Olga Degtiareva: "The era of designing games for everyone is over"

Yggdrasil's Olga Degtiareva, Regional Manager Germany & CIS taks about the changing nature of game design, the studio's own ambitious plans, and how the one-size-fits-all approach is a thing of the past. Quality and scale are no longer mutually exclusive in 2026, Degtiareva remarks, adding that it is possible to achieve both. In a market that already has enough games, the foucs is on creating games worth playing.

Q: Yggdrasil still has an exciting year ahead - what are some of the main releases the studio is planning to bring to market as 2026 progresses?

2026 is shaping up to be one of the most important years in Yggdrasil's history. In fact, we are on track to break our own record for the highest number of core game launches in a single year.

One of the year's biggest milestones has already been the launch of MultiFly! 2 MultiMax™, which landed on June 30. The sequel takes everything players loved about the original and elevates it. We didn't reinvent what made the first game special—we made it bigger, bolder and even more rewarding.

We are already seeing Multifly! 2 MultiMax™ resonate with both loyal fans of the original and new players. Since its debut in 2020, the original Multifly! has consistently ranked among our most-played games and remains a top-five performer in key markets such as Germany. Few games maintain that level of popularity for so many years, which gave us tremendous confidence when developing the sequel.

Looking ahead, our release schedule remains packed, with exciting titles including Timber Trail Treasures, launching on August 13, and 3 Piggies of Bank, arriving in September. These are just two of several new releases that will deliver fresh concepts, innovative mechanics and immersive gameplay experiences, reinforcing our commitment to creating standout content throughout the rest of 2026.

Q: Is Yggdrasil adopting a more tailored approach to its game releases? For example, are certain titles being prioritized for specific regions such as Germany and the CIS, while different games are being positioned elsewhere?

Absolutely.

While some games transcend borders and perform strongly across multiple markets, players today are far more diverse than ever. The one-size-fits-all formula no longer works, especially for studios that want to compete on a global scale.

That's why we have regional managers focused on specific markets, helping operators understand not just which games succeed, but why they succeed.

I personally oversee Germany and the CIS region, where I've spent years building expertise in player behaviour, market dynamics, and content preferences. For example, I can show operators that games with Respins mechanic tend to outperform in Germany, while players in the CIS region show stronger engagement with Hold & Win and Buy Bonus features.

We apply the same philosophy to game development. Every time we create a game, we ask a simple question:Who is this game for?From the maths and mechanics to the theme and visual identity, every decision should serve a specific audience.

The era of designing games for everyone is over. The future belongs to studios that know exactly who they're creating for, and how to reach them.

Q: What drives Yggdrasil’s design philosophy when developing its next title? Is it the need to maintain a steady pipeline of releases, a focus on new game mechanics, or something else entirely?

We balance our portfolio with roughly 80% proven mechanics and 20% pure innovation. We don't believe in building games on a production line. We want our games to challenge conventions, push boundaries, and disrupt the industry.

The market already has enough games. Our focus is on creating games worth playing.

We also reject the idea that there is a single "hero feature" that guarantees success. A great game isn't a collection of mechanics, it's a collection of decisions that all answer the same question:Who is this game for, and why will they love it?

Q: What have been some of the biggest surprises of 2026 so far for the studio in terms of game creation? Have there been any unexpected hits in your portfolio that performed beyond initial expectations?

One of our biggest success stories this year has been Raptor 2 DoubleMax™, launched in January. We built the game using our Game in a Box™ technology, which gives our teams more creative control and allows us to move from concept to launch significantly faster, reducing development time from around 10 months to as little as one month.

The game has exceeded expectations from day one and continues to deliver strong results across multiple markets. In Germany, it remains the second-best performing game of the year, ahead of long-established titles likeVikings Go Berzerk.

Sequels always come with high expectations, but Raptor 2 DoubleMax™ has successfully built on the legacy of the original while introducing a fresh experience. The response has been so strong that we're already exploring the next chapter of the franchise.

Its success is also proof that Game in a Box™ is working exactly as intended, giving our teams more creative control and helping us bring better games to market faster.

Q: In 2026, is speed and consistency in delivering new games just as important as "getting the games right"? And drawing on that second point, how would Yggdrasil define creating the "right game" in the first place? Is it tied to specific markets, player demographics, or something else?

Both matter. But neither means much if you're delivering forgettable content.

The real challenge is launching games that players genuinely care about, and there is no magic formula for success. Anyone who claims otherwise is simplifying a complex process.

What we do know is that the right game emerges when every element is aligned around a clear player's proposition. When the mechanics, maths, visuals, and story work together to serve the same audience, players notice. Better yet, they come back.

For us, a great game succeeds when every element works together towards the same goal.

Q: Has 2026 changed anything about how you develop and plan your games?

Everything.

Last year, we launched 20 core games. This year, we are on a mission to double that number.

This is possible thanks toGame in a Box™, which has fundamentally transformed the way we develop games. Before this technology, creators often lost control of their original vision as the game moved through the development process. Today, they remain in control from concept to launch, allowing us to bring original ideas to market faster and with greater confidence.

The games we're creating are not templates with different skins. They are fresh products with unique mechanics, maths models, stories, and gameplay experiences.

For me, the biggest lesson of 2026 is that quality and scale are no longer mutually exclusive. For years, the industry treated them as opposites, but we're proving that it's possible to achieve both.

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