Tomasz Kowalik: AI, consolidation and Yggdrasil’s Game in a Box push

Yggdrasil Gaming’s Product Director Tomasz Kowalik says artificial intelligence and a new internal tool, Game in a Box, are reshaping how the studio makes slots and will lift production from about two games a month to roughly ten. Kowalik discussed how AI speeds concepting, prototyping and research, why he expects consolidation among slot studios, and how Game in a Box is already being used by external partners during an interview for iGaming Republic’s House Edge series.

How AI is changing game development and why Yggdrasil is investing

Kowalik identifies Artificial Intelligence as the most consequential change underway in casino game development. He describes AI’s role beyond artwork — into coding, prototyping, documentation, design, marketing and market research — and says tasks that previously took days or weeks can often be completed in hours. That acceleration applies to concept work and to producing playable prototypes that are good enough to validate ideas.

Yggdrasil Gaming was founded in 2013 and operates from offices in Malta and Poland. The studio is known for HTML5 video slots including Vikings Go Berzerk and Valley of the Gods, and for platform and product investments such as the GATI interface and BOOST TOOLS. Kowalik frames Game in a Box as the next stage in that tooling strategy: a production system that removes repetitive work so teams can experiment more.

Game in a Box, scaling output and external adoption

Game in a Box started as internal R&D and is already a production tool, Kowalik says. Yggdrasil has released several live titles built on it and has dozens more in production. The company’s explicit target is to increase internal production capacity from around two games per month to roughly ten, while reducing production costs.

Kowalik credits a large internal commitment, R&D investment and partner support for making the tool work. He also notes that external studios are beginning to adopt Game in a Box, which changes its profile from an internal efficiency programme to a distributed production platform.

Why consolidation in slot development is likely

Kowalik expects further consolidation across online slot development. He says the market is very fragmented today, with new studios launching frequently while improved tooling makes production cheaper and easier. He sets out the familiar lifecycle: “First comes rapid expansion, then consolidation.”

He sees early signs already: studios operating inside larger groups and sharing technology, distribution and production resources. Kowalik also predicts operators will increasingly produce bespoke content for their player bases as creating games becomes less costly.

Practical consequences for suppliers and operators

For platform vendors and production tool providers the implication is clear: demand for flexible tooling and scalable production will grow. Operators, Kowalik argues, may start to internalise more of the content supply chain to retain value. That dynamic intersects with Yggdrasil’s strategy of offering systems — GATI for porting and BOOST TOOLS for in-game promotions — alongside Game in a Box to cover both distribution and production.

On innovation versus gimmick and player misconceptions

Kowalik warns that the line between gimmick and innovation has narrowed with fast-moving technology. Features that feel gimmicky today can become standard within months, he says, and AI has accelerated that cycle. He gives the example of describing a game to generate a playable prototype quickly enough to validate a concept.

He also tackles a common player misunderstanding about slots. Kowalik points out that in regulated markets slot outcomes follow certified mathematical models and random number generator behaviour; games do not “decide” when to pay. He emphasises that perceived streaks are false patterns: the mathematics becomes evident only across a very large number of rounds, and each spin is independent.

“First comes rapid expansion, then consolidation.” — Tomasz Kowalik, Product Director at Yggdrasil Gaming

“Know exactly who you’re building for. And if you’re still not sure – add more gold.” — Tomasz Kowalik, Product Director at Yggdrasil Gaming

Design, markets and the best (and funniest) piece of advice

Kowalik says designers should build for specific player segments rather than for everyone. Different markets want different things: a title that works in the UK may not land the same way in Brazil or the Nordics. Younger players may prefer modern visual language and video-game references, while traditional slot audiences often favour classic mechanics and a land-based feel.

As for memorable guidance from within the industry, Kowalik recalls a pithy creative rule that still makes him laugh: more gold — more gold in symbols, frames and everywhere on the reel. That, he says, often works in casino art direction.

What this interview means for the market

Yggdrasil’s path illustrates two linked shifts: tooling that dramatically shortens production cycles, and a market likely to recombine as studios and operators chase scale and margin. For incumbents and suppliers the commercial question is whether to invest in end-to-end production stacks, or to specialise in pieces of the chain. For operators the choice will be whether to commission external studios or to build more content in-house.

Yggdrasil remains a visible example of a studio pushing both platform features and production tools. Its two EGR B2B Awards for Best Slots Provider and its catalogue of HTML5 titles are part of the context for why the company is placing a strategic bet on Game in a Box and on AI-assisted production.

For further reading on studio economics and supplier strategies see our coverage in the b2b and casino sections.