13 Years of Innovation: How Endorphina Crafted Its Iconic Identity

Q. Celebrating 13 years in the industry – what moment or project truly shaped Endorphina’s identity?

A: We’ve had several such turning points. Looking back at the earliest ones – probably the exhibition where we presented Cash Tank. We brought a real tank to the booth, shooting out money from it. It was bold, fun, and memorable for everyone. The game itself was a big hit, and the whole approach – creativity, humor, and an unconventional presentation - became an important part of our DNA.

Then came the release of Lucky Streak 3 and Hell Hot 100. These titles solidified our reputation as a studio that knows how to create classic, visually striking slots with familiar yet flawlessly executed mechanics. Players, especially those who have been into slots for a long time, felt that we were “speaking their language.” It’s fair to say these games shaped us as a brand.

I would also highlight Joker Stoker. That was the moment when we fully shaped the brand’s signature visual style. The Joker girl became something of a mascot, and the game itself a vivid symbol of our recognizable identity.

This story continues today - for example, in one of our latest releases, Sticky Lips, where the Joker returns in a bold and playful way. It’s another example of how we build on our legacy while keeping the spirit of Endorphina fresh, daring, and instantly recognizable.

Q. How has your approach to slot development evolved over the years – from math models to visual direction and storytelling?

A: Until 2023, we had been working in a rather restrained manner – fruits, classics, a recognizable style. But then, we decided to experiment and push beyond those boundaries. Now we create cascading games and storylines with dynamically changing visuals - for example, in a bonus game the background or animation may shift, new symbols appear, and the whole visual comes to life.

In terms of math, we’ve also gone further than just “Wild + Scatter.” We’ve introduced accumulating multipliers and persistent mechanics, where progress builds up directly in the base game. One example is the Gold Pile: with each spin, symbols are collected there, and when it “overflows,” the bonus round is triggered. It’s both visually appealing and keeps the player engaged.

Later, analytics showed that games with persistent mechanics gained significantly more popularity, so now we try to integrate them into all our new releases.

The visual evolution largely began with one of our first truly beautiful games – Temple of Ra. Even back then, we focused on spectacular visuals and attention to detail. Today, we strive to ensure that every new title has its own unique feature – whether in visuals, mechanics, or bonus dynamics.

Q. Your features – like the gamble function or layered bonus rounds – often feel signature. Which mechanics truly elevate player immersion, and why?

A: If we talk about what really elevates player immersion, I’d say persistent mechanics. For example, the Gold Pile feature – during the game, certain symbols fly into a growing pile of gold, and at some point it overflows and triggers a bonus. This really keeps players engaged because they want to stay longer, waiting for that bonus to drop, especially when it looks like it’s about to happen but doesn’t. That creates a lot of excitement.

Another mechanic that works really well for immersion is cascading multipliers that carry over. For instance, in a cascade bonus, multipliers drop as separate symbols and keep stacking when you land wins. This can potentially build into a massive multiplier, and that possibility adds a lot of thrill and involvement for the player.

Q. There’s a growing trend of Bonus Buys, Cascading Reels, Hold & Win mechanics. Which do you embrace, and which do you avoid?

A: We use everything: Bonus Buy, Cascades, Gold Hold. All these mechanics, when implemented correctly, add interest. Players, in most cases, play for the bonus. So, the more diverse bonuses a game has, the higher the chance that a player will stay engaged. But there is a delicate balance: if bonuses are too rare, the player loses interest; if they are too frequent, the sense of value disappears.

Currently, we are experimenting with combinations of persistent mechanics - for example, three different “Gold Piles” in a game. This gives the player several goals at once and keeps them engaged longer. I’m convinced that this approach is the future.

As for the themes, sports slots – that’s a personal weak spot for me. I haven’t seen them become truly successful, neither for us nor for others. Sports fans are more likely to place bets than spin a “football” slot.

Plus, we avoid controversial themes – they may work for some of our colleagues at other providers, but that’s not our path.

Q. Endorphina is known for embracing classic slot traditions. Are there theme directions you consciously avoid, and why?

A: As I mentioned, sports-themed slots tend to engage players poorly. Instead, we prefer to focus on themes that are universally interesting and creatively engaging – for example, Ancient Egypt, Greece, Amazons, or playful concepts like Santa, clovers, or other fantasy ideas. The key is that the theme is well-thought-out, interesting, and immersive for the player, rather than chosen simply because it seems trendy or potentially profitable.

Additionally, we consciously avoid controversial themes. While some providers successfully use political topics, we prefer not to.

Controversial themes can be risky and do not align with our brand approach, which focuses on creating classic, visually strong, and player-friendly games. Our goal is to focus on themes that entertain and engage players without causing discomfort or alienation.

Q. How have player behaviors and expectations shifted since the early 2010s – and how has this changed your development strategy?

A: Since the early 2010s, player behavior and expectations have shifted toward more complex mechanics and exciting new bonuses. Of course, there are still players who enjoy the simplest classic slots - just spinning, hitting some multipliers, winning or losing. But overall, there is now demand for higher-volatility games, where you might not win much on regular spins, but once you trigger a bonus, a crazy mechanic starts - for example, multipliers increasing with each spin or the game mechanics changing entirely.

The more interesting the bonus and the clearer players understand how it works and what to expect, the more engaging the game becomes. Over time, this has led us toward increasingly complex game designs.

AI tools have also emerged, which simplify work with visuals. However, designers are still essential – AI cannot replace a human in creating high-quality design. A person is needed to supervise, refine, and adjust the work that AI generates. At the same time, AI can greatly ease routine tasks.

Q. What creative or ethical principles does Endorphina never compromise on – even under market pressure?

A: We never touch religion, politics, or sensitive topics such as children. Morally questionable decisions are something we consciously avoid. Fortunately, there is no pressure from the industry or clients to create such content, but even without external pressure, we deliberately steer clear of these themes.

At the same time, historical themes are acceptable – for example, our slot Janissaries uses a historical setting with cascading mechanics and large multipliers, but it does not involve politics or religion. Everything else that we consider morally acceptable can be developed without any issues.

Q. Is there a slot from another provider you wish you’d created, or would love to deconstruct?

A: Yes, there are some slots that I find personally interesting from our competitors.

It’s a “ways” slot – a kind of cascade, but more like ways. When a win occurs, symbols pop and new reels fall from above, creating a mix of cascade and ways with a very engaging mechanic: your win can multiply up to three times across three numbers. There’s also a Wild mechanic - if you hit Wilds on three of the five reels, essentially the entire grid explodes. For me, this is a truly compelling and innovative mechanic.

The theme is simple, but what really stands out is the math and the mechanics. The gameplay itself is captivating; even if you don’t win, it’s exciting to trigger bonuses and watch the mechanics unfold. It’s fun to play even without big wins.

Q. If you could send one message to your 2012 selves, knowing the industry in 2025, what would it be?

A: I would send myself two short text messages: "Convert games from Flash to HTML5" and "Create cascade slots."

Q. What would a slot look like that perfectly represents Endorphina’s next era?

A: At the moment, I can’t reveal specific details about upcoming releases, but I can share the direction we’re heading. Endorphina is gradually shifting its focus from classic slots to creating engaging games with exciting bonus features and striking visuals.

Several games are currently in development that reflect this new approach. One of them has a very bold theme, and I believe that when it’s released, it will perfectly represent Endorphina’s next era – the transformation we envision for our brand in the near future.

This will be our statement for the next stage – more spectacular, mechanic-rich games, while preserving our creative DNA.

Follow our updates on social media and on our website, and visit our booths at SBC Lisbon and Sigma Rome – there will be plenty of exciting things to see!