Gaming

Fish Games in Latin America: a Real Catch

Published

2 years ago

April 28, 2023

Fish Games in Latin America: a Real Catch

Reading Time: 4 minutes

With their roots in the Asian iGaming market and a long history of success in the region, fish games have now found a new wave of popularity in Latin America. Thanks to their easy-to-learn gameplay, the chance to catch a big win while playing something other than slots, these games have quickly become a favourite pastime for many LatAm players. The SOFTSWISS Game Aggregator, with its partner, game provider KA Gaming, have been observing their rise of popularity and are ready to cover this trend in detail in this article.

FISH GAMES PHENOMENON

Fish games are RNG games for online casinos. These games are based on the concept of fishing, where players use virtual fishing nets or guns to catch fish or other aquatic creatures on the screen. Each shot or reel accounts for a bet, and every fish or character has its ‘value’. When the shot hits the fish, the winning prize is awarded to the players.

These games often have colourful graphics, lively sound effects, a variety of characters with different point values, and, consequently, the potential for big payouts. Players can win prizes by catching fish and accumulating points for this, and some games even offer bonus rounds or jackpots for particularly skilled players.

FROM ASIA TO LATIN AMERICA

Diving back into the history of fish games, they grew from simple arcade video games in China in the 2000s. Over time, the games became more advanced, with improved graphics, gameplay, and online connectivity, leading them into online casino portfolios. Many Asian iGaming companies now offer players a wide range of fish game options.

KA Gaming is one of the game providers whose portfolio includes around 50 fish games. In partnership with the SOFTSWISS Game Aggregator, they supply these games to operators in different markets via API, including LatAm, where the demand for fish games has increased significantly during the last year.

Argentina, in particular, has emerged as a hotbed for fish games, with KA Gaming’s average number of ‘fish’ bets exceeding 8.5 million a month. This is a significant milestone, especially when compared to Asian countries where fish games have been popular for years.

The popularity of this game type has also spread to other countries in the region, including Brazil, Chile, and Peru. As players across Latin America continue to discover the excitement and potential rewards of fish games, likely, the popularity of these games will only continue to grow.

Mei Tu, Director of Sales and Marketing at KA Gaming, comments: “We are thrilled by the potential for growth that the Latin American market represents for fish games. With an assumed room for growth in this region, the numbers we see from Argentina are auspicious. While fish games have been popular in Asian countries for many years and have already gained a regular audience, the average monthly spins range from 12 to 25 million. In contrast, the figure of 8.5 million spins per month in Argentina alone is an excellent result, especially considering that fish games have only been gaining popularity for the past year and that slot games remain the most preferred option in the region. We’re excited to see how the popularity of fish games will continue to grow in LatAm and beyond.”

REASONS FOR INCREASING POPULARITY IN LATAM

So why have fish games become so popular in LatAm? There are several reasons for this trend. For one, they are easy to learn and play, with simple controls and fast-paced gameplay that keeps players engaged. Additionally, fish games are known for their high payouts, which can attract both casual and serious players alike.

Tatyana Kaminskaya, Head of SOFTSWISS Game Aggregator, has also noted that the easy entry threshold, allowing players to place small bets and still win, is a major factor driving the popularity of fish games in LatAm.

“The trend we’re seeing among players in this region is to place small but regular bets, which sets them apart from players in other regions. Fish games have a high probability of winning due to the ‘frequent catches’ and low betting options.”

Additionally, Tatyana notes that players in LatAm prefer to place bets using mobile devices. Since many fish games offered by operators and gaming providers are mobile-friendly, this is convenient for players in the region, contributing to the increasing popularity of these games.

KA Gaming also highlights the reasons for the rising popularity of fish games in LatAm. Among them, there are the following:

Fish games have the element of player interaction in the same rooms (usually 4–6) as they compete to ‘hunt the big fish for big rewards, creating much excitement for the players
There are multiple stages of the game, such as the “big boss” stage, where the players expect big wins once they successfully ‘reel in the ‘big boss’
The dynamic movement of the fishes and other characters on the screen, the fast pace of the fish hunt coupled with colourful visuals provide a great gamification experience for players
In addition, the gameplay learning curve is low compared to other games. KA Gaming usually sets the minimum bet lower than a typical slot game, making it easy for players to dive into the game

Summing up the above, Mei Tu adds: “Good games will always be good, regardless of culture and geography. Fish games’ exciting and engaging nature attracts players seeking a unique experience. Physical table fish games have already proven popular in North America, so we believe that with proper exposure and availability in the LatAm market, fish games will also gain popularity. It may take some players a warm-up or educational period, but it will also attract new players to iGaming who originally enjoyed arcade games.”

