An In-Depth Interview with Gold Coin Studios’ CEO John Duffy

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Gold Coins Studios is one of those game providers that has been shaking up the gaming industry since it started back in 2018. With its headquarters in Reno, Nevada, this studio has a creative team that loves to pair the love for slot games with modern designs. This is how they create real masterpieces for all kinds of players. John Duffy is the CEO, and under his leadership, the studio has become even more popular worldwide for its creative features and, of course, commitment to responsible gaming. Famous titles such as Knights of the Golden Egg and the soon-to-be-released Cairo Connectify Pays just prove that the company is still striving to raise the bar in online gaming.

Tell us a bit about yourself and how you came to be part of the iGaming sector? 

I worked in the land-based world for 25 years before coming over to the iGaming sector. When the opportunity arose to collaborate with Games Global, I grabbed it with both hands. To run a studio like Gold Coin Studios, where I can focus on creating games with the support of a key industry player like Games Global is fantastic. To add to this, being part of the iGaming world is, in my opinion, the way of the future as this market continues to grow and evolve at a rapid pace. 

Gold Coin Studios was founded in 2018 in Reno, Nevada. What inspired the creation of the studio, and what vision do you have for the types of games you want to bring to players? 

It was time for a new challenge and the iGaming sector was the perfect choice for me. Gold Coin started in Reno, but we soon learnt we had to bring in online talent from wherever we could find it. So, now we are very a diverse studio, with the core of the team in Reno, and folks in different parts of the world. 

We love to play slots, and we love to make them, but even within the studio we are different types of players who like a variety of games. So, our goal is to reach every player in the market and cater to the different player types with a rich and broad portfolio of game designs and themes. We want to create a player favorite “go to” game for everybody! There is still so much growth and opportunity in this sector, and it is now the quickest moving market from a game design innovation perspective. 

For those who may be new to your titles, what do you think sets Gold Coin Studios apart from other slot game providers? 

We make iGaming products that are entertaining by creating games that are fun to play, very intuitive to pick up and understand quickly, and have great win potential along the player journey. Responsible gaming is a major factor for us, and we strive to ensure all our games are fair and present the math in the best way possible to the player. 

Let’s talk about your upcoming release, Knights of the Golden EggTM. Could you share some of the standout features of this game and what inspired its creation? 

Knight of the Golden EggTM is packed with features to keep the players engaged whilst exploring everything that the game offers. 

There are some great new presentations of multiplier features in the game. The Wizard Knight feature has a super fun visual with the chicken involved in what multipliers are applied to the Golden Eggs. Along with this there are two free spins options, Express CollectTM and a random Jackpot feature where more than one level of Jackpot can be won at any one time. 

Following Knights of the Golden EggTM, you’re set to launch Cairo in January 2025. What can players look forward to with this Egyptian-themed release? 

We are very excited to be kicking off 2025 with Cairo Connectify PaysTM. This game incorporates our very own Connectify PaysTM feature in the free spins. Connect the snake across the three rows on the reels to collect the prizes on reel 5. 

The first free spins feature has a Multiplier Trail for upgrades and massive win potential of 10x on all wins. Players can unlock a second set of free spins that has the Reel Lock feature that can lock in reels 2, 3 and 4 with Connectify symbols for the snake. Add to this Express CollectTM with up to 100x in the base game and a random pick bonus Jackpot feature and you have a game that we hope will appeal to a lot of players!  

When it comes to slot game development, what part of the creative process do you enjoy the most? 

I love the whole process as it is such a mix of exact science and then subjective art. It truly is an amazing process to work through. Out of it all though, I really get excited about the game design component and coming up with creative designs and math models that players will be engaged and feel comfortable with quickly and enjoy spending their time playing. And we hope they have some great wins along the way! 

With Knights of the Golden EggTM and CairoTM as your newest additions, which of your previous titles would you say is a personal favourite, and what makes it special to you? 

When you create games, they all have something that holds a special place with you. That said, Fishing Floats of CashTM is a game that stands out for me personally. There are a lot of features in the game, but it is such a great balance of these features and game play where it all works together beautifully. It is very satisfying when a game comes together nicely like this and becomes a “hit-game” with the players as well, which makes it even more satisfying. 

As you look forward to 2025, what are some of the goals or exciting developments Gold Coin Studios is working on that you can share with us? 

We have learnt a lot since we started the company and a key part of that was understanding the differences between the land-based world and what we are now part of in the iGaming world. It has been exciting to learn these differences, which are significant, and these now guide us in our decision-making process, particularly with the final math behind our games. 

For 2025, we want to continue our research and learnings so we can apply them to our upcoming games and achieve our goal of being the premier studio in the market providing content for every player out there! 

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