In the two decades of the internet gambling industry, there are very few software companies that have lived through it all and come out on the other side unscathed. In the case of Microgaming, it has not only survived but managed to thrive during all the turmoil that has befallen the space. This developer has become one of the most respected companies in the industry, and show no signs of slowing down. Let’s have a look at what makes Microgaming so special.
Recommended Microgaming Casino Sites
Overview of Microgaming Slot Games
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Mega Moolah Isis
We are sure that you have heard about the Mega Moolah jackpots over the years – they have produced some of the largest progressive wins since the industry first started, creating instant multi-millionaires on several occasions. Mega Moolah Isis is a slot that is built into that progressive network but with an ancient Egyptian theme. The symbols and music bring you to a much earlier time, and while this 5 reel, 25 pay line machine may not have the best payout percentage (not many progressive jackpot games do), the chase for the potentially huge jackpot is well worth it to many players.
Playboy
Well, what can we say about this game…there is a lot to look at! Having the symbols being replaced by beautiful women is an excellent distraction in this game, especially when you realize that the 5 reel slot has 243 individual pay lines! There is no way to track them all on the screen, so just hit Max Bet and let the game play itself out! This can be a bit chaotic for many players, but we like a machine that is almost guaranteed to pay you back something with every spin. Oh, and did we mention we love the Playboy lifestyle?
The Dark Knight Rises
Microgaming has had a long history of doing content deals with top entertainment brands, and when it comes to superhero movies, there aren’t too many that are darker than that of The Dark Knight Rises! This 5 reel slot features photos of characters from the movie spread out amongst all the reels, and when you add in the chilling soundtrack, you feel like you could be in Gotham yourself! We love all the different co-branded games from Microgaming, but there is something about this one that seems to resonate with players. Give it a try, and you will see what we mean.
Mobile Compatibility
The term Mobile Compatibility when it is in the context of the online casino world is another item that can be traced back to Microgaming. The developer released the first slot machine to be accessible without having to download the software all the way back in 2000, and that opened the door for all browser-based games, which is the easiest way to access games from mobile devices today. The company has also built a downloadable app for use in countries where it is legal to play real money games from your phone. In either scenario, you will be able to access the top-quality games from Microgaming, with only a few exceptions of games that did not convert well to mobile screen sizes.
A Brief History of Microgaming
Microgaming started back in the late 1990s in South Africa, and while the corporate entity is now registered in the Isle of Man, the development shop is still based in that area of the world. The company has had many claims to fame over the two decades since their launch, but the one they seem the proudest of is being the developer of the first ever real-money online slot machine back in 1994. It is difficult to say with accuracy if this was, in fact, the case (many games were being built at that time) but without any other companies trying to discredit them, we’ll take their word for it!
Along the way, Microgaming has always pushed the envelope when it comes to their games development. The entire industry can thank Microgaming for the huge progressive jackpots we now see all over the place. Cash Splash, a Microgaming slot machine launched in 1998, was the first to ever be part of a progressive network engine online, allowing multiple licensees to contribute to the jackpot. Their largest payout from a progressive game is the 17 million Euro it paid to one lucky player back in 2015!
We think the single biggest achievement from the folks at Microgaming was that they were the first online gambling company to agree to a partnership deal to license branded content from an entertainment firm. These days, we can’t imagine a casino that doesn’t have some sort of movie or TV-themed slot machine, but the first of these to hit the online market was Tomb Raider all the way back in 2005. Since then, the floodgates have opened on these content deals, but we have to give credit to Microgaming to do the heavy lifting in unearthing this wealth of possibility by cross-pollinating the two industries.
Since 2006, the company has not allowed their licensees to accept U.S. players, and while that did some initial damage to its bottom line, Microgaming did an excellent job of pivoting to be more focused on European-facing casinos. Today, the company continues to thrive without having to earn any money from any of the “grey market” countries.
