SBC Awards: Wazdan and Pragmatic Play strike gold
The 11th annual SBC Awards ceremony was held in Portugal on 26 September, to celebrate the iGaming creators and operators who have distinguished themselves. Amongst this year’s winners are a few of our favourite developers.
Pragmatic Play
Pragmatic Play took home the gold prize in the Large Casino/Slots Developer of the Year category, a well-deserved win. Pragmatic Play’s influence on the industry since its 2015 conception is pretty much unrivalled.
This developer is responsible for such legendary games as Big Bass Bonanza and its various spinoffs, as well as the John Hunter series and popular network promo Drops & Wins. Pragmatic’s latest releases include:
- Fortune Hit ‘N’ Roll: a vibrant, Tiki-themed slot game with a solid RTP, high volatility and a decent win potential.
- Oodles of Noodles: a highly volatile but cuddly ramen-inspired slot with simple mechanics.
- Wisdom of Athena 1000: a sequel to the player-favourite Wisdom of Athena that sets itself apart with double the max win of the original.
Pragmatic Play’s awards cabinet is likely looking pretty full these days. Previous wins include Best Product Launch of the Year at the 2024 Global Gaming Awards EMEA, and Best Casino Software Provider at the EGR B2B Awards in 2023.
Relax Gaming
Not far behind Pragmatic Play was Relax Gaming, which won bronze in the Large Casino/Slots Developer of the Year category.
Relax Gaming are the folks behind such classics as the Money Train series and Neko Night Dream Drop, as well as other titles featuring the lucrative Dream Drop Jackpots.
2024 has been a busy year for Relax Gaming. Here are a few highlights:
- Freaked Out Fish: a psychedelic grid slot that managed to make fishing-themed games feel fresh again.
- Beanstalk Grows Wild: a quirky fairytale-inspired adventure which seems to defy its low volatility.
- Feather Fury: an unusual slot which challenges players to lose as many times in a row as they can in order to trigger the bonus round.
Relax Gaming is a consistently innovative company which frequently pushes the boundaries of what slots can do. It’s right that they are celebrated for this, and perhaps their creative output will receive additional recognition next year.
Wazdan
Wazdan knows a thing or two about awards. In previous years, it won big at the Streamers Awards, the European iGaming Excellence Awards, and the SBC North American Awards.
This year, Wazdan took home the gold prize in the Medium Casino/Slots Developer of the Year category, making it the equivalent of Pragmatic Play in its weight class.
Wazdan is responsible for introducing revolutionary mechanics such as adjustable volatility levels, Ultra Fast Mode and Lite Mode. Their classic games include the Power of Gods series, Choco Reels and Sizzling Moon.
Here are a few of the latest Wazdan slots to catch our attention:
- Prosperity Reels: Hold the Jackpot: a brand new and feature-packed jackpot title with up to 46,656 ways to win and adjustable volatility.
- Mighty Fish: Blue Marlin: as a prime example of Wazdan’s endlessly popular Cash Out feature, Mighty Fish: Blue Marlin is great for newcomers to this developer.
- 9 Coins Grand Platinum Edition Xmas: a festive variation on a Wazdan classic, this slot’s layout features nine independent reels.
Peter & Sons
Founded by a team of industry professionals and international enthusiasts and professionals only in 2019, Peter & Sons have wasted no time carving out a reputation for an innovative approach to game development.
And this was recognised at the SBC Awards when they deservedly carried off the silver prize in the Casino / Slots Developer of the Year - Small category.
Highly original and with a regular nod to popular culture of the last 60 years with their distinctive artwork, Peter & Sons keep delivering games of the highest quality. Recent and popular releases include:
- Frozen Age: loads of features, a max win of 8,000x and 50 paylines. Looks the biz as well!
- Gunpowder: Sticky Wilds, Phantom Power, Free Spins and a 10,000x max win are just some of the reasons to take a good look at Gunpowder.
- Barbarossa Revenge DoubleMax: 30,000x max win in this high volatility slot as well as free spins with an unlimited multiplier.
Not the only winners…
And congratulations to other developers and operators, including BetConstruct, White Hat Gaming, Alea and Soft2Bet whose hard work was recognised at the 2024 SBC Awards.
There might be a few sore losers after the SBC Awards, but the fact of the matter is that awards are good for everyone. They encourage innovation and foster healthy competition, keeping developers and operators on their toes and improving overall standards. In a sense, we all win!