Marharyta Yerina: We want to bring the ELA Games experience to as many players globally as possible

ELA Games has spent the past year building out its footprint across Sweden, Denmark, Greece and Romania while keeping to a steady release schedule and picking up an SBC Award along the way. iGaming Express spoke with Managing Director Marharyta Yerina about how the studio reads player data without chasing fads, why anyone in the company can pitch a game concept, and where the slot developer goes next.

With player preferences and habits changing almost daily, how does ELA Games track and analyze what players want when beginning a new slot, and how do you distinguish between real trends and passing hype?

Marharyta Yerina: It comes down to maintaining a constant, thorough analysis of the market and our own game data. We start by understanding that no two regions are exactly the same, and we recognize every player as an individual. Their personal tastes are the starting point for how we craft every game. Sometimes, a massive audience will connect with the exact same title. Other times, we look at where we have micro-audiences and adapt our catalog to cater to those specific needs. This data-driven method is exactly what keeps us on top of emerging trends and helps us design our games accordingly, so we provide experiences that players want to play, rather than just chasing short-lived fads.

We also like to keep our themes hot, sometimes literally. Our recent release, Flame Fruits Frenzy Hold&Win, is an updated classic, but could also be seen as a timely choice while we are all feeling the heat outside! We find that perfect balance between hard data and fun, current cultural relevance.

What does the actual production process look like when building a slot that stands out in today’s market?

The foundation of our production process is our people. We have a large, expert team of specialists, with each person leading and taking complete ownership of their specific area, whether that is visual art, sound design, or game mechanics.

Our culture is what sets our process apart: every member of our team loves playing games as much as making them. Because of this, absolutely anyone in the company can pitch a new concept. A great idea can come from anywhere, and we encourage that open dialogue. Once an idea is pitched, we bring it to the table, refine it together as a team, and bring it to life. Throughout that entire creative journey, we are always cross-referencing our ideas with market needs so the final product is beautiful, commercially viable, and very engaging for the end user.

ELA Games is known for both slots and instant-win games. How do you balance producing both, and how does your method change depending on the format?

The truth is, our main method stays exactly the same: we are completely focused on outstanding quality and excellent design. We see ourselves first and foremost as a slot studio, but we focus on offering different styles of play within our catalog rather than separating games into rigid categories.

Player motivations can be a bit different, some look for fast play and straightforward spins, while others want a longer, more immersive session, but the level of excellence we apply stays exactly the same. When a player interacts with an advanced feature or a rapid, classic mechanic, they expect a beautiful, visually stunning experience. We maintain that design level throughout our entire portfolio, which makes balancing different styles simple. We like to offer a range of options for the market, but our focus on quality never drops.

Your studio maintains a consistent release schedule throughout the year. How do you consistently deliver quality without slowing down production, and what role does management play in keeping that output running smoothly?

It is certainly a challenge, but first and foremost, it is important to highlight that we never compromise on quality; we craft every single detail with precision and make sure every title is up to scratch before it gets anywhere near release. In Piñatas Festival for example, we made sure every element from the music to the character animations were perfectly in tune with the theme so that it didn’t miss a beat in transporting players to a real feeling of Mexican Celebration.

Increasing our output while keeping the quality high really comes down to improving our internal processes and organization. By refining how we work and how our departments talk to each other, we have been able to cut out a lot of everyday delays.

This better organization directly supports the team. Because everyone understands the goals and respects the timeline, we don’t need to micromanage. Having that clear structure in place is what actually gives our specialists the room to be creative. We balance basic discipline with trust and open communication, which means people can just take the initiative and focus on doing their best work.

ELA Games was recently a winner at the SBC Awards. What does this kind of major industry recognition mean for the team?

It means an enormous amount to us, and of course, this recognition is entirely thanks to the entire team and everyone’s hard work. An award of this magnitude is never the result of one person; it’s a massive group effort.

Our team brings together incredibly talented specialists with years of experience, and together we are able to achieve these outstanding results. It confirms that we are exactly what we set out to be: a top studio creating slots that instantly stand out from the crowd due to their unique style and excellent quality.

The award success is a reflection of how our team leaders and their units work together. Everyone operates as part of a whole team structure where we trust each other completely. There is no sense of superiority here. We would not be able to create the games we do without everyone being completely at one with each other and the project. The great thing about the awards in our industry is that they reward those who put the player first and create the best final product for them, which is always our priority. With this particular award being for our Business Development Team Lead, Yaroslav Soloshenko, it’s an amazing recognition of the work he and the whole BD department has been doing. I feel it is further evidence of our positive relationships with our clients, fast growth and the results we deliver for operators.

Finally, what are ELA Games’ plans for the future? What can players and operators look forward to next?

Our plan is to expand in our established regions and explore new and emerging markets too. We want to bring the ELA Games experience to as many players globally as possible, so growing our presence and exploring new partnerships while maintaining our steady, excellent release schedule is our main focus.

We are entering a very exciting phase. Looking back at the past year, we saw an excellent performance across our targeted strategic markets, including Sweden, Denmark, Greece, and Romania. That success has given us a fantastic foundation to build upon.

Moving forward, we will continue to monitor what players want and explore original methods of delivering those themes and titles. We want to make more games that are interactive and playable. Ultimately, we believe that if we maintain the high level we have set for our games, brand recognition will naturally continue to come as part of that.

‍