Today, we have the pleasure of speaking to Sean Liu, Head of Product Management, TaDa Gaming. We’re eager to learn about the creative process behind the company's slot development.
How do new slot ideas originate at TaDa Gaming? Is it the work of a dedicated creative expert, a collaborative team effort, or can anyone in the company contribute? Who came up with the concept for 3 Lucky Piggy?
At TaDa Gaming, we believe that ideas can come from anyone as our creative process is inclusive and open.
3 Lucky Piggy was proposed by our game design team during a creative meeting. It is part of our new TriLuck™ series, which also includes 3 Coin Treasures and 3 Pots Dragon. Each release is unique in theme and design but has ‘three pots’ as the base concept.
We saw that this casino favourite would translate fantastically well to online gaming and so TriLuck™ was born. We developed three separate features to interact together and deliver accumulative wins but what makes our slots unique is that players have the chance to unlock all three features in a single spin for maximum wins.
3 Lucky Piggy has resonated with players the most so far. It has more paylines, an improved main game RTP, and an RTP Bonus with the same hit frequency and betting range, alongside maintaining 100+ currency options and 20 languages. Since launch, the impact has been impressive, especially in the uplift in rounds played and the percentage increase in player sign-up.
We saw an immediate uplift in registered players by nearly 10%, taking our player base to a quarter of a million worldwide in the first four weeks while betting volume increased by a healthy 5% in the first two weeks and both are still growing. So we are all delighted with 3 Lucky Piggy!
Once an idea is formed, what’s the next step in the development process?
We then move into the conceptualization phase. This includes designing the core mechanics, theme, and visual style. The team then engages in detailed planning and prototype design to ensure the gameplay is engaging and appealing.
We always ensure that the narrative is supported by triggering the bonuses to create immersive gaming.
The slot or product - as we also have been developing player engagement tools including GiftCode, Win Card, and Linking Jackpots - then goes into development, which involves coding, creating graphics and animations, and finally conducting extensive testing and optimization to ensure the game's stability and playability.
How many team members are typically involved in creating a single game?
Developing a game usually involves a team of 10 to 20 people, depending on the size and complexity of the project. Team members include game designers, programmers, artists, sound designers, and testers.
Our portfolio is very diverse: so a deeply detailed arcade release such as Fortune King Jackpot might have a larger team while series such as DARKREEL™ - Nightfall Hunting, we would try to keep the same team together.
Each person plays a crucial role in the project, working together to complete the game development and making a significant contribution.
Is there a particular role or person that you would consider the most crucial in this development journey?
Every role is vital, but game designers often play a key role. Without creativity, you see generic concepts and safe themes being released. At TaDa Gaming, we like to shake things up. Our Fishing-Shooting games like Ocean King Jackpot are radically different from our Table Games for example. We also like to add unique features that players may not expect, such as jackpots and wheels of fortune in a ‘shoot’ em up’ release like Crazy Hunter 2.
So, designers are responsible for the initial concept and ensuring that the gameplay is engaging for players however, Programmers are also essential as they bring the designer's ideas to life in the game. The best answer is probably that everyone’s input is essential but teamwork is crucial.
From the initial idea to the final release, how long does the entire process usually take?
The development of a game typically takes four to eight months from concept to release. This includes everything from the initial idea to final testing and optimization. More complex projects might require more time to ensure our signature quality.
TaDa Gaming is about 80% product design to 20% other services so we have a lot of teams working across the portfolio to enable us to hit our four+ releases a month target
In your opinion, what are the biggest challenges in developing a slot game?
Differentiation and how to stand out in a highly competitive market. We need to continuously innovate to attract new players and retain existing ones while ensuring that each game is balanced and fun to play. This requires careful attention at every stage of design and development.
We also have to ensure that our slots are compliant with different market regulations. We are licensed by the MGA (Malta Gaming Authority), Sweden’s Spelinspektionen, and The Hellenic Gaming Commission and we are waiting to be authorized by both Romania and the UK’s Gambling Commission shortly.
We also certify our games for different markets, ensure translation and localization are first class and actively work with our partners to continuously improve localization for better gaming experiences.
Fair play also has to be evident in slots. We work with industry leaders BMM and iGaming Labs to confirm our integrity in RNG as well as enabling players to verify the server seed in their gaming histories. This way both casino operators and players can be assured that TaDa slots and releases are as fair as possible and that we are a company and brand that can be trusted 100%.
Technology is always at the forefront as games have to be compatible across devices and platforms, mobile-first so quick download times, portrait orientation, and correct design of the screen real estate as to where we locate buttons and controls.
Finally, choice of casino partner: successful slots play out best on stable platforms with solid backends, integrated payment gateways across multiple options, and in safe playing environments: so our great business development team makes sure that our partners reflect our quality and ethos at all times.
Since we’re over halfway through the year, can you share some insights into how TaDa Gaming’s goals have been progressing? Have your expectations been met so far?
This year, we've made significant progress in gaining a deeper understanding of regulations in various markets and creating products that comply with these regulations but still deliver immersive gaming.
We have a better understanding of key operators in the European and LatAm markets and have successfully entered into partnerships with tier 1 operators including Alea, Brazzino777, EveryMatrix, GR8 Tech, Softland, Soft2Bet, SoftSwiss, WA.Technology and many more – all of which make it easy to find and play our games.
We now have a portfolio of 150+ releases across all genres including several series of games that have been well-received by our clients and players. We have designed and launched new game engagement tools for even more immersive experiences and we opened our first office in Malta. So I would say we are pleased with the success of efforts to date.
However, there are many more products, releases and new announcements to come so keep following us on social media and signing up for our newsletter as this is a great way to keep in the know.
Are there any ideas that you’ve set aside for potential future projects?
There are not enough hours in a day to implement all our ideas and some have been put on hold due to time constraints, but this hasn’t dampened our ambition to become a significant force in the European and LatAm markets. We plan to focus on refining game mechanics in 2025, which will be a key part of our upcoming projects.
At NewSlotGames, we’re always on the lookout for new and exciting slot machines. Can you give our audience a sneak peek into any upcoming games, maybe even share a visual teaser?
Of course! Currently, we launch a new game each week on Wednesdays so always check our social to see what’s coming. However, we’re about to launch a brand-new game that combines a unique theme with innovative gameplay mechanics. We’ll be releasing visual teasers very soon, so stay tuned!
Sean Liu, thank you for your time. I wish TaDa Gaming continued success and look forward to seeing more innovative and engaging slots from your team. We’ll keep providing our honest reviews to our players, and we’re excited to see what you release next!
About the Expert:
- Interviewed Person: Sean Liu (LinkedIn)
- Company: TaDa Gaming
- Position: Head of Product Management
- Experience in industry since: 2019
