Justification for the path being trodden is often incredibly difficult to come by. However, for 1spin4win this came in the form of a crucial triumph as the curtain fell on the SBC Summit in Lisbon.
As Tiger’s Steps Hold and Win was crowned as Casino Title of the Year, attention was firmly fixed on just why the title stood head and shoulders above the competition and how this is merely the beginning of what’s to come.
In conversation with iGaming Expert, Art Director, Olga Bogdanova, elaborates on just what the accolade means for the studio, the challenge of differing player preferences and what lies on the horizon.
iGaming Expert: Congratulations on winning the Casino Title of the Year at the Affiliate Leaders Awards 2025. To begin, could you tell us what triumphing in this category means for yourselves?
Olga Bogdanova: Winning this award means a lot to the 1spin4win team. It shows that industry experts have recognised our game among many remarkable titles and decided that, in certain aspects, it truly stands out. It’s a gratifying and motivating moment for the entire team.
When we create games, our primary focus is always the player — their comfort, engagement, and overall experience. When they enjoy what we make, that appreciation often translates into industry recognition, making those moments even more meaningful.
iGX: What is it about the game itself that you believe sets it above the rest?
OB: With Tiger’s Steps Hold and Win, we wanted to fill the project with traditional elements and a touch of ancient heritage, making it truly stand out among similar titles inspired by the popular Japanese aesthetics.
Set high in the mountains, the story follows the journey of mastering martial arts. The game captures the essence of the tiger warrior’s path – inner strength, balance, and respect for ancient customs. To bring out the world’s mysterious, almost mystical feel, we used deep night colors, soft moonlight, and striking accents.
When creating the two ninja characters, we drew much inspiration from the iconic game Mortal Kombat. They turned out mysterious yet bold and determined. As the top apprentices of the great Sensei Keitaro, each of them bears a tiger mark on their shoulder, symbolizing unity, resilience, and dedication to the tiger fighting style.
The intrigue lies in the questions: Who is stronger? Who is more enduring? Whom does the master favor, and which of the two will become his successor and guardian of the tiger’s combat knowledge? The answers are left open, giving players the freedom to interpret the story for themselves – and decide whose side they will take.
We enhanced the emotional impact of the visuals with clean, expressive animation that adds motion and energy. As for the music, it plays an important role in the slot and the series as a whole but never dominates – it subtly supports the atmosphere without distracting from the gameplay. Our goal was to make every element – colour, light, motion, and sound – work together to create a cohesive, immersive experience.
At the heart of the slot is the popular Hold and Win mechanic. In the bonus round, featuring traditional Japanese coins, players can boost their chances of winning and hit the ×100 Mini Jackpot Coin or the ×1,000 Mega Jackpot.
The combination of an engaging storyline and balanced mechanics creates a strong sense of immersion and sets the tone from the first spins. The powerful energy, brave characters, rich visuals, and smooth gameplay all come together to form a complete, harmonious experience. I believe that’s exactly what makes Tiger’s Steps Hold and Win so successful.
“Bonus-driven slots are thriving, with Hold and Win leading the way”
iGX: Your flagship Hold and Win mechanic is evident in this instance. Could you tell us a little about this and why you believe it resonates with players?
OB: Hold and Win is a bonus feature that offers players the unique chance to win one of several jackpots. It allows them to collect coins that lock in place, increasing the potential for larger rewards. While the game itself can be simple, this unique twist makes it more appealing and thrilling for players.
Bonus-driven slots are thriving, with Hold and Win leading the way – ten of the twenty 1spin4win releases in 2025 are built around this format. The Buy Bonus feature is also gaining momentum, appearing in six of the top twenty releases this year. It’s a clear sign that players appreciate having more control over their gameplay experience.
Following this trend, all four slots in the Japanese-themed lineup are built around the Hold and Win mechanic. Therefore, the upcoming release, Sound of Steel Hold and Win, launching this November, stands out. Unlike its predecessors, it offers a 3×3 layout instead of the 5×3, a x1,500 max multiplier, and provides the Buy Bonus option.
Rather than waiting for luck and three or more coins to trigger the feature, players can now purchase direct access to the bonus round, skipping the base game and diving straight into the most exciting part of the experience. This gives them a sense of control over their luck and chances of winning.
“…we do see the trend toward creating sequels and are very interested in continuing”
Beyond the mechanics, we also made several creative updates in Sound of Steel Hold and Win: we added background characters, refined the story, and reworked how the characters interact.
