Craig Asling, Booming Games: “Scale, diversification and depth will define our next phase of growth”

Craig Asling, Director of Games at Booming Games, spoke with Focus Gaming News about the company’s upcoming attendance at ICE Barcelona, global expansion and the launch of its first crash game for 2026.

Exclusive interview.- As ICE Barcelona 2026 brings together the world’s leading gaming suppliers and operators, Booming Games arrives with a clear message: scale and localisation can go hand in hand. In this exclusive interview with Focus Gaming News, Craig Asling, director of Games at Booming Games, discusses the company’s global growth strategy, its expanding footprint across regulated and emerging markets, and the structural and creative changes driving an increased release schedule. From premium slot development to the launch of its first crash game and future arcade-style titles, Asling outlines how Booming Games is positioning itself for sustainable, long-term performance in 2026 and beyond.

ICE Barcelona 2026 marks a major gathering of global suppliers and operators. What will be Booming Games’ main focus at this year’s edition, and what can attendees expect from your presence at the show?

ICE Barcelona 2026 is a key moment for us to demonstrate how far Booming Games has evolved as a truly global content provider. Our main focus this year is showcasing the breadth and scalability of our portfolio, alongside the technology and tools that allow us to deliver consistently strong performance across all markets.

Attendees can expect an exciting overview of our 2026 roadmap, including upcoming premium slot releases, our expansion into new verticals, and market-specific content that reflects local player preferences.

ICE is also about networking, so we’re looking forward to strengthening our relationships with existing operators and exploring new partnerships that align with our long-term growth strategy.

Throughout 2025, you expanded into multiple regulated markets from Greece to new territories across Africa. How is this growing international footprint reshaping your product strategy heading into 2026?

Our rapid international expansion has reinforced the importance of flexibility in product development. Different regions demand different mechanics, volatility profiles, themes, and even UX considerations, so our strategy heading into 2026 is very much “global by design, local by execution.”

We’re continuing to invest heavily in market-specific content, performance analysis and regulatory alignment. This will allow us to fine-tune games for regional success without compromising our core creative identity. Africa, for example, has provided valuable insight into mobile-first engagement and retention mechanics, while European regulated markets continue to shape our approach to compliance, RTP optimisation, and long-term player value.

“Our rapid international expansion has reinforced the importance of flexibility in product development. Different regions demand different mechanics, volatility profiles, themes, and even UX considerations.”

Craig Asling, director of games at Booming Games.

Your 2026 roadmap looks ambitious, with plans to increase your output from three to as many as five new games per month. What structural or creative changes have enabled this acceleration in development?

This acceleration is the result of long-term investment rather than a short-term push. Structurally, we’ve expanded our game studio teams, allowing parallel production streams without sacrificing quality. We’ve also optimised our internal pipelines, from concept validation through to certification, which significantly reduces time to market.

Creatively, we’ve built a stronger modular framework that allows innovation to scale more efficiently. This means our designers can experiment with new mechanics, features, and themes while relying on a proven technical backbone. The result is higher output, but also greater consistency and creative quality.

Recent launches like Buffalo Hold and Win 10,000 and Cash Pig 2 have delivered strong results in several markets. What insights have these titles given you about current player behaviour and regional performance trends?

These titles have reaffirmed that players continue to value familiar mechanics executed with depth and polish. Hold and Win mechanics remain extremely popular, but success now depends on layering that with meaningful progression and tweaks, maths tuning, and strong visual identity rather than relying on mechanics alone.

From a regional perspective, we’re seeing sustained strength for branded versions and recognisable IP in Europe, while certain emerging markets respond particularly well to bold theming, high-frequency engagement, and clear win communication.

We have seen first-hand how players are becoming more informed and selective, and also that retention is increasingly driven by perceived fairness, excitement, and replay value.

You’re also preparing to launch Booming Games’ first crash game. Why was 2026 the right time for this move, and what design philosophy are you bringing into a highly competitive category?

Crash games have matured into a core vertical rather than a trend, and 2026 feels like the right moment for us to enter the category with confidence and clarity. We didn’t want to release a crash game simply to follow the market; we wanted to bring something that reflects our brand values around quality, balance, and player trust.

Our design philosophy focuses on transparency, intuitive UX, and long-term engagement rather than short-term intensity. We’re combining the fast-paced appeal of crash mechanics with a familiar visual identity and responsible gameplay considerations, ensuring the product appeals to both players and operators looking for sustainable performance.

Looking ahead, we have clear plans to expand our offering into new verticals such as arcade-style titles.

“Our design philosophy focuses on transparency, intuitive UX, and long-term engagement rather than short-term intensity.”

Craig Asling, director of games at Booming Games.

As you look ahead to the next 12–18 months, what milestones will define Booming Games’ evolution as a global content provider?

The next 12–18 months will be defined by three core milestones: scale, diversification, and depth. Increasing our monthly output is one part of that, but equally important is expanding into new verticals, strengthening our presence in regulated markets, and continuing to refine our data-driven development approach.

We also see partnerships as a key marker of success, whether through deeper operator integrations or strategic collaborations that extend our reach. Ultimately, our goal is to be recognised not just for volume, but for delivering high-performing, adaptable content that resonates with players worldwide and supports our partners’ long-term growth.