Microgaming has announced the launch of a new selection of poker games developed for online casinos.
Following the closure of its Microgaming Poker Network (MPN), popular game developer Microgaming has announced the launch of a new range of poker games which will be provided to all Microgaming-partnered online casinos.
The first game to release as part of the new poker collection will be Hold’em Poker, a popular variation of the classic poker game Texas Hold’em. According to Microgaming, its Texas Hold’em game will “immerse players in a realistic poker room environment”.
It will also offer a “fresh” take on the traditional poker game through its fast-paced €5 buy-in Sit & Go tournament which has been optimised specifically for mobile players. The tournament also features a random prize pool wheel mechanic along with a progressive jackpot that offers players a chance to win up to €25,000.
In Microgaming’s news post, the game developer confirmed that its Hold’em Poker title would launch with on December 1st at exclusive online casinos before launching globally on December 9th.
Speaking about the company’s Hold’em Poker game, Microgaming CEO John Coleman said: “Hold’em Poker will add a new dimension to our online casino vertical, introducing a range of fun and exciting poker games to our platform.
“Designed to appeal to both poker and casino players, these games will deliver even further choice to our customers as we continue to diversify and innovate our content offering.”
Alongside Hold’em Poker, Microgaming will reportedly release a slew of other poker games, although the only title the developer has confirmed so far is Lucky Showdown. All of these poker games will be made available at Microgaming-partnered casino sites in addition to the developer’s existing collection of video slots and other table games.
As mentioned, the launch of Microgaming’s new poker games comes after it closed the MPN in 2019, a service which ran for more than 15 years and offered several poker tournaments and jackpots.
The news comes after Microgaming announced last month that it had struck an agreement with Big Time Gaming under which Microgaming can implement the MegaWays engine on several upcoming video slots.
Big Time Gaming’s critically acclaimed MegaWays engine changes the number of paylines and symbols available on each spin, making for an unpredictable experience. MegaWays slots are also usually packed with various special features to help land more wins, which is why they’ve become so popular.
The first game to release under the agreement will be Shamrock Holmes, a slot which combines Sherlock Holmes with a fun Irish theme. The slot will launch globally in January and will be followed by a selection of other yet unannounced MegaWays slots.
Microgaming CEO John Coleman said of the agreement: “MegaWays has hade huge success and we’re excited to be integrating the mechanic into some of our future games. Big Time Gaming are proven innovators, and we are delighted to extend our relationship with them and grow their presence on our platform.”
Nik Robinson, the CEO of Big Time Gaming, added: “We’re on a mission to bring the MegaWays revolution to a bigger audience, and they don’t come much bigger than Microgaming. These guys were industry pioneers, and today they remain one of the biggest forces in the gaming space. As ardent slot fans, we’re delighted to be contributing in a small way to the Microgaming story.”
As Microgaming has struck this agreement and developed its poker titles, it’s also continued to launch video slots in partnership with several other game developers. Some of these video slots include Tarzan And The Jewels Of Opar, African Legends, Western Gold, Wanted Outlaws, 777 Royal Wheel, and plenty of others.
It’s not just Microgaming that’s launching new casino games, however, as leading developer NetEnt announced the launch of a brand new live casino game this week; live Baccarat.
According to NetEnt, the title is the developer’s first live Baccarat game, and it will consist of three Baccarat tables, two of which will be based in NetEnt’s physical live casino studio. The third will be available as a stand-alone title made available through NetEnt’s chroma key technology which allows partnered casino operators to customise NetEnt’s live casino games to suit their brand.
As explained by NetEnt, each Baccarat table has launched with two different camera angles for maximum immersion and allows for an unlimited number of people to play simultaneously, making for an unbeatable experience.
Andres Rengifo, the Director for NetEnt Live, said in a statement: “The launch of Baccarat will allow us to reach new players and support the needs of our partners for innovative game variants that attract a wider and more diverse audience. As part of our localisation strategy, Baccarat will complement our existing Blackjack and Roulette offering, expanding our footprint in the live casino sector.”
The launch of NetEnt’s live Baccarat game comes as the game developer continues to develop its live casino offering, which includes the launch of its own physical live casino studio and launching its live games in Sweden and Lithuania.
In addition to expanding its live casino offering, NetEnt has also been busy launching in the United States. Back in September, the popular game provider expanded in the country after striking a deal with online casino operator BetMGM, allowing NetEnt to offer its casino games to players based in West Virginia.
More recently, NetEnt revealed that it had struck an agreement with The Cordish Companies to launch a selection of its casino games at two Pennsylvanian brick-and-mortar casino venues located in Pittsburgh and Philadelphia.
The game developer is set to continue expanding its presence in the American market within the coming months as part of a move to extend its player reach.
