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On the 6th of February, 2024, Evolution Group announced that it had agreed to acquire Livespins. The deal will cost Evolution Group an estimated €5 million and is set to be finalised in the second quarter of 2024. Sometimes, mergers are followed by a bunch of games getting reskinned and rereleased under the parent company. We suddenly see a “new” collection of slots on the market, but after careful testing, realise that there are no new bonus features or extras to spice up the gameplay.
That will not be the case with this acquisition though. The technology and innovative features used by Livespins may revolutionise Evolution Group. Sure, the popular B2B company has worked with many top studios such as Relax Gaming, Yggdrasil and IGT, but this acquisition will see Livespins take a massive step forward. Before speculating on what we may or may not see, let's take a peek into what Livespins does.
What is Livespins
Livespins is a studio that uses API to integrate streaming into online games. This fuses casino games with live streams, allowing players to team up or bet on other players. This allows independent streamers, brand ambassadors, or Livespins streamers to go live during their gameplay. Bringing a whole new dimension to live games, numerous operators have collaborated with Livespins in the past. WynnBet, Sportsbet.io and BitStarz have integrated the Livespins API into their gaming lobbies. Game studios such as Relax Gaming, Yggdrasil, IGT, Playson and Platipus have worked with Livespins as well.
For Evolution Group, the acquisition holds a lot of promise. The Chief Product Officer of Evolution said the following:
“Playing along with a streamer is a whole new way to play online casino games. This was on our roadmap, so when the opportunity with Livespins arose, things moved quickly. Bringing together the fantastic tech, processes and know-how of the team at Livespins with Evolution’s huge game portfolio, we will provide Livespins immediately with unparalleled distribution power via our One Stop Shop (OSS) integration. Twitch, YouTube, and other platforms have proven the popularity of live streaming while playing online casino games. We think players would love to play along with them and now that will be possible, right from the Evolution lobby.”
Who are Evolution Group
You have definitely heard the name before if you have played at any online casinos. Evolution Gaming Group AB was founded in 2006 and specialised in providing European live dealer games. The platform won its first international industry awards in 2010, and launched its first mobile game in 2012. In the mid 2010s, the Swedish-based company branched out, opening studios in Malta, Spain, Riga, Romania and Belgium. 2017 was a marquee year for the company, as it launched its now classic game Dream Catcher. 2020 was another massive milestone in the history of the company. In one big swoop, Evolution Gaming Group AB purchased NetEnt, NetEnt Casino and Red Tiger. The company currently owns several renowned gaming studios, including NetEnt, Ezugi, Big Time Gaming, Red Tiger, NoLimit City and Digiwheel.
Nowadays, Evolution dominates the market for live games, with hits such as Crazy Time, Deal or No Deal Live, Lightning Roulette, Football Studio, Mega Ball and more. Through its subsidiaries, it also produces other genre games. Evolution now provides live game shows, live casino games, RNG games, first person casino games and a wide array of slots. It is a true powerhouse in the industry, and with the acquisition of Livespins, it looks to push the boundaries even further.
Evolution Live Games
Open any decent online casino and click Evolution Gaming in the filter by provider option. You will find a plethora of live games, including classic casino games, variants of those games, and live game shows. If you are already signed up somewhere and don’t have Evolution games, then you are really missing out. The best online casinos have a good chunk of games from Evolution. Fear not though, as you can check out our list of Evolution Gaming Casinos and find a quality gaming site.
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After researching the top leaderboards and Most Popular categories across numerous gaming sites, we compiled a list of the top Evolution live games.
Dream Catcher
Spin the wheel and bet on a segment, hopefully you land on a multiplier which triggers a respin with awesome 2x or 7x boosts
Funky Time
A groovy fortune wheel game with 24 segments and four bonus games: Bar, Stayin' Alive, Disco and VIP Disco, with awesome multipliers
Crazy Time
Combining a money wheel with four thrilling bonus games: Cash Hunt, Pachinki, Coin Flip and Crazy Time, this game is a best seller on most platforms
Mega Ball
Imagine a lotto game with Mega Ball multipliers of up to 25,000x and a real ball drawing machine firing out balls in fast-paced rounds
XXXtreme Lightning Roulette
Zapping the original game of Roulette with Chain Lightning and Double Strikes, XXXtreme Lightning Roulette has electrifying multipliers that can go up to 2,000x
Monopoly Live
The best of two worlds: Classic Monopoly and Fortune Wheels – with an epic bonus game, dice rolls, Chance Cards and epic multipliers to amplify your winnings
Extra Chilli Epic Spins
Ever tried live slots? This Megaways slot has some spicy features, including a bonus game, wilds, and hot multipliers
Crazy Coin Flip
This live slot game has three phases: Qualifying Slot, Against The Clock Top Up Shot and Live Coin Flip Bonus Round. With multiple speed settings and a coin flip on multipliers, it is guaranteed to excite
What We Are Hoping to See
Evolution Games has already released some Live Streams games. These include Deal or No Deal Live, Super Andar Bahar, XXXtreme Lightning Roulette, Crazy Time, Monopoly Live and Crazy Coin Flip. These may be the tip of the iceberg. There are loads more features and innovations that may hit the market soon.
Live Streamer Channels
There are already a few operators that utilise live streamer channels or Twitch gamers to add an extra social element to games. Players can watch the streams to pick up tips, learn how a game works, or simply enjoy the ride. Hopefully, we can expect to see more games with live streams, integrated for mobile use and with immersive visuals and audio.
- Live Chat Function
- Integrated Twitch & YouTube Live Streams
- Ability to “Bet Behind” Streamers
This does not only apply to live gameshows but also to live casino games. As live games provide a more immersive atmosphere than their table game counterpart, why shouldn’t it feel more like a real casino? The ability to interact with streamers and watch them would liven up the gameplay. An additional option to bet behind a streamer can also be a useful tool. Especially when a gamer is on a winning streak or seems to know what they are doing.
Multiplayer Games
Another perk of going to landbased casinos is that you can play games with your friends. If there are 2 or 3 seats available at a Blackjack table or an empty Roulette table, you can all play together. This is also possible at select online casinos, but it is not widespread, yet. As Livespins works with Evolution Gaming on new releases and to improve already existing games, we may see more multiplayer options.
- Multiplayer Chat/Stream
- Desktop and Mobile-Integrated
- Private and Public Multiplayer Lobbies
And the possibilities shouldn’t end there either. Suppose your friends are busy and you want to enjoy the social live games. Imagine there are opportunities to join multiplayer gaming sessions with like-minded peers and aficionados. You could join a bingo session, pull up a seat at a Poker table, or bet on a peer in a game of Baccarat. Especially considering some games, such as Blackjack Party, are all about the “party atmosphere” and casual gaming.
What Lies Ahead
The gaming scene has seen many innovations and technological advances in the past 10 years. With events such as the ICE Conference and other international gaming summits, developer studios and operators are constantly looking to push the boundaries of what they can offer gamers.
- Can we see a market shift towards VR or AR gaming when the technology becomes more widespread and cheaper?
- Will private and public streaming lobbies in online casinos become available for gamers to share with their friends and followers?
- How can live streaming work for games with hundreds of people such as Bingo or Keno?
The merger may not answer these or any other questions being asked immediately, but it shows a lot of promise for the future. If you are more curious about what types of games Evolution Gaming Group AB has stored in its enormous portfolio, then head on to these casinos.
