Squealin' Riches 2 – Q&A with Hayden Zwart Creative Director at PearFiction Studios

Back in 2021, PearFiction Studios unleashed the sounds of Squealin' Riches with its 10,000x max win and a duo of incredible bonus games. Well, things just got even better for these pampered pigs as they earn themselves a sequel with a huge 25,000x top payout, 5 jackpot prizes and a fabulous Loot Collect Feature too! 

We sat down with Hayden Zwart, Creative Director at PearFiction Studios, to get a better idea of how such a strange concept comes to life, how they decide which slot features to include and where this popular studio is heading next.

Name:

Squealin' Riches 2

Developer:

PearFiction Studios

RTP:

96.04%

Max payout:

25,000x stake

Volatility:

High

Jackpot:

Mini, Minor, Major, Grand, Epic

Reels:

5

Win lines:

25

Theme:

Luxury

Release date:

20th May 2025

Play Squealin' Riches 2 here:

What took you so long!? We loved the original Squealin’ Riches game, and you made us wait nearly 4 years for a sequel! All joking aside, why did it suddenly feel right to create a follow-up slot?

We know, we know… four years is practically a lifetime in the slot world. But good things take time, and with Squealin’ Riches, we didn’t just want to create a follow-up for the sake of it. Sequels only really land when the original is still resonating with players, and honestly, people never stopped talking about that cheeky pig and the LockNWin action.

When we looked back at what made the first game a hit, its personality, the pacing, the mechanic, we saw an opportunity to not only bring it back but to elevate it. A sequel has to earn its place, especially in a landscape where trends evolve fast. So we asked ourselves: what can we build on? What can we push further? And how can we make this piggy even more rewarding?

It felt like the right time because we had the tools, the ideas, and most importantly, the appetite to revisit Squealin’ Riches with fresh eyes and take it to a whole new level.

How much autonomy do studios have in the Games Global group with regard to feature selection? Is there a mandatory list to choose from or are studios like PearFiction able to run with any ideas that they choose?

There’s actually a great deal of autonomy. While being part of the Games Global group gives us access to an incredible network and support system, when it comes to feature selection and game design, studios like PearFiction are trusted to lead the creative charge.

We don’t have to pick from a set menu, we’re encouraged to experiment, take risks, and create features that feel authentic to our style. That freedom is essential, especially in a fast-evolving space like slots. If you’re only following what’s already working, you’re not really innovating. And at PearFiction and Games Global, innovation is at the core of what we do.

We’re always tracking trends, looking at player behavior, and thinking about where the next leap could come from, whether that’s refining something familiar or introducing something entirely new. That balance between creative freedom and industry insight is what keeps our games fresh and distinct.

Squealin’ Riches 2 has a fantastic soundtrack and it’s super catchy! Was this created in-house or did you work with a 3rd party to produce it?

We’re incredibly lucky to have our own award-winning sound designer in-house, and he’s quite the wizard. Every note you hear in Squealin’ Riches 2 (and across our portfolio) is the result of his creativity and hard work.

What’s amazing is how effortlessly he seems to capture the exact vibe we’re going for, whether it’s fun and upbeat, dark and intense, or totally off-the-wall. But behind that effortless feel is a serious amount of skill and dedication. He’s deeply involved from the start of a project, helping to shape the emotional and thematic tone of the game, not just layering sound on top. It’s all crafted to immerse players deeper into the experience and with Squealin’ Riches 2, he really nailed that cheeky, high-energy atmosphere we wanted. 

We’ve seen crazy grannies, angry ice hockey players and alien invaders in the last 12 months! Where does the inspiration come from for your slot themes?

We’ve got an incredibly creative team here at PearFiction. Ideas bounce around constantly, and honestly, inspiration can come from just about anywhere. Sometimes it all starts with a theme, like a wild granny on a mission or an alien invasion gone wrong, and other times, it’s the game mechanics that drive the concept. A unique feature or mechanic might spark a question like, “Okay, what kind of world would this exist in?” and then the theme evolves from that.

What really defines our process is that we’re always looking for a twist, a quirky spin that gives it that unmistakable PearFiction signature. Whether it’s unexpected humor, an exaggerated character, or a completely off-the-wall setting, we like to make sure every game has a personality of its own. We want players to not only enjoy the gameplay but also remember the characters and world we drop them into.

Finally, what’s next for PearFiction? Any new slot ideas in the pipeline that you can share with us?

We can’t spill all the beans just yet, but let’s just say the pipeline is buzzing with some really exciting stuff. We’ve got a mix of fresh themes, each with that signature PearFiction twist, think unexpected characters, vivid worlds, and a healthy dose of humour or chaos (sometimes both).