Yggdrasil CEO outlines plans to expand game distribution and output

Games expected annually in 2027 2027

300

Cost to develop a single game

€150,000

Titles in portfolio

500

Yggdrasil Gaming plans to expand its game output and its role as a content distributor, chief executive James Curwen said in an interview published on 26 October 2026. Curwen, who has led the Malta-headquartered supplier since 2023, said the company expects to deliver close to 300 games annually in 2027 across four business pillars.

“I expect Yggdrasil to be delivering close to 300 games annually in 2027, putting us in a position to challenge the world’s largest content distributors.”

The four pillars are GIAB, SIAB, YGG Masters and YGG Masters using GIAB, each with its own commercial model and profit and loss account, according to Curwen. The fourth pillar, which combines YGG Masters with GIAB, is due to launch in Q1 2027. Curwen said the company is opening its technology to YGG Masters partners so they can develop new games faster, cheaper and at scale.

Curwen said the company had historically developed around one game a month at considerable cost, with a single title taking eight months and €150,000 to produce. He said that model was not sustainable and that Yggdrasil had changed how games are developed rather than following the industry trend of producing reskins of successful titles. He said GIAB allows the company to produce original games faster and at significantly lower cost.

On staffing, Curwen said the organisation had undergone significant changes over the past three years, with attrition over the last 12 months in the low single digits. He described changing established ways of working, and how people think and work, as the bigger challenge alongside technology.

Curwen named visibility and regulation as the two main challenges he believes slot suppliers face over the next five years. He said casino lobbies are already overcrowded and that securing meaningful visibility is becoming increasingly difficult, particularly for smaller studios, and that suppliers depend on operators having access to markets in which to distribute content. He said diversification, efficient development and strong distribution would become increasingly important.

On artificial intelligence, Curwen said it is a tool that should help people work faster and make more informed decisions rather than replace their thinking. He said he set a clear direction for Yggdrasil three years ago and that the company expects to begin unlocking its full commercial potential in 2027.

Yggdrasil was founded in 2013 and has a portfolio of more than 500 titles, including Vikings Go Berzerk and Valley of the Gods, according to the company. It also offers game creation solutions such as Game in a Box and BOOST tools, and supports partner studios through programmes including YGG Masters and YGG Champions. Curwen previously held senior leadership roles at OPAP, William Hill and Superbet.