Inside Pragmatic Play: Innovation, Live Casino & What's Next
Pragmatic Play is one of the industry’s leading game providers, known for its broad portfolio of slots, live casino titles and game shows. Gates of Olympus Roulette combines the supplier’s iconic slot brand with a high-production live casino experience.
We spoke with Anastasios Ioannidis, Head of Affiliate Marketing at ARRISE, about the game’s development, crossover mechanics and what could come next.
Q. Gates of Olympus Roulette is a unique blend of a popular slot and a live casino experience. How did the idea for this hybrid concept come about?
While Gates of Olympus Roulette is a landmark release, it is not the first time Pragmatic Play has transformed a globally recognised slot brand into a compelling cross-vertical experience. Sweet Bonanza CandyLand previously introduced the iconic Sweet Bonanza slot to live casino audiences through a captivating wheel-based game show production.
Gates of Olympus Roulette is an equally exciting crossover between the slots and live casino worlds, taking another of the supplier’s most beloved game brands and transforming it into a striking live roulette experience like no other.
Expanding Gates of Olympus into a different vertical was a natural step, with the brand’s strength and fantasy theme lending themselves to a fully immersive live casino game show format.
The result is a game that transports players to Zeus’ kingdom, supercharging the timeless roulette experience with multipliers and the thrilling bonus game from the original Gates of Olympus slot, while offering even more electrifying wins of up to 10,000x.
Q. What was the biggest challenge when adapting a slot game like Gates of Olympus into a live roulette format?
Pragmatic Play delivers premium live casino experiences, so there is an unwavering emphasis on quality, particularly when it comes to high-production game shows.
Gates of Olympus is an iconic and globally recognised brand, so there was also a strong focus on creating an exciting and authentic experience that incorporated elements of both slot and roulette gameplay.
Q. Which key elements from the original slot were most important to preserve in the live version?
You cannot have Gates of Olympus without Zeus! The captivating character design was central to the original game world, and here the King of the Gods once again plays a starring role, complete with an amped-up physique, lightning-white locks and thunderbolts.
On the live casino stage, there is still plenty of room to explore the creative elements of the original, particularly its lightning effects and stormy transitions.
Finally, the slot bonus round appears exactly as it did in the original, with Zeus himself presiding over the giant grid. The only difference is that when it is triggered with a Super Booster in play, wins can be boosted by up to an additional 10x, supercharging the bonus game’s win potential to an impressive 10,000x.
Q. Where does Gates of Olympus Roulette fit within Pragmatic Play’s live roulette portfolio? Is it designed to complement classic tables or offer something different?
Both! It builds on the enduring success of Fortune Roulette and Mega Roulette 3000, two multiplier-based roulette titles, while strengthening Pragmatic Play’s wider game show portfolio and providing another way to unleash those win multipliers.
It retains all the classic live roulette gameplay players know and love but enhances it with Lucky Numbers and a Super Booster feature. The slot-style bonus round also adds something completely different to the game’s mix of mechanics.
Q. If someone has never tried it before, what would you say is the main reason to give Gates of Olympus Roulette a try?
Apart from the classic roulette action and massive win potential, it has to be the incredible studio immersion and unrivalled production quality.
Every detail and every pixel has been meticulously crafted to immerse players in this iconic game world, from the marble-encased roulette wheel to the epic cinematic transition that transports players to the heart of the bonus action.
The hosts’ Grecian-style attire also complements the temple-inspired studio. It is a stunning game show.
Q. How simple is the game for new players to understand compared with traditional roulette?
It is designed for players of all experience levels, whether they are more familiar with roulette or slots. It has enormous crossover appeal, meaning fans of either vertical can enjoy taking it for a spin.
The core gameplay is based on classic European roulette, with standard inside and outside bets placed on a familiar roulette wheel and betting board.
The additional multiplier mechanics are simple to understand. Up to seven Lucky Numbers with multipliers of up to 250x are randomly selected as the wheel spins, alongside a single Bonus Number. If the ball lands on one of the Lucky Numbers, winning straight-up bets are boosted. Landing on the Bonus Number immediately triggers the separate slot bonus.
The Super Booster can also add an additional multiplier of up to 10x to any of the selected numbers.
The Gates of Olympus pays-anywhere bonus game is equally easy to follow and takes place on a 6×5 slot grid. It begins with 15 free spins, with wins awarded whenever eight or more matching symbols land anywhere on the reels.
Winning combinations can trigger a tumbling sequence, while multipliers of up to 500x may appear randomly during any spin or tumble. Additional Scatter symbols can also award more free spins.
Q. Can we expect more hybrid products like this in the future, possibly based on other popular Pragmatic Play titles?
Yes! The enduring success of Sweet Bonanza CandyLand shows that there is an appetite for crossover content.
Gates of Olympus is just one of many hugely successful Pragmatic Play franchises, and the supplier is always looking for new ways to bring these brands to life a little differently. Stay tuned.
James is a casino games expert on the Playcasino.com editorial team. With many years of professional experience at a leading casino game development company and a passion for playing casino games, James has become a true expert in slots, blackjack, roulette, baccarat, and other games.
James uses this expertise to provide reliable, insider advice through his reviews and guides, breaking down the game rules and offering tips to help you win more often. Rely on James's extensive experience for expert advice on your casino play.
