Tomasz Kowalik (Yggdrasil): AI, consolidation and the push for Game in a Box

Tomasz Kowalik, Product Director at Yggdrasil Gaming, explained on 9 October 2026 how artificial intelligence is rewriting casino game production, why he expects further studio consolidation and how Game in a Box will raise internal output from around two games per month to approximately ten. The interview is part of iGaming Republic's House Edge series, which profiles product leaders and studios behind major slot titles.

Artificial intelligence in games: what changes and what speeds up

Kowalik's central argument is that artificial intelligence (AI) affects not only game art but every step of development: coding, prototyping, documentation, design, marketing and market research. Tasks that previously required days or weeks, such as creating a visual concept or preparing a design document, can now be completed in hours. AI also helps decide which games to produce by making trend monitoring and competitor analysis easier.

"With the right tools you can describe how a game should work and generate a playable prototype good enough to validate the idea," said Tomasz Kowalik.

Kowalik links this advancement directly to Yggdrasil's technical direction: using technology to reduce repetitive work and free teams to experiment.

Game in a Box: the bet to raise production

Game in a Box is an internal production tool at Yggdrasil Gaming that has left R&D and is already being used in live releases. Kowalik said the company has published several titles developed with the tool and has "dozens" more in production. The declared intention is to increase creation capacity from around two games a month to approximately ten.

What made the project viable, according to Kowalik, was team commitment, risky decisions, strong R&D and internal and partner support. In addition, Game in a Box is already being adopted by external studios, making it a solution that goes beyond Yggdrasil's internal use.

Studio consolidation and operator-owned content

Kowalik expects consolidation in slot development to accelerate within two years. The market, currently very fragmented, sees a steady stream of new studios while better tools make production cheaper and simpler. Kowalik outlines the familiar pattern seen in other industries: rapid expansion followed by consolidation.

He also expects an increase in operators producing their own content: as creating games becomes cheaper and easier, operators will find it attractive to develop titles for their audiences and capture more value.

The line between innovation and gimmick in slots

Kowalik rejected a fixed boundary between innovation and gimmick. With the speed of AI development, an idea that looks like a gimmick today can become a standard production tool in six months. He notes that two years ago few predicted the scale AI would reach in art and prototyping.

"Sometimes a gimmick is simply an innovation that arrived a little early," said Kowalik.

Put another way: remain open to experimentation and value agile prototypes.

Misconceptions about slots and certification

Kowalik addresses a common misconception about slots: the belief that games are programmed to pay out at specific moments. He clarifies that in regulated markets this is not the case: games undergo strict certification and adhere to approved mathematical models and RNG behaviour.

He also explained confusion about probability: players look for patterns that are not there. After a losing streak it may seem a win is "due", but with independent spins the probability of the next spin does not change.

Highlighted projects and the case of 3 Piggies of Bank

Although Kowalik mentioned specific games, he said the project he is most proud of is Game in a Box for its impact on costs and production speed. He cited the recent release 3 Piggies of Bank as an example of recent development, and reminded that Yggdrasil is known for titles such as Vikings Go Berzerk and Valley of the Gods.

Cost reduction was a key objective from the start; according to Kowalik the tool has already shown results in that regard and the next step is to scale features and adoption by more studios.

Proprietary technology and Yggdrasil's toolset

Yggdrasil Gaming, founded in 2013, has developed proprietary interfaces and tools that ease publication and distribution. These include GATI, an interface that allows games to be ported to Yggdrasil's platform, and BOOST TOOLS, the in-game promotions and tournaments system. The company has offices in Malta and Poland and has won the EGR B2B Award for Best Slots Provider twice.

For product teams and suppliers, Kowalik's read is clear: demand for tooling that covers rapid design through verification and deployment will keep growing. Companies that can offer end-to-end production routes will have an advantage when studios look to scale.

Practical advice and target audience

Kowalik emphasises two simple rules: understand the target player and build for that audience; and, if uncertain about design, add more 'shiny' elements — "more gold" — to symbols and frames. His advice sums up in his favourite phrase: know exactly who the game is for and, if unclear, "add more gold."

For operators, studios and suppliers, the operational conclusion is that investing in production tooling and AI capabilities will be necessary to reduce costs, accelerate cycles and compete in a market that will consolidate.