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With 50 Million Master Bakers, ‘Bake It’ Is Now Kwalee’s 2nd-Biggest Mobile Game
Kwalee’s Bake It has officially passed 50 million downloads, making it the publisher’s second most-downloaded hypercasual game to date. Its impressive download count is topped only by Draw It (95 million+ downloads).
Released in May 2020, this tactile game about baking perfect cakes and treats took the mobile game market by storm – it ranked at #1 in the ‘Simulation’ category in 20 countries, and achieved close to 10 million downloads in the first month alone!
Bake It gives the player a chance to explore their delicious itch for culinary baking. Players bake monumental cakes, dressing them with a smorgasbord of sweet toppings and icing and sprinkles and candies – based on what the customer’s sweet tooth craves, of course.
2020 was a testing time for Kwalee, as it was for everyone. The company — headquartered in Leamington Spa — faced the challenge of swapping the shared physical space of its studio with a remote, digital development environment due to the rampant COVID-19 pandemic.
Bake It, Kwalee’s first game launched under these circumstances, proved to be the standard-bearer in the firm’s impressive adaptation to remote working. Kwalee began 2020 as a developer and publisher with just over 60 staff, all firmly UK and office-based, and now finds itself with more than 160 team members, across 13 countries and three offices – Leamington Spa, Bangalore and Beijing.
CEO David Darling expressed his thoughts on the game’s success and its role in Kwalee’s development as a globally-distributed team:
“Seeing the success of Bake It along with a few other hit games of ours, like Object Hunt and Shootout 3D – it gives us confidence in remote working as the new model for our work culture. There’s a lot of potential we’re seeing in working this way to bring more hit games in the long term, especially with a globally-distributed team, so we’re excited about that.”
For an even greater insight into the making of Bake It, Kwalee’s Head of Development Simon Platt published an article soon after the game’s release that dove deep into the team’s experience of handling both development and publishing of Bake It during the pandemic.
Between opening up permanent remote opportunities for candidates globally and working alongside the overseas offices in Bangalore and Beijing, Kwalee’s teams have had to keep their work structure consistent online whilst meeting project goals simultaneously. It has ultimately paid off, with the recent remote releases skyrocketing in the charts.
Kwalee is currently running a challenge for third-party developers called Hypercasual Heroes, in which developers have the chance to get their games published by Kwalee and potentially secure a slice of that Bake It-style success – along with incredible, limited-time awards including a Tesla Model 3 car and $100,000 in advances with uncapped profit share to follow! Open for submissions until 31st August, developers can simply upload their 15-second gameplay video to Kwalee’s new publisher portal in order to be eligible.*
In the case of Bake It, the cherry on top was provided by the fact that interest in baking shot up during the first lockdown, often cited as a therapeutic and productive outlet to bust stress and anxiety. Bake It certainly hit the sweet spot in this regard but more than a year on, it’s also showed impressive longevity.
Bake It continues to receive updates from Kwalee’s dedicated team of designers and developers, who tailor the experiences for all kinds of players so anyone could become the best baker they can be. Android users and iOS users can find Bake It available for download on Google Play Store and App Store respectively.
Kwalee has been nominated in both Best Developer and Best Publisher categories at the upcoming Mobile Games Awards, and you can visit the official website for more information on joining our global team or getting your game published with us.
Asia
UFC Names Parimatch as Official Sportsbook and Betting Partner in Asia

UFC, the world’s premier mixed martial arts organization, and international iGaming brand Parimatch announced a new marketing partnership that establishes Parimatch as UFC’s Official Sportsbook and Betting Partner in Asia.
Parimatch will strategically activate its brand within a selection of UFC events, leveraging UFC’s wide-reaching promotional assets. Highlighted integrations include Parimatch branding in the world-famous Octagon and collaborations with UFC to creatively engage fans through original content that will be distributed via UFC’s popular digital and social channels in Asia that reach more than 17.5 million users.
“Parimatch has been a trusted partner and we are thrilled to extend this collaboration to Asia. Their support is instrumental in our efforts to give local athletes the opportunity to compete in the Road to UFC tournament and ultimately help them realize their dreams of making it to UFC. Together, we are driving the growth of our sport and delivering world-class experiences to fans across the region,” said Kevin Chang, Senior Vice President and Head of Asia for UFC.
“Today we start off a new era in the Parimatch partnership with UFC, built on the same strong values we share in serving UFC fans worldwide and delivering unforgettable moments. We’re excited to be back, ready to create even greater experiences for fans with the opportunities that lie ahead of us,” said Parimatch owner Sergei Portnov.
This new agreement builds upon an earlier relationship between UFC and Parimatch in which Parimatch served as UFC’s Official Sportsbook Partner across several regions worldwide.
The post UFC Names Parimatch as Official Sportsbook and Betting Partner in Asia appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.
