How ELA games relied on innovation to grow

Though still a relatively young company, ELA Games continues to make waves in the igaming industry with its approach to game development that balances casino-centric performance with player-friendly experiences.

With recent releases like Shoot Happens, a key development in the studio’s trademark “Winpot” mechanic, and its growing portfolio of reimagined classic slots, ELA Games is focusing on design differentiation, long-term operator value, and becoming a household name for gamers worldwide.

The development of Shoot Happens

One of the studio’s latest additions, Shoot Happens, introduces a non-traditional and unique format to players, giving them agency for more interactive gameplay. The core gameplay experience is a progression-based instant-shooter where players face off against various enemies, climbing the ladder for more valuable rewards.

Each successful elimination increases the player’s “Winpot,” where they can choose to cash out or continue to go against harder and more valuable opponents. This unique gameplay experience, mixed with high-quality design and aspects of decision-making, makes Shoot Happens a fresh gaming experience.

The game further enhances the user experience with its Turbo Mode, a feature that accelerates progression, creating higher-intensity rounds. The addition of randomly triggered projectiles that double winnings mid-round also creates a more user-friendly experience. At the end is the final boss. It respawns after each elimination, extending gameplay cycles and encouraging decision-making motivation from players.

Marharyta Yerina, ELA Games’ managing director, said: “With Shoot Happens, we wanted to offer a completely different experience. Players are looking for new formats and choosing visually appealing games, so we noticed an opportunity in the market to capture players with our unique experimentation and creativity while still delivering measurable performance for operators.”

The Winpot mechanic: a blend of decision making and player control

“After the release of Joker Winpot, the first game that fully implemented the Winpot mechanic, we noticed immediate commercial success,” continued Yerina.

“The core success of the mechanic is that it gets the player directly involved, instead of passively observing the reels as they pass by. This breakthrough significantly boosted performance for our partners and helped us develop a core product that players can recognise us by.”

The Winpot mechanic has become a key growth driver for the studio and has helped create standout titles, such as Joker Winpot, Zeus Winpot, and Rabbit Winpot Deluxe. As ELA Games has familiarised the public with the mechanic, it has also demonstrated its creativity by experimenting with interesting designs and game concepts wrapped in its signature art style.

Perhaps because of this combination of technical experimentation and creativity, the studio has rapidly amassed industry recognition and awards. Notably, Joker Winpot was nominated for the brand of the year award at the EGR Marketing & Innovation Awards.

Refreshing classic games

Alongside innovation and experimentation, ELA Games rounds out its portfolio by reimagining classic slot themes and concepts. Flame Fruits Frenzy and Juicy Crystal are two examples that represent the studio’s approach to traditional formats, revamping recognisable symbols and aesthetics with polished and modern graphics and animations.

Yerinaadded: “We treat visual quality as a core product pillar, so refreshing traditional slot formats has been important for us. Our data shows that players engage with familiar game concepts with tried-and-tested mechanics at a higher rate, but modern demands require high-quality graphics and animations to boost the experience across all devices.”

This approach allows ELA Games to serve existing player preferences while differentiating through animation quality, visually rich design, and presentation.

Market expansion and strategic positioning

As a result of the studio’s intentional product development strategy, it continues to deliver games of high visual quality to its target markets. 2025 is a crucial year for ELA Games’ performance in Sweden and Denmark, with the studio publishing news pieces regarding strategic partnerships with some of the largest operators and platforms in those regions. These partnerships have helped ELA Games distribute its games to reach a wider and more diverse audience.

Yerinaconcluded: “Although our expansion has been rapid, we’ve devised a measured approach to ensure that this growth is sustainable. Currently, our focus has been on markets and partnerships where our development approach of high-quality, diverse content with operator-friendly performance can succeed long-term.

“We’re now looking to enter the Greek market, which will provide us with a lot of localisation opportunities where players may see market-specific games that we believe will resonate well. Licensing and integration initiatives are already underway, so we look forward to announcing something official very soon.”

Creative solutions that drive strategic expansion

ELA Games’ rapid rise has followed a unique trajectory, one that relies on a commitment to innovation that doesn’t rely on complexity for the sake of novelty. For example, Joker Winpot has been a key product for growth due to its fresh gameplay experience and high-quality design. It’s easy to play, and the Winpot mechanic, with its emphasis on player agency, increases re-playability. This simple yet creative concept has demonstrated how well-executed gameplay, paired with a strong design identity, can translate into sustainable commercial success.

The studio’s roadmap reflects its intention to sustain this product development approach, with releases that explore both innovative formats and refined versions of casino classics. Several titles are already planned for the coming months, including Legacy of Lost Gold, Buffalo Force and Piñatas Festival.

ELA Games’ bold yet methodological approach serves as an interesting case study for new and existing studios looking to differentiate themselves in a mature and competitive market.