“Ideas Can Sometimes Come From the Strangest of Places!” – Casino Bloke Interviews Mark Claxton, iSoftBet Head of Games

iSoftBet is a provider at the forefront of casino software and games development. The company aims to build quality iGaming products that will inspire, innovate, and entertain by always placing the players at the heart of everything they do.

Their portfolio counts more than 150 top-performing titles catering to a wide variety of tastes, from cutting-edge features to classic casino experiences. Casino Bloke had the opportunity of chatting with Mark Claxton, Head of Games about the company, their plans for the future, and most importantly their new and upcoming games. If you wish to see what we have talked about, keep on reading!

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Hello, and welcome to Casino Bloke. Thank you for taking the time to talk to us. How about we start with a brief introduction? Could you tell our readers a bit about yourself?

Sure! My name is Mark Claxton and I am the Head of Games here at iSoftBet. I’ve been working in the industry for 20 years for various businesses such as Playtech and IGT, amongst others.  My aim is to provide an amazing roadmap of gaming content for our players.

You have been working as a Head of Games for iSoftBet since 2018. Could you tell us about the company’s path in the years you have been working there?

The quality of player experiences that our products provide have increased year on year, and this is thanks to the creativity and drive seen in our fantastic team. It’s all well and good trying to stand out from competitors, but this often comes at the price of offering a truly enjoyable gaming experience. iSoftBet has become a household supplier of Megaways™ titles that dare to innovate, not to mention championing the hugely popular Hold and Win mechanic now seen throughout our portfolio.

What would you say was the biggest challenge you managed to overcome during your years at iSoftBet?

I think the biggest challenge for any provider of slot content is to create a series of games that lean on the same base feature.  We released Gold Digger with the Hold and Win mechanic and it was an instant success amongst players in all markets that we serve. Since then, we have released other Hold and Win games that have seen the same acclaim from our players and partners alike. There is always a big appetite for a good game, and that should not be understated!

Is there an achievement you are especially proud of?

I am especially proud of helping bring iSoftBet to the front of players’ minds when they are looking for new slots to play. This is testament to an adjustment in roadmap strategy, carefully studying the data from markets we serve, and of course the talented game producers and teams that develop the products from scratch.

Let us talk about games. iSoftBet boasts a pretty impressive portfolio. Some of the recently released titles are Piggy Bank Megaways™, Ocean Hunter, and Majestic Megaways™ Extreme 4, can you tell us what makes these games stand out from the crowd?

We like to try out various artistic styles when we make games and the sample you mention above is a good spread.  Piggy Bank Megaways™ features an extremely vibrant theme which compliments the mathematics which deliver give frequent wins back to the player – there is always something happening, and this is reflected in the peripherals of the slot.

Graphics are very important when it comes to standing out from the crowd but that often isn’t enough, with the gameplay underneath the polished artwork needing to be of a high standard too. Our games embody that perfect blend of eye-catching graphics, engaging features and gameplay, and that is why we are able to retain our communities.

Can you tell us more about the process of developing a new and unique game? What is the thought process behind designing a title that will truly resonate with players?

There are a lot of creative elements that come into the design process of a new game. The initial game ideas are scrutinised and refined multiple times, and these ideas can sometimes come from the strangest of places!

It’s not enough in the modern day to use any old artwork and soundtrack for a game. The game must appeal to the player on multiple levels, and there is a bit of magic that goes into the making of slots that separates the good from the bad.  Visual and audio feedback, engagement, and character art are all are creative elements that are carefully thought about for each game as you want to be looking through the eyes of your audience when making the game.

Is there something else cooking in the iSoftBet studio? There are three titles coming this September and October. Could you tell us something more about Tropical Bonanza, Dragonfire: Chamber of Gold: Hold & Win, and Hot Zone Wild?

Tropical Bonanza will take you on an island adventure to a beach bar cocktail club where good times and engaging features are always on the menu. It features two ways to trigger the bonus, either with a traditional scatter combination granting entry, or by triggering consecutive cascades that entirely fill up the cocktail glass.

Dragonfire: Chamber of Gold: Hold & Win builds on our popular Hold and Win mechanic, but with a unique twist where three consecutive hits in the respin round offers a collector on the prize grid, or more excitingly adds three multiplier squares to the grid. These squares change position and increase the multiplier value each time they move, leaving the player hoping for as many respins as possible to build a high multiplier that can trigger a huge gain.

Hot Zone Wild is a relatively straightforward slot designed for adrenaline junkies! Across the game’s six reels, the player can win sticky multipliers in free spins that can reach values of up to 10x per reel, and can be stacked together for some absolutely wild wins.

Out of all these new and upcoming slots, is there a specific one you like the most?

Tropical Bonanza is one that I like a lot. It champions a slightly different style of pay to that of any of our other recent releases. The end result is a really robust, well packaged game that during free spins – with the help of the multipliers – can ramp up the excitement to the highest possible level. The game also has an enjoyable summer theme that gives off good vibes to the players, which is something that a lot of players look for in their slot experiences.

Other than slots, are there some table game releases planned in the upcoming months for players to enjoy?

We do not have any table games arriving in the upcoming months, but please rest assured that we haven’t lost sight of the table game market and are reviewing our options.

What is on the cards for iSoftBet in the future? What will be your main focus while developing new releases?

2023 is an exciting year for us and in turn will be a thrilling year for our customers and players.  The IGT PlayDigital acquisition will see us join forces to provide a real “best in show” content offering that showcases the best of both companies as one. We will be focusing on delivering amazing slot games for all markets, in particular building on our popular Hold and Win mechanic, but also championing multiple new feature innovations that will shake up the industry.

Thank you for taking the time to talk to us! Is there something you would like to share with our readers that we might have forgotten to ask?

Keep an eye on our social media for updates and previews of our upcoming releases.  I can give you an exclusive mention that we are working on a sequel to our massive hit Sheriff of Nottingham, which will see more modifiers, wins and action than ever before.

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