The SOFTSWISS Game Aggregator and KA Gaming have joined forces to provide top-notch content to operators in various regions, including supplying fish and hunting games to online casinos in LatAm. KA Gaming’s fish games, such as KA Fish Hunter, Poseidon’s Secret, Golden Dragon, Three Head Dragon, and Happy Food Hunter, are among the most popular titles among LatAm players in the content hub’s portfolio.

Tatyana Kaminskaya says: “We will continue to monitor the increasing popularity of fish games in LatAm. We recognise the potential for growth in this region beyond, and recommend operators to add this type of games to their online casinos The surge in popularity of certain game types reinforces this belief. Our portfolio boasts over 16,000 games available to LatAm clients, complete with API integration, exceptional service, and a range of tools that boost player engagement rates in online casinos. Notably, our recently launched Tournament Tool has already been tried out by several clients and has shown great promise.”

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THE BATTLE OF POLYTOPIA RELEASES NEW AQUARION SPECIAL SKIN IN LATEST UPDATE

Published

3 days ago

November 14, 2024

Adrienn Sarkany

Reading Time: < 1 minute

Midjiwan, the award-winning independent studio behind The Battle of Polytopia has today released a new Aquarion Special Skin, additional language options and balance updates to the recently reworked Aquarion tribe. Players will dive deep into the Ritiki Marshlands encountering a lost Aquarion outpost with the new skin known as “The Forgotten”.

Long ago, when the Aquarion Empire vanished beneath the waves. One remote outpost in the swampy atolls lost all contact, leading its inhabitants to believe they were the last of their kind. This forgotten tribe evolved in isolation, adapting to the marshy landscapes with squid-like appendages and unique abilities to command the swamp and its creatures.

Using the unique abilities of “The Forgotten”, players can build on water, summon giant squids, create speed enhancing bubbles, ride crocodiles, tame toads, and traverse their marshy terrains with ease.

In addition, the latest update to the game now offers expanded language options: Hindi, Indonesian, Malay, Polish, Thai, Turkish & Vietnamese.

Christian Lövstedt, CEO of The Battle of Polytopia, commented: “I feel that this skin is one of the best we’ve created and has quickly become my personal favourite. Additionally, we have added Bubble Tech to the Aquarion Waterways, making that tribe even greater. With expanded language options and new gameplay mechanics, we’re inviting players to dive into the rich lore and strategy that make the Battle of Polytopia truly special.”

To celebrate the launch of the new update, Midjiwan hosted an exclusive livestream event, offering fans a unique look behind the scenes, live gameplay, and discussions with the development team – the livestream is available to watch now: The Forgotten livestrea m by Midjiwan.

Conferences in Europe

Gamecity Hamburg connects Decision Makers from International Studios with new “Portside Game Assembly” Conference Format

Published

3 days ago

November 14, 2024

Adrienn Sarkany

Reading Time: 2 minutes

Gamecity Hamburg announces the premiere of the “Portside Game Assembly” (PSGA) for June 27, 2025. The new B2B conference format focuses on networking and the exchange of learnings between leading international indie game studios. Portside Game Assembly enables studio heads and decision-makers to exchange knowledge in a confidential setting in extraordinary locations of Hamburg, around the harbor – and on the water.

“The idea for Portside Game Assembly was born out of conversations with studio heads and managers from Hamburg and around Europe. Anyone navigating an indie studio through the games market benefits greatly from exchanging learnings with other decision-makers facing similar challenges. With a curated guest list and a focus on impulse talks and roundtables, PSGA will offer studio leads contacts and discussions which are highly relevant to their work and current developments in the industry,” explains Margarete Schneider, Project Manager at Gamecity Hamburg.

