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May 04, 2020

How Blueprint Is Challenging the Biggest Names in iGaming



In the 2010s, there were, for all intents and purposes, three names that mattered in the online casino industry – Playtech, Microgaming and NetEnt. Sure, there were other big-name developers, including SG, Betsoft, IGT, and countless others. But if you operated an online casino site, you would want to have at least one of those three in your repertoire; otherwise, players would simply go somewhere else.



To a degree, that still stands today. Playtech is the world’s biggest supplier of casino software, whereas Microgaming is the oldest casino gaming company with the biggest library of games. NetEnt, meanwhile, has created games like Starburst, Dead or Alive and Gonzo’s Quest – three of the most popular casino games ever created. And yet, like all types of media entertainment, there is always room for an upstart to start shaking the foundations of what we know. At the moment, that feels like Blueprint Gaming.

Blueprint was founded in 2001, but its parent company, Gauselmann Gaming, an early developer of physical gaming machines, has a history stretching all the way back to 1957. Despite being around for almost two decades, Blueprint only saw moderate success up until the back end of the 2010s. Today, however, it’s forging its name as a creator of the world’s finest slots.

Blueprint games placed prominently at online casinos

You can find over 40 Blueprint games, alongside over 300 slots to play online, at casino.com, which is one of the best options for Playtech, NetEnt and Microgaming too. The Blueprint slots ranking among the top games at that site include Ted, Sausage Party and Spinal Tap. You can see that they are branded games, based on those popular movies, but what really distinguishes these games from other titles is their creativity.

For example, Spinal Tap, which is a testament to the cult comedy film, has over a dozen special features and bonus games. It’s a world away from the concept of slots as single-line ‘fruit machines’. Because it’s a licenced game, it can also splice footage of the movie etc. into the slot. Branded games are not new to the online casino world, but what Blueprint does deftly is incorporate the branded elements into the gameplay instead of just superficially. This gives the player a better experience, and it underlines the fact that modern casino gaming is not just about winning and losing money.

Megaways games have changed online casino

While those branded games have helped Blueprint move nearer to the top of the game developers’ hierarchy, there is perhaps another reason why it is considered one of the hottest developers around – Megaways. To be fair, Blueprint did not create the Megaways gaming format; another company, Big Time Gaming, did. But Blueprint struck a licencing deal with BGT to use its Megaways technology. Return of Kong, Primal, Diamond Mine, Vikings Unleashed and Valetta are all Megaways games that have propelled Blueprint to the forefront. We know this from looking at the prominence of those games on streaming channels on YouTube (News - Alert) and Twitch.

To be clear, Blueprint still has some catching up to do before it can challenge the likes of Playtech, Microgaming and NetEnt. The company still focuses on slots only, whereas that trio creates all types of casino games, including live dealer games. And yet, things can change quickly. Blueprint has had almost overnight success. If it continues on the same trend line, and perhaps branches out to other areas of casino software development, it could become the biggest name in iGaming in the 2020s.



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