Gaming Corps Head of Games Connor Blinman Introduces Gaming Corps
In case Gaming Corps is not an overly familiar name to you, get ready, because it is about to become. Best Casinos has the pleasure of introducing Gaming Corps, an innovative and creative game studio building all sorts of games – from slots to crash games.
Join us for an exclusive interview with Connor Blinman, Head of Games at Gaming Corps who was kind enough to show us behind the scenes of game-making at Gaming Corps. Enjoy.
- Hello Connor, welcome to Best Casinos! Thank you so much for taking the time to chat with us. Could you please tell us a little about yourself?
Hello Best Casinos! I’ve been Head of Games at Gaming Corps since June 2022, during which time I’ve been part of the rapidly growing and exciting times at the company. Most of my previous experience comes from being Lead Game Designer at Play’n GO where I first started my career. Then I took on many challenges and created some top-performing slot games. After talking extensively with Gaming Corps I knew it was the company I wanted to join and that I should be part of its awesome journey, creating a range of fantastic games together.
- Who is Gaming Corps? What would you say is the main feature of Gaming Corps that makes your company stand out from the crowd?
Gaming Corps is an iGaming company producing an array of different products, from mine games to slot games. Our main feature is our diversity in products because we have a range of titles that allow every player to find a game that suits their desires. It makes our upcoming roadmap extremely exciting for casinos and players alike.
- Gaming Corps designs and creates a variety of games including slots, table games, mine games and multiplier games. What has been your experience working with such diverse categories and genres of games?
My personal experience has been a very fun and rewarding one. There’s so much going on that each day is exciting and never the same as the one before. Before I joined Gaming Corps I was very well-versed in slots and table games, but I had less knowledge about mine and crash games. It’s been great to learn, understand and now create games in these genres that are loved by thousands of players each day.
- Which of the games you have worked on so far would you say is your favourite? Tell us more about it.
Since I joined Gaming Corps we’ve released 22 different titles covering tables, slots, crash, mines and even Plinko products. I would say that picking a favourite game is very difficult, but if I had to choose it would be Wild Woof. A slot game with ample potential through the progressive multiplier free spins mechanic and a fun narrative and art/animation style that pairs cats and dogs with the Wild West. I also really enjoyed our innovative Bingo Bonus from Destino das Almas.
- After the successful release of Ramen Puzzle, it has become clear that instant-win arcade games are your forte. How do you think instant-win arcade games fit into the industry, which is slowly becoming oversaturated with video slots?
Thank you for noticing Ramen Puzzle, it was a pleasure to be part of the team that created a fantastic-looking product.
Video slots will always be a part of the online sector, and it’s no surprise we are now producing one slot per month. However, the arcade game category is in its infancy. There’s a lot of new ideas in this category and a lot that is still fresh for the players. There are also a lot of new, younger players joining the industry and these sorts of games appeal to them as they are quick, easy to understand, and their gamification makes them more aligned with mobile gaming which these players know and love.
Based on all of this, I believe arcade content is here to stay and will only continue to grow year after year.
- Besides the exciting manga-style Ramen Puzzle, you have also expanded your portfolio with Destino Das Almas. Tell us more about this Dia de los Muertos-inspired slot.
It was a key decision, as part of our growth in LATAM, to create a product specifically aimed at those markets. So we decided to create a Day of the Dead-inspired slot, in consultation with our commercial team.
We wanted to approach the product with a unique flavour, creating something extremely vibrant while innovating the bonus game.
With the target market central focus being LATAM, we opted to create a Bingo-inspired Bonus game where we coined the term “Bingo Bonus”. It’s a unique, fun-to-play mini-bingo game where players need to create winning lines to further their progress up the prize ladder. The player will go onto unlocking Bonus Wheels where they can win up to 5000x their bet!
- We’d also like to take a look at the behind-the-scenes process. What does the whole process of developing and creating a game at Gaming Corps usually look like?
The first step is to sit down with key stakeholders in art and math to determine the type of product that we want to create – whether that is inspired by a competitor’s product or something entirely different. We will speak with commercial to get an insight into our biggest markets, to ensure we are creating games that we know our players will love.
The next step is to brainstorm key features and mechanics, as well as the theme and art style. Together with our key stakeholders, we will form the basis of the game to create a business strategy.
After this is created and shared with the team, we will start the art concepts as well as the initial math model. All of this is iterated and signed off before we start getting developers involved. After which, we will kick off the development process and see a working prototype in a matter of weeks. From there we will iterate and the key stakeholders, who are involved from the start, will give feedback to ensure the game hits both the business strategy and original goals that we set out at the start of the project.
- How long does it usually take to go from a concept or idea to a fully developed game ready for release?
Our production timelines span various lengths depending on the genre of the product we are making. For example, a mine or Plinko product can take roughly four to six weeks. Whereas a slot takes significantly longer, approximately five to six months.
- What is your favourite part of developing online casino games?
For me, it’s the conceptualisation. At the moment an idea is born there are so many paths the project can take, which makes it super exciting each time a project begins as there are endless possibilities. I also love this part of the process because ideas can be sparked from anywhere! Sometimes I have them while on the London Underground, and sometimes I’ll have an idea while watching a film in the cinema. It’s definitely a great part of being involved in creative industries.
- What’s next for Gaming Corps? Are there any new releases you could point us to?
Gaming Corps will continue the way we’ve gone over the last 12 months, creating high-quality content that is diverse and ensuring each of our players has content they will love.
Our newest release “Lobster Hotpot” is released on 16 November and will bring something new to the table when it comes to the “fishing” genre of slots. The Lobsters act as Pots in the Free Spins and collect every fish that is now caught by the fisherman, so catch the Lobsters in their Hotpots to win those prizes! It’s a very fun, progressive Free Spins experience that I am sure players will love.
Additionally, on 23 November we have “Xmas Plinko” being released. This is a fun Christmas take on the much-loved Plinko experience. We are sure players around the world will be ready to celebrate the holiday season with this quick and easy-to-understand Christmas product.
- Thank you for taking the time to talk to us. Is there anything you would like to share with our readers?
Thanks for the opportunity to speak to you and your readers. We hope they have enjoyed this conversation and are looking forward to playing our products. Always keep a look out in your favourite casinos for our latest releases, and please follow us on social media using @gamingcorps to find out the latest news from the world of Gaming Corps.
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