Familiarity plays a major role in everyday life, as well as having a hugely influential impact on purchasing preferences and entertainment choices across the world. We are, after all, creatures of habit.
iGaming is certainly no different. IP plays a major role in the realm of slots, and in the era of global regulatory crackdowns, this is arguably now more important than ever.
One studio that has a history of correctly harnessing a range of differing global brands is Blueprint Gaming, and Director of Marketing, PR and Events, Jo Purvis, delves into why such titles have become a cornerstone of the industry, and how and why the company itself has enjoyed particular success.
Blueprint Gaming has a long history of utilising IP. Why is this a route so frequently trodden by yourselves?
Licensed content has been a cornerstone of Blueprint’s strategy for many years because it allows us to combine the power of globally recognised brands with the engaging mechanics and feature-rich gameplay that players expect from our products.
Strong intellectual property immediately provides familiarity and emotional connection, but the real challenge lies in transforming that recognition into a compelling gaming experience.
What has made Blueprint successful in this area is our ability to work with a diverse range of brands, from cult classics such as The Goonies and ted, through to globally recognised franchises like The Flintstones and Game of Thrones.
Each property brings its own audience, tone and creative opportunities, allowing us to continually diversify our portfolio while maintaining our core gameplay philosophy.
Importantly, we never view an IP as a shortcut to success. The licence may attract initial attention, but sustained performance comes from delivering a game that stands on its own merits.
When those two elements come together effectively, the result can be a title that resonates with both loyal fans of the franchise and players discovering it for the first time.
How do you ensure that such titles hold an allure to players beyond those who may be familiar with a particular brand?
The most successful branded games are those that appeal to all players, not just existing fans of the franchise. While an IP can provide a powerful first impression, retention ultimately depends on the quality of the gameplay experience.
Our approach is to begin with a proven game concept and then integrate the licence in a way that enhances the mechanics rather than overwhelming them.
Features, bonus rounds and progression systems must feel meaningful regardless of whether a player has prior knowledge of the brand. At the same time, fans should feel that the characters, locations and themes they love have been represented authentically.
Game of Thrones is a good example. While the series brings enormous global recognition, its success has been driven by the strength of the gameplay experience itself, with leading operators reporting exceptional engagement and performance following launch in March 2026.
Similarly, the Goonies franchise continues to perform strongly across multiple regulated markets because the gameplay offers broad appeal beyond the nostalgia associated with the brand. That balance is critical to long-term success.
What does Blueprint Gaming look for when seeking to utilise a popular brand/franchise for iGaming purposes?
The first consideration is whether the brand has the depth and flexibility required to support a compelling gaming experience. Recognition alone is not enough.
We look for franchises that possess memorable characters, iconic moments, distinctive visual identities and storytelling opportunities that can translate naturally into engaging mechanics and bonus features.
Equally important is longevity. We want to work with brands that have enduring appeal and the ability to resonate with players across multiple demographics and markets.
Franchises such as The Goonies, The Flintstones and Game of Thrones have all demonstrated remarkable staying power, remaining culturally relevant years after their original release.
We also assess how well a brand aligns with Blueprint’s strengths as a developer. The most successful projects are those where we can authentically integrate the licence into the gameplay experience rather than simply applying a recognisable theme to an existing product.
When there is a natural fit between the brand, the mechanics and the audience, the potential for long-term success becomes significantly greater.
When looking at your own catalogue, which titles that fit this bill have proven to be the most popular? Why do you believe that this is so?
While several licensed titles have delivered standout performances for Blueprint, recent releases such as Game of Thrones and The Goonies Quest for Treasure 2 demonstrate the enduring power of combining premium intellectual property with strong gameplay foundations.
Focusing on Game of Thrones, at the heart of the design is Conquer the Houses, a progressive mechanic built around the four iconic families, each offering a distinct Collect-style modifier.
Our ability to pair heavyweight entertainment licences with mathematics-driven gameplay is underlined by the exceptional engagement Game of Thrones delivered following launch, with major international operators reporting some of their strongest game performance figures of the year.
Meanwhile, The Goonies Quest for Treasure 2 became our strongest-performing release of 2025/26, achieving leading market positions across the UK, Ireland, the Netherlands, Sweden, Denmark and Canada.
What connects these successes is not simply brand recognition. Both titles combine beloved source material with feature-rich gameplay, strong mathematical models and mechanics that encourage repeat play.
We have also seen continued success from long-standing favourites such as The Flintstones, demonstrating that players continue to respond positively when a well-known franchise is paired with a genuinely entertaining gaming experience.
What does the future hold when it comes to Blueprint’s roadmap and the inclusion of IP?
Licensed content will continue to play an important role within Blueprint’s roadmap, but our focus remains on quality rather than quantity.
The objective is not simply to secure well-known brands, but to identify opportunities where we can create something genuinely compelling for players.
As entertainment franchises continue to evolve and new audiences emerge, we see significant opportunities to bring both established and contemporary brands into the iGaming space.
At the same time, player expectations are increasing, meaning branded games must offer more than recognition alone. The future will belong to titles that successfully combine authentic use of IP with innovative mechanics, engaging features and strong long-term performance.
Blueprint has built its reputation on delivering precisely that balance, and we expect licensed content to remain a key pillar of our strategy as we continue to expand our portfolio across regulated markets worldwide.
