While they’re a new studio that is taking its first steps in the iGaming market, Koala Games are certainly not debutants. Rather, they are a small, but highly experienced collective of professionals with outstanding resumes. They’ve united their efforts in the launch of this new studio under the leadership of Tristan Esaid.
Serving in the leadership role of Studio Director, Tristan leads his team in their quest to start on the right foot. We’ve discussed with him matters of game design, his vision for the producer, and their relationship with RubyPlay in this exclusive interview.
1. You’re relatively new to the iGaming world. What brought you here, and how did Koala Games begin?
My journey into iGaming actually started with Koala Games, but my experience in the casino industry goes much further back. I began as a game designer and mathematician within the land-based sector, focused on building satisfying gameplay and math models for high-performing slot machines. Over time, I moved into leadership roles that gave me a broader view of the industry ecosystem, not just how to craft great games, but how to build strong teams and creative cultures.
Koala was born through a mix of creative and strategic thinking. It’s a new studio, but the people behind it have worked together for many years. I’ve known RubyPlay’s CPO, Dr. Eyal Loz for over a decade. He actually hired me at a previous organisation, and we’ve had a strong working relationship ever since. That history and mutual trust laid a solid foundation for Koala’s launch under RubyPlay’s distribution network, enabling us to maintain our own distinct creative identity.
2. Your team brings a wealth of industry experience. How has past experiences shaped this new venture?
Koala might be a young studio, but we’re not starting from scratch. Everyone on the team brings a wealth of experience from across the global gaming industry, including land-based, iGaming and social casino sectors, working for some of the biggest brands. That’s helped us develop our “Koala process”, a toolkit of creative, efficient, high-quality methods we use to consistently build standout games. We’ve taken what works, challenged each other to improve it, and built a studio where fresh thinking is part of the DNA.
3. How is Koala’s offering different to that of RubyPlay?
While we’ve launched under the RubyPlay distribution umbrella, Koala Games is a completely independent creative studio. That means our game ideas, visual style, and mechanics come from our own team. We aim to take familiar features that players recognise and twist them in unexpected ways. There’s a real emphasis on a modern, polished look, often combining 2D and 3D art and a fresh approach to themes and mechanics that players won’t find anywhere else.
4. You’re debuting with Voltage Blitz Vortex, Voltage Blitz Rapid, and 3 Big Barrels Buffalo. What’s the thinking behind these launches?
Each launch title represents a piece of the Koala philosophy. Voltage Blitz Vortex, for example, came from an internal brainstorm where the idea of a swirling coin vortex above the reels grabbed everyone’s attention. It felt fresh and explosive. For 3 Big Barrels Buffalo, we know the buffalo theme is popular across many markets, but we wanted to twist it, bringing in barrels overflowing with coins and a new vibe for the hold and win format. These games are just the start of a series we plan to grow with a variety of formats to ensure we resonate with a broad audience of players. With Voltage Blitz Rapid, we built on the success of Vortex, focusing on amplifying the moments players loved - but faster, punchier, and more emphasised.
5. Voltage Blitz Rapid feels compact and arcade inspired. How does this format open new possibilities?
Voltage Blitz Rapid was designed to be fast, bold and intuitive. With a 3x3 layout, it cuts out the visual noise you find in many slots and lets us focus on what players love most - securing big prizes. The rules are simple, but the volatility gives it real depth. As there are fewer reel spots, we can really spotlight those key win moments and scale up the excitement. It’s simple to play, but rich in tension, every spin feels like it could be the one
6. Your koala mascot screams “fun first.” Was this a core principle in the Koala Games vision and how will you build upon this?
Absolutely. From the beginning, we wanted Koala Games to feel playful, modern and full of personality. That’s reflected in every aspect of our strategy from our high-saturation artwork to the mascot itself. We tested many designs, but the fun direction felt right for what we wanted to achieve. There are a lot of serious-looking studios within the marketplace, and we saw an opportunity to bring a vibrant, approachable personality to the iGaming space. Our mascot already has a strong fanbase!
7. As you roll out more titles, will Koala Games run any community tournaments, mystery drops, or streamer showcases to mark the debut?
We’re certainly looking into a variety of promotional tools and seeing how RubyPlay can support us with this approach. As we expand and build our player community, we’d love to explore more interactive formats and events around our games to increase engagement.
8. What’s your development process like from idea to final release?
Every Koala game starts with a core concept: feature and theme combined. Being a small team means we can get everyone in one room and bounce ideas around. It’s a collaborative process and we challenge each other until one idea really sticks. From there, we build the math model and shape the game experience like a roller coaster, while developing art that feels custom fit. We prototype early and playtest constantly through to the final version. The goal is always to make a product we’re proud of and excited to play ourselves.
9. What makes a Koala Games slot feel uniquely ‘Koala’?
Players will instantly identify the strong visual nature of our content. We use a unique blend of hand-painted 2D art and stylized 3D assets, layered together to create a vibrant, standout look. But it’s not just aesthetics; our games are designed to amplify the moments that matter. The mascot above the spin button is a nice touch of charm, but we also focus hard on mechanics and pacing. We want our games to feel exciting, intuitive and fun from the very first spin.
