“Alchemy Gaming was born out of the abundance of opportunities that I could see in data”

A longstanding member of Games Global’s lineup of exclusive studios, Alchemy Gaming™ produces titles with mathematics at its core. Boasting a mix of passionate, creative, and experienced minds, Alchemy Gaming™ has gone on to produce hit after hit and was also responsible for introducing Games Global’s now industry renowned WowPot!™ progressive jackpot to the world with the launch of Wheel of Wishes™. The jackpot recently made history with a record €38,461,200.95 win, struck on that very game.

Tell us about Alchemy Gaming and give us the background of your journey?

Alchemy Gaming™ was born out of the abundance of opportunities that I could see in data. There were very clear gaps that were just waiting to be filled, so I set out to build a team that shared my vision.

We started as a team of just 12, with experience across all facets of game design and development, and we had a very loose structure with no managers. Of course, there were people responsible for certain areas, but there was no formal hierarchy. This approach had a significant impact on development and relationships, allowing for an enjoyable and creative environment which breeds success.

Our initial aim was to make a statement and hit the industry right between the eyes with engaging games that looked great and played immaculately. We saw an industry that had stagnated, despite remaining lucrative with some standout titles such as Mega Moolah™, and we wanted to reinvigorate the jackpot space. With the creation of WowPot!™ we did just that, launching what would turn out to be the biggest online progressive jackpot the industry had ever seen.

Despite growth across the business, Alchemy Gaming™ is still a relatively small studio in comparison to others, but we certainly pack a punch and deliver great content that is enjoyed worldwide.

The recent €38.4 million WowPot!™ jackpot win was won on not only an Alchemy game, but the original game the jackpot was debuted with in 2020! This must be exciting for the studio as a full circle moment?

As the first game we launched, Wheel of Wishes™ will always have a special place in our hearts, and to have this big win strike on our original title makes it all the more important to us.

We were watching the jackpot creep up just like everybody else, and when you start seeing figures in the tens of millions, you can barely contain your excitement. I was hoping and wishing that the jackpot would hit on Wheel of Wishes™ and the fact it did felt very appropriate!

It was also the first time that the mega jackpot paid out on Wheel of Wishes™. It had already seen some relatively big wins, but for it to be a world record payout is more than any of us could have hoped for.

Tell us more about Wheel of Wishes™ from ideation through to launch and what makes it so special?

Creating your debut game is a challenge in itself, but when you add the ambitious goals we had set for ourselves, there is a different level of pressure. At the time, the progressive jackpot network sat under the Microgaming brand, and this was to be first new title to be added in a very long time. While there were many unknowns, we had the experience and cool heads within our ranks to overcome these challenges.

As with all our games, we start the creative process with math and mechanics. Data and market trends also have a big say on what we do as we want to ensure that we are capitalising on areas that require an injection of excitement.

We knew that players had a strong love for progressive games, but we also saw that there was a market full of ageing, uninspiring games and that a shake-up needed to happen.

Furthermore, we noticed a gap on the functionality side where almost all the big jackpots were randomly triggered events, and we wanted to tie the progressive bonus game far more tightly with the overall gaming experience. By seeing the bonus game on the screen, players are anticipating the event, which heightens the overall excitement.

We didn’t want to complicate things with never-ending features; We wanted the game design to be neat and tidy and provide a relatively simple gaming experience and let the jackpot integration and the hope of landing a big win be the ultimate hook for Wheel of Wishes™.

The result was a very compelling game and huge shoutouts to our tight-knit team, including Mike Gaspar and Marcus Thorpe-Fairall, who have worked tirelessly in leading us to create something we are all incredibly proud of.

Wheel of Wishes™ was Alchemy’s first release – how has the studio evolved since then?

It goes without saying that Alchemy has evolved and adapted to market changes. As Wheel of Wishes™ was our first game, it was the sole focus of everyone in the company during the early days.

Things have naturally become a little more hectic since then, but it’s been great fun. There is a lot more going on at any one time than there has ever been, and that is surely the mark of a thriving business.

Having a growing portfolio means we are always busy, especially considering we are working on updates to older games, as well as developing two new games at any one time. It’s full-on and non-stop, but we wouldn’t have it any other way.

We have never really taken a static view of the industry. We like to keep our focus across all facets of the industry and not be pigeon-holed into a particular area. This brings more learnings and expertise that we can rely on across the business.

What can we expect from Alchemy going forward? What is in the pipeline?

In December 2023, we released our first sequel, Chronicles of Olympus II – Zeus™ which showcases quite a nice evolution of some of the mechanics that existed in the first release, as well as being a huge step forward in terms of art quality and richness of gaming experience. In February, we will release its sister games Chronicles of Olympus II – Hades™ , which we have high hopes for.

Further building on this success, the series’ central XUp™ mechanic will return once again this year to add to the excitement of our offering. We have another game in the pipeline for later in 2024 which is another significant step forward, whilst still remaining true to the XUp™ brand.

It’s been a really rewarding journey for us as a studio so far and we’re excited about what’s to come!