Can independence truly set you free within the increasingly clogged iGaming landscape, or do you need the guidance and influence of a larger juggernaut to soar?
For Thunderkick, venturing down this path brings about boundless opportunities when looking to compete within what is an increasingly competitive landscape.
Speaking at the SBC Summit, Head of Account Management, Johan Granberg, touches on the studio’s modus operandi, and notes a pair of distinctive factors that he believes are critical in aiming to stay ahead.
In addition to flexibility in how Thunderkick works with partners, adopting a close collaborative approach and enabling a natural two-way connection is key. Due to being an independent studio, he says, the personal contact or connection is so important.
However, this can only paint part of the picture of an organisation’s true make-up. Blending in with the pack is far from a sound strategy, and Granberg highlights the USPs that stand out in the eyes of operators.
“…independence is one of our strongest assets”
“I would say independence is one of our strongest assets,” he explains. “All of Thunderkick is independent. Every one of us is under the same roof and ideas float around all the time.
“If you have an idea, you can go and run to anyone in the whole company and you will get acknowledged for that idea.
“In terms of games, I think what Thunderkick is beyond independent is quirky. We want to make quirky games, we want to be a bit weird, we want to stand out.
“That really shows in the office culture, which spills into the vibe of our games. I love that.”
With one word forming a central component of proceedings, the conversation continues by touching on what potential advantages could be presented to competitors as a result of remaining on this path.
Noting the perks for operators or suppliers that are owned by a bigger company, Granberg touched on the heightened reach and weight boasted. However, this will certainly not be holding Thunderkick back.
“The major benefit … is that creative freedom”
“For us, we understand that being independent has its challenges, but I think in the end it really works in our favour,” he says. “We have complete freedom to build whatever we want, whenever we want, without creative restrictions from a bigger company.”
Continuing the theme of confidence and optimism, attention duly switches to hone in on what are considered the major plus points of such an independent status.
This is achieved by looking at the level of leeway that the Thunderkick stance enables that others controlled by a larger company perhaps do not enjoy.
“The major benefit, as I have said, is that creative freedom. We pursue our ideas and execute the vision with no investor interfering with our processes,” Granberg comments.
“If we have a fun, wacky game idea, we can pursue that. If we want to enter a new market, we can look into that as well. That is a major, major benefit.
“We’re not controlled by the shareholders in that sense. We just need to evaluate a good market, build a good game concept, and then put our all into making it happen.”
As previously alluded to, the Lisbon showfloor was the stage of this deep-dive into the inner workings of the company, where one upcoming release dominated proceedings.
“it’s not about churning out game after game, it’s about … creating game environments optimised for maximum entertainment value”
This saw much interest expressed in Pink Elephants Trinity, which is hailed as a “major talking point at the moment” as well as “very exciting from our product point of view”.
Representing the third instalment of the series, Granberg delves into just why sequels are where the big opportunities currently lie, as well as how much importance there is in studios producing them rather than an endless stream of standalone titles.
“It’s very important,” he says. “There are so many games being released now from a growing number of studios. I think if people see something that they recognise, they’re more likely to try it out.
“Pink Elephants is the perfect example. When players see the third iteration in game lobbies, the familiarity with the franchise means they’re more likely to click on that than if it was a completely new game.
“You’re getting drowned in content now. There are probably 250 games being released every month at least, so it’s crucial to stand out and I think that’s why providers do a lot of sequels.
“For us, it’s not about churning out game after game, it’s about analysing the data, responding to feedback, and creating game environments optimised for maximum entertainment value.”
“…it really is the era of the sequels”
With the end in sight, attention turns to what could lie ahead for an industry that continues to push the boundaries when it comes to developmental practices.
Upon being pressed to gaze into his crystal ball and predict what main talking points and themes are going to shape iGaming through 2026, two familiar topics appeared.
“Obviously regulation, but everyone probably says that,” he concludes. “From a slot perspective, it really is the era of the sequels. You can see all of these IPs branching out, all of these game suites becoming bigger and bigger.
“We have a number of sequels, and our competitors do too. Studios are increasingly building on what actually works and what they know will perform. I think that trend will continue in 2026.”