These changes bring more depth and variety to the narrative, adding a touch of tension and drama. Stay tuned for the release of Sound of Steel Hold and Win, the closing chapter of the Japanese saga, on November 27!
iGX: We’re seeing a trend across the industry for sequels rather than a stream of standalone titles. Is this a direction that we can expect 1spin4win to follow?
OB: At 1spin4win, we do see the trend toward creating sequels and are very interested in continuing our successful titles. However, our Japanese lineup goes beyond that.
It’s a game series where each release is part of a carefully crafted universe, building on the previous release while introducing new characters, each with their own charisma, story, personality, and surprising plot twists. With this, the Japanese collection sets a new creative benchmark in the industry.
When we started working on this collection, Japanese culture completely drew us in – its graceful female figures, determined samurai, and elusive ninjas. Cinema and anime also played a significant role in shaping the atmosphere.
“Japan has always fascinated us – a little mysterious, deeply symbolic, and full of hidden beauty”
Japan has always fascinated us – a little mysterious, deeply symbolic, and full of hidden beauty – and we wanted players to feel that same intrigue. That’s how the idea of a multi-part story came to life, especially with so much creative material to explore.
The collection includes four games, three of which have already been released: Tiger’s Steps Hold and Win, Gentle Fox Hold and Win, and Way of Honor Hold and Win. The final chapter, Sound of Steel Hold and Win, is coming soon. Each title builds on the previous one, continuing the story visually and narratively.
This format struck a chord with players. We see several reasons for that. First, the mechanic – the bonus round and jackpots – works perfectly. Second, the storyline is dynamic and immersive. Third, the overall concept is something new and truly unique for the industry.
We managed to capture the growing popularity of Asian-themed games and create a series that draws players into the world of ancient Japan – with samurai, ninjas, character rivalries, and secret scrolls.
Because the games are linked, players can dive deeper into the story and reconnect with familiar characters. It builds stronger engagement and keeps them excited for the next release in the series.
Building on this success, we’re already extending this approach to other popular titles. For example, Don Catleone Hold and Win, which premiered exclusively at ICE Barcelona in January, and its sequel, Great Hook Hold and Win, which we presented recently at SBC Summit Lisbon.
“…it’s more important for us to deliver universal titles that appeal to a broad audience without the need for adaptation. Classic will always remain classic”
Both games are inspired by 1930s America – the Prohibition era and its distinct gangster style. In the sequel, a detective dog, Great Hook, joins the story, and players find themselves switching perspectives – choosing whether to side with the cat gangsters or the clever sleuth.
Either way, there’s risk; either way, there’s luck. It’s a timeless story of two opposing forces, told through the game’s mechanics and atmosphere — and both titles are showing excellent results. Catch your luck by the tail!
iGX: With clients spread across numerous jurisdictions, how challenging is it to keep on top of differing player preferences, and how do you keep on top of these?
OB: At 1spin4win, we always try to take regional specifics into account when developing our games. After all, people around the world differ in their traditions, culture, and even in how they perceive things – such as colors and their symbolism.
However, since our focus is on timeless slots, it’s more important for us to deliver universal titles that appeal to a broad audience without the need for adaptation. Classic will always remain classic.
That said, creating such content is far from easy. It requires extra effort, constant learning, and a willingness to explore new ideas. This approach helps 1spin4win feel more confident, move faster, produce more games, and analyze data more thoroughly. It also allows us to find our audience – our loyal players and true fans.
“…this is not just a mark of achievement, but a confirmation of our strategy, hard work, and respect”
At the same time, when we develop slots inspired by a particular culture, we always aim to represent it as accurately and respectfully as possible through the details of the game. It’s important for us not to distort cultural elements and to remain thoughtful and respectful in everything we do.
For example, while working on the Very Lucky series inspired by Chinese culture, we paid great attention to every detail to avoid misrepresenting symbols that are meaningful to that audience.
Our team conducted in-depth research – everything matters: how many fingers or fangs a dragon has, the direction its head is turned, the inscriptions on the coins.
While we don’t consider ourselves experts in this area, we have dedicated significant time and effort to minimising inaccuracies. This approach allows 1spin4win to create games that are not only visually appealing but also show genuine respect for the cultural context.
The same applies to our Japanese-themed lineup. Our artist did a tremendous amount of detailed, hand-drawn work, carefully designing materials for the series – especially when it came to samurai armor and background locations.
We often use real photographs of traditional elements and people as a base, combining parts and creating new designs from scratch.
I believe this approach is the key to our success. In a relatively short time, 1spin4win has achieved impressive results and has already been recognised with nominations and an award.
For our studio, this is not just a mark of achievement, but a confirmation of our strategy, hard work and respect – both for the industry and for our players.
