We had the pleasure of chatting with Andre Villandberg, Founder and CEO, Bullshark Games, to learn more about this up-and-coming studio. Join us to learn more about their approach to casino game design, what features they include, and what their latest releases have to offer online slot fans.

Q: Bullshark Games is quickly gaining momentum with a string of highly publicised releases such as Coop Clash, Clover Club, and Ancient Paws. Is 2025 shaping up to be as good as it looks for the studio?

A: The start of the year was a bit slower than we would’ve liked, but we’ve now hit a good rhythm, and every upcoming release should bring something new and exciting for players.

As a newer studio, just how difficult has it been to get your casino games in front of players when you have to compete with well-established studios that already have hundreds of releases in casino lobbies?

It’s definitely a challenge, but we’re taking things slow and steady. We’re starting to build a loyal player base who try all of our new games, and it looks like operators are beginning to notice that when they give our titles top positioning, the games perform well.

Q: From your own experience, what makes a good online slot? Is there a specific recipe for success, or is it more about luck and timing?

A: We love the excitement of never knowing when a big win will land, and that’s the feeling we aim for in our games. A player could be down thousands of bets, and then everything turns around with a single spin. That kind of comeback just isn’t possible in lower volatility slots, and we believe that unpredictability is what makes a great game. That said, not every mechanic we create will connect with players, so yes, there’s definitely a bit of luck involved, too.

Q: Can you tell us about your latest release, Ancient Paws—the story behind it and what features players should look out for?

A: We like to experiment with a variety of themes, and adventure and Aztecs were on our list. But staying true to our brand, we wanted to give it a twist, so instead of a typical human adventurer, we made the main character a cute, adventurous dog that we hope players will find charming.

The online slot features include expanding roaming wilds and multiplier adder wilds. In the free spins, the expanding wilds become sticky and build up a progressive multiplier. We recently saw a streamer hit a full grid of wilds and walk away with a 6,500x win in the blink of an eye!

Q: Age of Seth is your next release and is already generating buzz. What can you tell us about it, and why do you think it could be a hit?

A: Age of Seth is our personal favourite and also the game we’ve tested the most. Without giving too much away, we think we’ve really nailed the balance. It’s an extremely volatile slot, but there’s constantly something going on; you can land a max win from a single spin, either in the base game or during the bonus.

In many online slots, you can start to “read the script” and sense when a big win is coming. With this game, that’s not the case. It keeps you guessing, and that makes it feel fresh every time you play.

Q: Which Bullshark Games titles are you most proud of, and why?

A: We take pride in all our games because a lot of thought and effort goes into each one. They might not always turn out exactly as we originally imagined, but they usually come pretty close.

Sometimes, it takes hundreds of spins for a player to truly understand what a game is trying to do. So if someone only does a few quick spins or buys a feature once or twice, they might not fully “get” the game and that can lead to negative reactions. It’s something we’re constantly working to improve so players can better grasp the gameplay from the very first moment.

My personal favourite is Junkyard Kings as I’ve had a max win on it in production, along with several 5,000x+ hits. The combination of growing grid multipliers and moving doubling wilds keeps you on the edge of your seat.

In terms of visuals and sound, I really like Empress of the Shadows. It has a cool, eerie vibe that stands out. Honestly, it’s hard to pick just one. All of our games are unique, and we think each one brings something special to the table.