Play'n GO Engages in Doom Metal.
The Swedish game developer Play'n GO (PnG) is developing a new slot game called "House of Doom." To add more flair to the game, they've invited the entire EP band, Candlemass, from Sweden to create the soundtrack. PnG's CEO, Johan Törnqvist, refers to this as a new "music branding" idea. Similar to their rivals NetEnt, more music-themed slots are expected to follow.
To catch up with NetEnt, the Malta-based game provider PnG has announced a slot game inspired by Doom Metal, a specific subgenre of heavy metal. Candlemass, a famous Swedish Doom Metal band, was brought on board to create the entire soundtrack for this game. "House of Doom" is the first of PnG's music slot series, as NetEnt had previously collaborated with bands like Motorhead, Jimi Hendrix, and Guns 'n' Roses.
Candlemass' soundtrack will be released as an EP and promoted by local metal platforms. Johan Törnqvist, the managing director of PnG, highlights the "artistic freedom" that the EP concept allows, saying that a traditional collaboration would have limited their options.
"If you have a great band with excellent music that genuinely wants to collaborate, there's magic. It's not about the latest hit; it's the magic between the people creating this. We wanted to do something different, with more involvement from the band, and now we've got an amazing synergy. That will also help with marketing," said Törnqvist.
Doom Metal may not be the first genre you think of when it comes to slot machines. The subgenre of heavy metal was founded by British rock band Black Sabbath in the 70s, with Ozzy Osbourne on vocals. Lyrically and melodically, Doom Metal often deals with themes like madness, identity loss, and the apocalypse - human existence in the face of cosmic forces.
Candlemass, founded in Stockholm in 1984, has become a fixture in the Doom Metal scene since their albums like "Epicus Doomicus Metallicus" (1986), "Nightfall" (1987), and "King of Grey Islands" (2007). Bassist and songwriter Leif Edling initially felt skeptical about the offer from PnG, but after understanding their desire for creative collaboration, he agreed to it. In a recent iGamingBusiness interview, he said, "It's cool for me as a songwriter and a promotional opportunity for the band."
The commercial strategy behind PnG's music slots seems sensible, while surprising the company due to its musical ambitions. PnG made a splash in June with their World Cup slot, Hugo Goal, which featured the famous animated troll from the 1990s. Additionally, refreshed versions of classic slots like Book of Dead (Book of Ra) and Sizzling Spins (Sizzling Hot) have kept PnG in the spotlight.
PnG has been experiencing success for quite some time now, which led to an investment in a new office space in Malta. "We invest in people," said CEO Johan Törnqvist. "In terms of our offices, we're growing in most of the places we're already present. I don't think we'll open new offices in different locations, but we'll definitely expand the ones we have."
PnG views the right pace in hiring new employees as crucial for healthy growth. "We always have open positions, but we build the teams gradually," said Liana Mifsud, a business partner from the HR department. "We don't add 20 people all at once. We hire them one by one, train them in their team, and then continue."
With the slot "House of Doom" and the concept behind it, PnG is betting twice on innovation. Whether the Doom Metal-style slot will be successful, or if Törnqvist's music branding idea will just fade away like a brief flash in the pan, remains to be seen. The final design of the slot and the role of the devil in it is also yet to be determined.
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