NetGaming CEO Q&A: Feature-Rich Gaming and 80s Nostalgia in Dragon Fortress – Battle of the Castle

• As CEO, Pallavi has helped NetGaming enter new jurisdictions where it is live with 30+ games
• The firm is eyeing the NFT space and has launched the industry-first Mutant Ape NFT slot Aped
• Pallavi describes Dragon Fortress – Battle of the Castle as one of 2022’s most feature-rich games
• Its distinctive 80s, 8-bit video game style is inspired by Goomas and Bowsers in Super Mario

Obsessed with creativity

From its offices in London, Malta, and India, slot supplier NetGaming provides its unique brand of games to markets across the world. Its accomplished team of developers, creators, and innovators pride themselves on their “obsession” with creativity – something clear to see in the slots they produce.

NetGaming’s most recent slot offering, Dragon Fortress – Battle of the Castle, demonstrates the company’s distinct style. Its fantasy-themed storyline, 8-bit graphics, and iconic theme tune have ensured the game recently made the cut for VegasSlotsOnline News’ Slots of the Week.

In light of the game’s success, VSO News spoke with NetGaming chief executive Pallavi Deshmukh. She gave her opinion on the next big thing in slot gaming and explained why the company decided to give its freshest release an 80s video game style.

You have been CEO of NetGaming for several years now. How has the company grown and changed in that time?

We have come a long way since 2019! We started with registering the company in Malta, applying for licences, building a proprietary RGS and finally getting our RNG and game certifications. Today, we are live in five jurisdictions, three new licence applications are in progress, we are live with over 30 games, and have onboarded several operators including some of the biggest brands in the industry. The team strength has increased by 50% as we continue to expand in all aspects of the business.

be nice and strive to meet customer requirement

We are extremely proud of what we have achieved in such a short span of time. We have an excellent team of passionate individuals who have worked very hard to achieve the goals we set for ourselves on an ongoing basis. Although the senior team members in the company have a combined experience of over 50 years, we have all grown as the company has grown. The learning curve has been thrilling and challenging at the same time. Our core value is very simple, be nice and strive to meet customer requirements.

What would you say is the next big thing in slot gaming?

This is a million-dollar question!

The crypto and non-fungible token (NFT) marketplace looks very interesting. There are several synergies that both industries can leverage to create something unique and appealing to the new age players.

NetGaming announced our crypto and NFT strategy at ICE 2022. We released an industry-first Mutant Ape NFT-themed slot, Aped, in May. You will find four original Mutant Ape Yacht Club NFTs that are owned by NetGaming as high-paying symbols in this slot. In September this year, we will release our second NFT-themed slot, Casino Punks.

There are a few other ideas that we are exploring in this space. Watch out for more on this!

Last year, you mentioned that you were looking to delve into the popular slot streaming space. Has there been any progress on that front?

Yes, we kicked off phase one of the project. We engage with some of the popular streamers on a regular basis to bounce off ideas and get their feedback on game mechanics.

We plan to continue working with streamers directly

We have also launched some merchandise giveaway promotions that have proven to be fun and have increased engagement. We plan to continue working with streamers directly.

NetGaming announced a deal with Livespins recently which we are also very excited about.

Can you explain a bit about the new release Dragon Fortress – Battle of the Castle for our readers that aren’t yet familiar with the game?

Dragon Fortress – Battle of the Castle is a unique mash-up of an arcade and a slot game. It has several features that have never all been seen in one slot. It is one of the most feature-rich games you will come across in 2022.

The slot begins with Colin the Conqueror aiming for the treasure chests and mystery doors on the arcade to reveal various features. Players can win or buy a mini-game that is revealed when the mini-game wheel is spun. They can win Hero Lottery, Fortune Bonus Pick, Treasure Chest Spins, or unlimited Dragon Free Spins.

Colin, the brave warrior, fights with the dragon in Dragon Free Spins If he wins, he continues his unlimited Free Spins journey. If, on the other hand, the dragon slays our little champ, Free Spins end.

Apart from these features, players can land random wilds, multipliers, cash wins, and wild reels. It is an extremely entertaining, medium-high volatility game with the potential to win up to 5,000x bet.

The slot has a really unique look, giving off 80s video game vibes. How did the idea first come about?

NetGaming wants to deliver innovation-driven games to our customers. We strive to add unique features and mechanics to our games that are tightly integrated with the game theme. Our games have a lot of character and personality. There is a lot of research and thinking that goes into picking a theme and mechanics to go along with it.

The 80s generation will certainly be able to resonate with the game

Dragon Fortress – Battle of the Castle is inspired by our Head of Product Nat’s experiences of playing Goombas and Bowsers in Super Mario. There have been several attempts to combine arcade and slot in the past, however, there isn’t a game that gives the kind of experience that our game delivers to the players. It takes players on a feature-driven journey with lots of anticipation and nostalgia. The 80s generation will certainly be able to resonate with the game and appreciate the finer details that we have added.

Which of your other games are most popular with players?

Every game that we craft at NetGaming gets a lot of love and attention but ultimately the final judge is the player. Some of our other games that have proven popular amongst our player base are 3 Wild Jokers, Aped, Mansa Musa’s Golden Journey and some of our classics like Book of Dracula and Treasures of Egypt.

Finally, what plans does NetGaming have for the rest of 2022?

2022 has been a pivotal year for NetGaming so far. We have continued our growth trajectory by onboarding new customers, delivering more unique content, and entering new markets. We have invested in marketing and promotions which has helped us build brand awareness in the iGaming community. This year marked our launch with 888casino and Entain, two key operators with a rich heritage, FTSE 250 and 100 companies respectively and amongst the biggest and the best in the industry. Entain is special in particular because I worked there for over 10 years.

There is a lot more in store for NetGaming for the remainder of the year. We are entering the US market. We are awaiting our Michigan and New Jersey licences but we sincerely hope to launch in the US in 2022. There are some more exciting games awaiting releases also. We started working on our 2023 roadmap and can’t wait to showcase it to our customers, affiliates, and streamers.