Octoplay: The New Studio Built by Old Hands
Octoplay is one of the newer names in the lobby, founded in Malta in October 2022. New does not mean inexperienced. The founder, Carl Ejlertsson, came out of Red Tiger and Evolution, and the studio moved fast: more than 100 games, a clutch of serious licences, and a second in-house studio inside its first two years. That pace is the story here.
A Pedigree Start
Plenty of studios launch every year and vanish. Octoplay started with people who had already built hits at the top of the industry. That experience showed in how quickly it found its footing. The debut line-up included games like Pearly Shores and Hot Harvest, and the studio followed up with titles such as Eternal Clash and Star Kingdom. The output is steady and the quality has been consistent enough to earn distribution rather than just exist on a price list.
Rapid Licensing and Distribution
The clearest sign Octoplay is serious is the compliance speed. During 2023 it picked up licences from the Malta Gaming Authority, the UK Gambling Commission, the Swedish Gambling Authority and Ontario's regulator, and entered several European markets including Italy, Spain, Greece, Romania and Denmark. It also launched a second studio, Penguin King, and partnered with a major aggregation platform to get its games in front of operators. Getting into that many regulated markets in a single year is rare for a studio so young, and it tells you the team knew the licensing path before it started. The how to choose a casino guide explains why that operator and supplier licensing matters to you.
House Style and What to Check
Octoplay's games sit in the modern mainstream: bright, feature-led slots aimed at broad international play rather than one niche. Because the studio is young, its catalogue is smaller than the established names, so you will see fewer Octoplay titles in a given lobby. Treat each game on its own terms: check the RTP in the info screen and read the volatility before you set a stake, since a new studio's math varies title to title and is less familiar than a veteran's house style. As always, the studio's licence is separate from the casino's.
The Verdict
Strengths: a founding team with real top-tier experience, fast and broad regulated-market licensing, a steady release pace, and a second studio already running. Weaknesses: a young, smaller catalogue and a house style still settling, so it does not yet have a signature mechanic the way the veterans do. Octoplay is a studio worth watching and a safe one to play thanks to its licensing. The casinos carrying it are noted in our reviews. Studying the supply side as an operator? Start with how to start an online casino. 18+.
Octoplay FAQ
Is Octoplay a legitimate, licensed studio?
Yes. Despite launching in 2022, it holds licences from the Malta Gaming Authority, the UK Gambling Commission, Sweden and Ontario, among others. The studio's licence is separate from the casino's, so check the operator too before you play.
Who is behind Octoplay?
It was founded in Malta in 2022 by Carl Ejlertsson, a former executive at Red Tiger and Evolution. That experienced leadership is a big reason the young studio scaled and got licensed so quickly.
What games is Octoplay known for?
Early titles like Pearly Shores and Hot Harvest, followed by games such as Eternal Clash and Star Kingdom. The catalogue is modern, feature-led and still growing, with a second studio, Penguin King, adding output. 18+.
How Octoplay Compares
Octoplay's founder roots show: its closest stylistic relative is Red Tiger, where its founder came from, with the same polished, broad-market finish. As a young, fast-moving independent it invites comparison with Hacksaw Gaming, which scaled quickly into the mainstream, though Octoplay is earlier in that arc. For now it lacks a defining mechanic like Hacksaw's volatility or Nolimit City's xWays, but the licensing speed suggests a studio with room to find one.