Latest News
Soft2Bet reflects on eight years of leadership and philanthropy in new film featuring CEO Uri Poliavich
The newly released film highlights Uri Poliavich, the visionary founder and CEO of Soft2Bet, and his team’s unwavering commitment to philanthropy, social impact and building disruptive technologies in highly competitive markets
Film link https://www.reuters.com/plus/the-yael-foundation-a-commitment-to-culture-and-innovation
Today, Soft2Bet, a leading force in iGaming, released an exclusive film spotlighting the inspiring eight-year journey of its founder and CEO, Uri Poliavich, alongside his team of industry pioneers. The film offers a compelling look at their vision and the innovative path shaping the company’s future, uncovering how Poliavich drives business success while championing education and philanthropic community initiatives.
This exclusive glimpse into Poliavich’s story underscores his philosophy that “charity drives business,” demonstrating how purpose, ambition, and innovation can transcend corporate success to create a meaningful impact on communities globally.
Uri Poliavich, Founder and CEO of Soft2Bet, remarked: “I remember the feeling of hunger the most, not just hunger as a kid, but hunger to change your life.”
More than eight years ago, Soft2Bet launched in a small office, starting a journey that evolved into an international company with a state-of-the-art Maltese headquarters. What began as a B2C brand built on third-party solutions quickly transformed into a global B2C and B2B business, developing its own technology. Today, Soft2Bet holds leading positions in key markets, operates top-tier brands, and boasts more than 16 licenses.
This journey reflects the company’s DNA of innovation, platform development, and motivational engineering. These principles have shaped the creation of its Motivational Engineering Gaming Application (MEGA), a gamification solution redefining entertainment in the gambling industry.
Hungry for Change, Built to Lead
Reflecting on his origins, Poliavich discusses how his upbringing in Soviet Ukraine instilled a hunger to improve his trajectory, not only for his family but for the iGaming industry. His drive to create a meaningful impact has shaped Soft2Bet’s mission of integrating innovation with purpose and improving how end users experience gaming. His vision continues to develop talent and set new benchmarks across the company.
Uri Poliavich, Founder and CEO of Soft2Bet, stated: “In the last couple of years, we’ve been incredibly successful, bringing the innovative solutions our customers are looking for. We will continue to follow technological trends such as AI, content preference, and algorithms. By doing this, we will not only improve our market share as an operator but also acquire new customers.”
This dedication to constant improvement powered the creation of MEGA and enabled operators to enhance engagement, customer retention, and user experience through data-driven insights and quality gaming content. Today, Soft2Bet’s leading turnkey solutions operate across the most active markets, pioneering offerings to revolutionize the iGaming space and bridge diverse industries.
Driving Business Through Purposeful Giving
Poliavich demonstrates how passion and an open mindset can transform the reach of entrepreneurship into philanthropic efforts. In 2020, Poliavich founded The Yael Foundation, an organization inspired by his wife that would soon fuel his business endeavours.
The foundation, which focuses on boosting access to education in Jewish communities, supports more than 85 educational projects, kindergartens, Sunday schools, and special education initiatives across 37 countries. Since launching, the foundation has impacted more than 13,500 children worldwide exemplifying Poliavich and the company’s commitment to creating meaningful change.
Soft2Bet expands its vision with Soft2Bet Invest, a $50M innovation fund supporting entrepreneurs in iGaming and casual gaming. The fund targets growth-stage and mature companies using advanced technologies, including casual gaming concepts, AI, traffic differentiators, and user experience innovations. These initiatives demonstrate the company’s commitment to advancing gaming innovation and social responsibility.
The post Soft2Bet reflects on eight years of leadership and philanthropy in new film featuring CEO Uri Poliavich appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
Latest News
John Wright and Darrell Helyar Appointed to Board of Trustees of BetBlocker

BetBlocker is pleased to announce 2 additions to the team for the Board of Trustees for John Wright and Darrell Helyar. Both have been early supporters of BetBlocker and volunteer their time to help get more awareness for the app.
Awareness of BetBlocker’s work has been growing over the last two years. The charity has been featured at numerous responsible gambling segments at conferences and won a number of awards. The founder, Duncan Garvie, is a regular speaker at iGaming industry events helping to educate the industry about responsible gambling issues.
John Wright had the following response: “I am honoured to be considered for the Board of Trustees for BetBlocker. I’ve been the #1 supporter of the app since day 1 and I’ve always wanted to give something back to help players. It is my belief that more people should get involved in the responsible gambling side of the industry. I hope that my participation in responsible gambling encourages others to get involved and especially to encourage more affiliates to list RG resources on their sites. If the industry knows how to help players, then everyone benefits.”
Duncan Garvie offered the following comment: “John Wright has been foundational in the BetBlocker project. He was the person that challenged me to create a free, anonymous to use blocking software. Over the years he’s supported the charity with time, expertise, innovative ideas (a major upcoming feature was John’s brainchild) and design work. While not many know it, he’s played a significant role in the success of BetBlocker.
“Darrell Helyar has been equally significant. Darrell’s business acumen and knowledge of structuring a complex organisation in a challenging sector has been invaluable to BetBlocker. His empathetic approach to people management has provided sound strategic advice that has allowed BetBlocker to build a positive and hungry team that is up to the challenge of tackling the issue of gambling harm reduction.
“The expansion of our Board of Trustees to include these talented and knowledgeable individuals is a big win for BetBlocker.”
The post John Wright and Darrell Helyar Appointed to Board of Trustees of BetBlocker appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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