Q&A with Anastasios Ioannidis, Affiliate Manager at ARRISE, Powering Pragmatic Play

27th February 2025 - 15:48pm

We spoke to Anastasios Ioannidis to discuss how Pragmatic Play has become a leader in the market through a diverse and unique set of slot offerings, partnering with some of the biggest operators in the world.

What sets Pragmatic Play apart from other game developers in the iGaming market?

"Home to some of the biggest slots in the business, including Gates of Olympus, Sugar Rush, and Sweet Bonanza, Pragmatic Play has a strong focus on product diversity and quality, offering games which cater to all types of players. This makes Pragmatic Play an essential partner for casino operators who want to ensure their players have access to premium gaming experiences. In addition, Pragmatic Play also provides operators with seamless integration and exciting promotions."

Pragmatic Play has won multiple awards. What do you attribute this success to, and how does the supplier maintain a culture of innovation?

"Consistency and creativity are behind many of the 30+ industry awards won by Pragmatic Play in 2024 alone. The business never sits still, constantly building on existing game themes and mechanics to deliver exciting new experiences for players. I think it comes down to understanding what players love and then giving them more and different – iterating on established themes and features while always bringing original concepts to the table. "

The Big Bass series seems to be a significant part of Pragmatic Play’s portfolio, with recent releases like Bigger Bass Splash and Big Bass Return to the Races. What makes this series so popular, and how does Pragmatic Play keep it fresh with each new iteration?

The Big Bass series continues to grow because players love the new releases. And it’s because the original games have remained so popular that each new title in the series is more an iteration than an innovation – the recipe works, so why change the ingredients? Keeping the series fresh is no issue, with the famous fisherman adopting numerous forms over the years, from a mythical king in Big Bass Secrets of the Golden Lake and a secret agent in Big Bass Mission Fishin’ to a chainsaw-wielding zombie in Big Bass Halloween 2.

In the fisherman’s latest adventure, Big Bass Return to the Races, which launched towards the end of February, there isn’t a single bass in sight. But the gameplay will feel familiar to Big Bass fans, who have a chance to enter either the regular free spins feature or Golden Cup Free Spins, during which only money symbols, wilds, and blanks can occupy the reels. And let’s not forget that Big Bass is a multi-product series, with Big Bass Crash released in late 2023 and Big Bass Bingo out this month. Next up for fans of the series is Big Bass Bonanza 1000, set for launch towards the end of April.

How does Pragmatic Play decide which mythologies to explore in its games?

"Key considerations include what players enjoy and which mythological themes can be brought to life with captivating visuals and fun features. Ancient Greek mythology is popular among players all over the world, so naturally it is one that Pragmatic Play has sought to explore in legendary games such as Gates of Olympus 1000, Wisdom of Athena 1000, Bow of Artemis, and Zeus vs Hades – Gods of War. Ancient Egypt is another hugely popular game theme. Pragmatic Play also recently explored Norse mythology, releasing the popular Might of Freya Megaways™ in which the goddess of love, beauty, and war offers wins of up to 8,000x on the 6x7 grid."

Pragmatic Play’s extensive product portfolio includes an award-winning range of live casino titles. What sets these games apart from rival offerings?

"Pragmatic Play offers classic table games in addition to exciting twists such as Auto Mega Roulette, which features no game host, Immersive Roulette Deluxe, which includes cinematic slow-motion replays, and Bet Behind Pro Blackjack, in which bots occupy all seven seats at the table. On top of this, the supplier hosts a growing collection of unique game shows that are streamed in high definition around the clock from state-of-the-art studios. Mega Roulette, Mega Wheel, and Sweet Bonanza CandyLand are just a few of these exceptional titles, with recent release Fortune Roulette offering multiplier wins on all inside bets, a thrilling slots bonus game, and wins of up to 9,000x."

Can you explain the concept behind the Drops & Wins promotion and how it enhances player engagement?

"Drops & Wins is available across the latest and most popular slots from Pragmatic Play. The promotional product offers players the chance to win extra rewards in their favourite games. This can be in the form of random Daily Prize Drops or based on leaderboard positions in Daily Tournaments. With 10,000 prizes to be won every day, a massive monthly prize pool of €2,000,000 is up for grabs."

What inspired Pragmatic Play to enter the Crash games market, and how has the reception been so far?

"Pragmatic Play offers a multi-product portfolio and caters to all types of players, so the decision to enter the crash games category with Spaceman was fairly straightforward. Spaceman is a top-performing game in many markets, and Pragmatic Play has since expanded its crash portfolio to include Big Bass Crash, and more recently, High Flyer, which took off with two bet spots and 1,000,000x multiplier potential."

Pragmatic Play released around nine new slots every month last year. Are there plans to maintain this pace in 2025? What new game mechanics or themes can we look forward to?

"Yes, Pragmatic Play will continue to deliver high-quality slots at scale and pace. Each release is designed to bring something new to the portfolio. In 2025, players can look forward to a rich selection of titles, including Gates of Olympus Super Scatter in April – this one is going to be mega!"