’t disclose the precise numbers, but the majority of the player base uses mobiles these days, which is not surprising.

That’s why our slot games are designed with a mobile-first mindset, but we are not dropping the support for desktops though, as the players there still make quite a lot of spins, with Streamers – an important aspect of any game’s promotion – leading the example.”

Q: Why should slot players play Yggdrasil Gaming slots rather than others? 

MT: “Yggdrasil has always been a solid slot game provider, with the unyielding high quality of our games. Choosing Yggdrasil games guarantees the best experiences – and with the upcoming surprises that we’re preparing for 2025, even more eyes will turn to Yggdrasil’s portfolio. Stay tuned.”

Q: Have you seen players’ needs change over the years? If so, how? 

MT: “Absolutely. We’ve been in the market for a long time and our player base has evolved significantly, growing from players testing out the waters of early online gambling, into a fascinating target audience full of diversity and high expectations.

The quality and depth of the games must continually meet these high standards to stay engaging and enticing – and that’s what Yggdrasil is all about.”

Q: What challenges does Yggdrasil Gaming face with regards to regulation in the UK?

MT: “Honestly, I wouldn’t call them challenges at this point anymore. We are providing slot games to a lot of different jurisdictions and markets. That’s why our games are designed with license requirements in mind from the earliest stages of concept.

Thanks to the smart work of our excellent developers, with a simple flick of a switch, a game can be accommodated to different regulations, and so it was the case for the UK market too. We’re all into working smart and being prepared for the unexpected.”

Q: Can you tell us about the upcoming Valley of the Dead slot game? Can you explain how the OnlyWins mechanic works?

MT: “Gladly! Valley of the Dead is a modern twist on the timeless Valley of the Gods. The original game is excellent, but as time went on, the new generation of players emerged with new trends and expectations. Thus we went back to the drawing board and redesigned the experience to be excellent on mobile devices, with sleek modern UI and all in-game graphics prepared for superior portrait view experience.

As for the features themselves, the core experience remains by unlocking blockers to build up excitement for the upcoming respins, with a grand finale of multipliers and second chance lives, leading to the grand Big Wins. OnlyWins is a synergy feature, completely eliminating the dead spins, and turning the game into a constant stream of unending excitement.”

Q: What prompted the team to develop a game with a darker theme, as opposed to the tried and tested Egyptian theming?

MT: “You said it – the classic themes, like Egypt, are indeed well-known and liked, but there’s so much more creative freedom to be had in slot games. We will never abandon the classic themes of course, but we are also experimenting with new, exciting opportunities for artistic expression, to provide the most interesting experience possible to our players.

Valley of the Dead is a step in that fresh direction, and the year 2025 will be brimming with more surprises – and let me tell you, working on these ideas is a lot of fun for us too.”

Q: Do you have high hopes that Valley of the Dead will perform as well as its predecessors, Valley of the Gods and Valley of the Gods 2, or better yet, surpass it?

MT: “Indeed, our hopes are high, and not without proof. Valley of the Dead has gathered massive interest from operators, backed by strong core features and modern twists to make it a fantastic slot game experience. We expect nothing less than a smashing hit.”

Q: Was the OnlyWins Game Engagement Mechanic designed for a specific subsection of players in mind, or do you think it has a wide appeal?

MT: “The wonderful thing about OnlyWins is that it aims at universal values close to everyone’s heart. There is a vast choice of slot games that could benefit from having the OnlyWins feature, in any theme and with any target audience.”

Q: Does Yggdrasil Gaming plan to partner with other studios like you did with 4ThePlayer for 4 Fantastic Vikings Go Fishing?

MT: “Wish I could share more, but I’ll just say that we’re always open to great cooperation and we eagerly explore all such possibilities. We value partnerships that align with our goals and vision.”

Q: Are there any plans to expand on the Vikings series?

MT: “Absolutely! Some concepts are already in motion, so keep your eyes peeled in 2025 – it’s going to be a year to remember.”

Q: What Yggdrasil Gaming slot is your favourite and why? 

MT: “I wish it was easy to pick just one such favourite. As a Senior Game Designer here at Yggdrasil, I know our portfolio of games by heart and each of them offers a unique experience with its own high points.

 I’m afraid we would need a separate interview to cover all the games I would like to mention as noteworthy and great iGaming experiences. That diversity and uniqueness is also what makes this industry so fascinating to dive into.”