Online casinos pride themselves on offering the best games, and those that have access to blockbuster titles can usually command bigger audiences. Some players look for the games they enjoy, and similar titles, when choosing a casino to spend their time at only, so there’s a premium on securing the best games. Of course, it’s not just about game popularity either – the gaming experience is another key feature that really matters, and one of the few distinguishing factors between the good and the great of online and mobile casinos.
Third party software is the name of the game in online gambling, and one of the best established developers of these games is Microgaming. Based in the Isle of Man, the company has a long track record in the online gaming industry, from its humble origins, to the giddy heights of today, where online gambling stands as a truly multi-billion dollar industry. But what is Microgaming software all about, and how did this once small games developer grow into one of the biggest providers of online slots in the world?
Microgaming lays claim to the world’s first online casino which it launched back in 1994. While it’s difficult to verify the claim, it’s not frequently contested – as such, Microgaming can be considered to be the grandfather of the online casino gaming sector, and one of the real pioneers that have helped shape the industry as we know it today.
Microgaming decided early on in their life that rather than focus on the complex task of creating games and running an online casino, they would specialise. Anticipating the growth of casino operators around about them, Microgaming spotted this gap in the market to produce high quality games, which it would subsequently license to other providers. In doing so, they made a decision that has made them a fundamental and indispensable player in the world of online gambling.
Aside from developing award winning games, Microgaming was also a founding member of eCOGRA, a gambling industry authority that provides trust marks to casino operators, and goes some way towards ensuring fair play. In the process, they have helped clean up an industry that has historically attracted more than its fair share of rogues.
Today, Microgaming remains as one of the foremost independent games developers, and one of the great luminaries of the industry. Their games are consistently ranked as fan favourites, and their jackpots some of the biggest you’ll find on the Internet. As they continue to develop games for different platforms, technologies and genres, they will only grow in their importance to the online gambling sector.
There are hundreds of Microgaming games to choose from, across the full gamut of genres. Specifically, most of their work in recent years has been in developing slots, which form the majority of revenue for their online casino clients. Aside from that, they also offer table games like roulette and blackjack, as well as fantastic live dealer games that put the player at the heart of the action, face to face with a human dealer via high quality streaming video.
One of their most celebrated games is Mega Moolah, the progressive slot title responsible for the world record slots win. A British solider by the name of Jon Heywood is the lucky winner of this accolade, walking away with a staggering £13.2 million win from a single, 25p spin. Because of the progressive structure of the jackpots, the prize fund for Mega Moolah keeps on increasing with every single spin, and has to be won on a regular basis. That’s in no small part responsible for making Mega Moolah one of the most popular slots in history.
They also produce slot titles like Avalon II, Cash Splash, Alaskan Fishing, and the ever popular Thunderstruck series (with Thunderstruck II by far the most popular). These are Norse-themed slots that channel epic graphics and effects and combine them with some of the most exciting bonus features to be found in the whole slots genre. Even if you’re not a regular slots player, you’ll find Thunderstruck II highly entertaining.
Microgaming have a longstanding reputation for excellence, and this is reflected throughout their games. The graphics are impressive, the jackpots are significant to huge, and the return to player percentages are, on the whole, a lot more generous than those you would find elsewhere in the slots genre. If you’re looking for games that have a strong theme or an epic feel, there are plenty within the Microgaming catalogue. Similarly, if you want to land a massive jackpot, there’s no need to look anywhere else.
Microgaming titles come highly recommended, whatever you’re looking for from your slots play. Perennial player favourites and a solid choice for any casino licensing games, you’ll be able to enjoy Microgaming titles at only the world’s biggest and best online casinos.