question & answer session habanero

As a part of our get to know your game provider series, we sit down with Toni Karapetrov from Habanero to discuss this exciting game developers past, present operations, and what the future has in store for the company and players alike. So sit back, relax, and enjoy finding out more about the driving force that is Habanero.

Before we begin could you give us a brief description of your title and job role at Habanero please?

My name is Toni Karapetrov, and I’m the Head of Corporate Communications at Habanero. With almost a decade’s worth of experience in the industry, I fit right in with a team of passionate, driven individuals that embody the company’s vision for developing high-quality products and experiences.

Players certainly seem to find your games hot and spicy, but what made you decide upon the company name 'Habanero'?

At the time, we thought that it was a playful word and one that not only embodies our passion for the iGaming industry, but also stands out in a market that is filled with rather unimaginative, tech-inspired names.

Looking back, we are just as happy with the decision as we were at the time and couldn’t imagine operating under any other name. The Habanero name has quickly grown to become an iconic part of our industry.

Are there any particular styles or theme of games that you as company enjoy creating? And what sort of themes can players expect in your upcoming slot releases?

In all honesty, we strive to provide a real sense of variety in the products we develop, rather than focusing on a particular theme or type of player. Our titles feature innovative mathematics and vibrant graphics, as well as hand-crafted soundtracks and intuitive features that provide bespoke adventures and show off the best of what we have to offer.

We can’t give out too much information on our upcoming slots, but what we can say is that we have several titles lined up which focus on a variety of vibrant themes, such as Greek mythology, Asian fables, and popular cartoons.

What sort of progression for the online gaming market as a whole do you predict? And where do you see Habanero fitting into this changing landscape?

The latest innovation that we’ve all been hearing about recently is the Metaverse and all of the potential it holds, but while its evolution is of great interest to us, it’s an area that we are not too focused on at present. We’re clear that our focus is on delivering immersive games that utilise great mathematics models and superb gameplay, and nothing at present can distract us from delivering this.

Has Habanero ever thought about creating VR slots?

No, with VR gaming still being quite a niche area, we haven’t decided to kick-start our interest in this area.There’s plenty of potential for growth and many can become a pioneer in this area, but it’s too early in the adoption curve for us to be investing significant resources and energy.

We have players from all over the globe accessing our slot demo games. Are there any countries that Habanero does not already operate in that you would like to enter?

Latin America certainly holds a lot of potential for expansion, and we are about to enter Argentina in the province of Buenos Aires. The Netherlands and Germany are two key European spaces that we are becoming increasingly interested in, specifically because they are still very much a work in progress and promise exciting developments as they mature their regulated frameworks and market shares evolve.

Scandinavia is another firm target for us having recently entered Denmark, and we are primed to debut in Sweden and beyond later this year. The US is filled with incredible potential, as well as audiences that really appreciate our high-quality products, and we can’t wait to see where this year takes us.

What can we expect from Habanero for the remainder of 2022 and beyond?

Our vision for the year ahead and beyond is to become a truly established global presence by continuing to develop the processes we’ve set in motion, distributing our content across all major operator groups in the industry.

Our business model and brand offer a unique selling point for admirers of strong mathematics, immersive designs, and the very best in terms of customer service. I believe that this is what will continue to set us apart from competitors in the years to come and will define our strategy in the years ahead.