“The heart of PSGA is the conference, which will be held on a ship sailing through the Hamburg harbor and to which we welcome attendees from all over Europe and beyond. The conference will be complemented by a networking brunch and two evening events, which invite PSGA participants to meet the vibrant and diverse Hamburg games scene,” adds Dennis Schoubye, Head of Gamecity Hamburg.

The conference program for decision-makers at game studios

On June 27, 2025, the first Portside Game Assembly will kick off with a networking brunch.

Afterwards, the studio managers and decision makers will enter the conference ship, which offers three decks for keynote speeches, roundtables and networking, including a cruise through the famous Hamburg harbor.

Studio managers and decision-makers from the following studios are already attending:

bippinbits (Dome Keeper, PVKK: Planetenverteidigungskanonenkommandant) / Germany
Ghost Ship Publishing (Deep Rock Galactic) / Denmark
Indoor Astronaut (Unrailed 1 & 2) / Switzerland
Landfall Games (Content Warning, Totally Accurate Battle Simulator) / Sweden
mooneye studios (Lost Ember) / Germany
Maschinen-Mensch (Curious Expedition 1 & 2, Mother Machine, Codecks) / Germany
Overhype Studios (Battle Brothers, Menace) / Germany
Rockfish Games (Everspace 1 & 2) / Germany
Torpor Games (Suzerain) / Germany

Leads and executives from established indie game studios can register to take part in the Portside Game Assembly via our registration form.

Networking events as part of the Portside Game Assembly

The evening closing event “Games Industry Party” brings conference guests and other members of the games industry together for networking with cool drinks and snacks. Tickets for the Indie Networking Brunch and the Games Industry Party are available separately for non-conference attendees and will go on sale at a later time.

On the evening before, June 26, 2025, there will be an “Opening Mixer” with a panoramic view over Hamburg’s famous St. Pauli district in the Astra Tower, at Bytro Labs office. Portside Game Assembly participants and contacts from the games industry in Hamburg will be invited.

Registration for studios and participants

The conference itself is aimed exclusively at studio managers and decision-makers from internationally successful indie game studios. To enable a curated selection of participants, there will be no direct ticket sales, but studios can register for participation here: registration form.

The conference ticket includes the Opening Mixer event the evening before, access to the Networking Brunch, the main Conference and the Games Industry Party for a total of 189 euros.

Asia

Nazara integrates with ONDC Network to Launch “gCommerce” in India, Unlocking a new era of In-Game Monetization

Published

4 days ago

November 13, 2024

Adrienn Sarkany

Reading Time: 2 minutes

Nazara Technologies Limited, a leading diversified gaming and sports media platform, and Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC) are proud to announce their integration to launch “gCommerce” – an innovative in-game monetization platform that seamlessly integrates e-commerce within games.

The integration aims to address a persistent challenge for Indian game developers: low in-app purchase (IAP) conversion rates and poor yields from advertising. Through gCommerce, Nazara and ONDC Network are reimagining game monetization by leveraging India’s thriving e-commerce landscape and providing developers with new, scalable revenue streams.

This strategic integration will allow game developers to monetize through an affiliate revenue-sharing model, earning a commission on every successful transaction initiated by players through the gCommerce platform.

Creating Value for Developers and Gamers

ONDC Network’s expertise in creating an open, interoperable network for digital commerce will enable Nazara’s gCommerce platform to connect with a wide range of sellers across more than 10 categories, ensuring a rich diversity of product offering for gamers. This integration enhances the user experience by allowing them to make informed purchases while they continue their gaming journey.

“We are excited to announce the upcoming launch of gCommerce by Nazara via integration with the ONDC Network, as it represents a significant step forward in our mission to empower game developers with effective and innovative monetization solutions,” said Nitish Mittersain, CEO of Nazara Technologies. “We are not only creating new revenue opportunities for developers but also enriching the overall experience for our gamers.”

T Koshy, CEO of ONDC, added, “Nazara coming on ONDC Network to launch gCommerce is a testament to the versatility of the Network in supporting various industries and use cases. By bringing e-commerce into the gaming ecosystem, we are paving the way for a seamless blend of entertainment and shopping that adds value for players, developers, and the broader digital commerce network.”

The gCommerce platform is currently in soft launch and will be rolled out to game developers starting Q1, FY26.