With a large number of slot studios now in the market, there is a small number which truly stands out from the crowd. And right at the front of these leaders is Microgaming, a company which is not only considered to be a major player, but also the pioneer of online slot play.
Established in 1994, Microgaming has gone on to become one of the top slot developers around the world. With a massive selection of features, that makes their games so popular.
But why are Microgaming so famous, and how do they different from other slot studios? Here's the lowdown one of the industry's big guns.
In 1994, the internet was only just starting to roll out to the masses, but the founder of Microgaming had already spotted a gap in the market. South African entrepreneur, Martin Moshal, is credited with creating the very first type of "true" online casino software which would change the world of gaming forever.
Rather than setting up and running their own casino, Microgaming opted to specialise in creating content for others to use. Although there wasn’t a plethora of online casinos at the time, Microgaming gambled that companies would very quickly start to pop up - and they were proved to be correct.
Over the years, Microgaming developed a vast catalogue of games, but the company was keen to be more involved in the overall direction of the industry. To achieve this, Microgaming became one of the founders of eCOGRA, a gambling body which provides certification to online casinos to verify their authenticity.
Microgaming has continued to play an active role in ensuring gambling companies act responsibly, but it has also focused on its own development and growth. To achieve this, the studio set up a partnership programme which would allow smaller developers to sign up to work exclusively with Microgaming.
This partnership programme has proven to be a huge success, with developers such as Gameburger Studios, Neon Valley, Just For The Win, Triple Edge Studios and All41 Studios joining the Microgaming brand.
The number of different studio brands working in partnership with Microgaming means that there’s now an even more diverse selection of games that can be found.
As well as a broad choice of games, Microgaming also includes many different types of features in their slots. Some of these include:
This last point - progressive jackpots - is one area where Microgaming really leapt ahead of their competitors. There are a number of different progressive jackpot networks with a track record of paying huge wins. Mega Moolah is one of the most popular, but there's also Wowpot and Major Millions.
The longevity of Microgaming means that it’s no surprise to discover that there are literally hundreds of different titles to play.
As well as Megaways titles, and popular games such as Immortal Romance, Microgaming also has many branded slots. This started with the first Tomb Raider slot in 2004 and has expanded since with others, including Resident Evil, Deadmau5, Love Island and Jurassic World.
Take a look at the huge range of slots available to play from Microgaming today, together with their other casino table games, and discover your favourite.