There is an incredible amount of competition in the online slot game. It doesn’t take a long time to make a simple slot, compared to say a massive videogame, and there are proven formulas out there. But the best developers out there know they have to do more than the average for a game to be truly popular.
From the original pioneer of online slots in the 1990s, to two Swedish developers who brought the scene into a new era, these are three companies who changed the game, literally, when it comes to online slots.
Microgaming Were the True Pioneer of Online Casinos
Microgaming is based in the tiny Isle of Man (in between Britain and Ireland) but it is without question the most influential company in the history of online slots. Mega Moolah. Immortal Romance. Thunderstruck II. All legendary games for online gamblers in the know.
If those all sound appealing to you, but you’re not certain if you want to put cash down a slot made 25 years ago – demo slots could be for you. From Microgaming classics to titles from other developers on this list, top demo slots collections let you try a huge range of games for not even a cent. And then you can find the ones you like to try for real money. Easy.
Interestingly, despite the world’s gambling capital of Las Vegas, USA, being the first place to debut a video slot machine, the history of online slots is very much a European story for the most part.
Aside from being involved in launching the first online casino as you would recognize today, Microgaming’s biggest legacy is probably progressive jackpots.
The European-developer was the first to debut the idea of progressive jackpots when it dropped Mega Moolah in 2006. If you didn’t know, this is when a small share of each bet is taken to build up a giant pot over time.
Microgaming was also the first to link those progressive jackpots across multiple games, allowing for even bigger prizes.
So if you’ve ever won a Minor, Major or even a lucky Mega progressive jackpot on an online slot, you have Microgaming to thank for coming up with the idea.
NetEnt Upped the Game with Modern Polish
Stockholm-based NetEnt has also been around from the early days of online casinos, having been founded in 1996. However, it only really got into it’s stride in the late 2000s. From 2008 onwards it went on a legendary run, making some of the most popular and well-remembered slots of all time.
Just some of NetEnt’s most popular titles over the years, that you will recognize if you’ve been on an online casino before, include:
- Blood Suckers (2009) – an unusually high RTP game still popular today
- 2010’s Gonzo’s Quest, which introduced tumbling reels
- 2011’s Jack and the Beanstalk, which was the first slot with expanding and moving Wild symbols
- 2008’s Mega Fortune, which once held the record for largest online slot jackpot payout ($17 million)
- 2012’s Starburst – a legendary slot that was somewhat of a meme among gamblers as it was a favorite of many online casino bonus offers
As you can see from that list, NetEnt invented a lot of common slot features that are everywhere in the business today. In 2020, that success inspired another, younger, Swedish online gambling company to spend $2.1 billion to buy out NetEnt. Enter, Evolution.
Evolution Went from Live Casino to Slots
True to their name, Swedish live casino developer Evolution is now also one of the biggest slot developers in the world.
Since taking over the online casino scene with its domination of the live casino space, Evolution has ploughed its profits into buying up slots developers. As well as acquiring NetEnt for $2 billion in 2020, the game developing giant also spent $520 million to buy Big Time Gaming (2021) and $400 million to acquire NoLimit City (2022).
Evolution made it’s fortune off the back of its hugely popular and innovative live casino games. It was the first to debut super high quality, studio-based live games with real dealers and uncluttered betting interfaces.
It was also the first company to turn to live dealer game shows, adding more high production elements and unique gambling games to the mix. Just some of its popular titles have included:
- The very first live casino game show Dream Catcher
- Monopoly LIVE
- Crazy Time
- Lightning Roulette
- Ice Fishing
- Lottery game Mega Ball
Although plenty of companies have since taken the formula and ran with it, it wasn’t enough to overcome Evolution’s first move advantage. All of which occurred in the two years or so before online casinos began to legalize in various American states.
That cemented the company’s massive cash flow and allowed them to go on a shopping spree of top global slots developers. And earning themselves a much coveted (of course) place on this list.