Intouch Games is an outfit which in many ways is a prime example of how spotting a trend in the market is a key factor in success.
Founded in 2001, the company began life focusing on real world entertainment. They concentrated on the design and manufacture of physical slot machines and juke boxes. Based in the West Midlands of the United Kingdom, the company’s main customer base was local and regional public houses and independent bookmakers.
But Intouch Games was one of the first companies to spot the potential of the then niche mobile gaming market. In 2006, they launched their first mobile gaming system, enabling phone users to play games online. The system was an instant success, and the company have been growing ever since. Today, the company is responsible for the employment of close to 300 people, operating from its new business and operational headquarters in Halesowen, and satellite offices based in Bucharest in Romania, and Taiwan. Bucharest is the official headquarters for administrative purposes.
Although it did spot the rapid rise of mobile gaming early, there is no doubt that today this is a very competitive area of the market. Since the launch of mFortune, its first online casino in 2007, Intouch Gaming has never been one of the “big boys” of the online gaming industry. Nevertheless, it has survived by being very good at what it does, and also by forging a new niche - something different from the mass produced brands of so many of its larger competitors. This has earned it quite a reputation amongst industry insiders and critics.
This niche consists of designing and operating its own online casinos, consisting entirely of its own in house designed games. Now it must be pointed out that this brave and unique approach has some immediate and obvious disadvantages. Intouch Games’ casinos do not carry any of the popular everyday games you would expect to find in a typical casino. NetEnt, Microgaming or indeed any other big name software providers do not feature. Also, whereas a typical casino will offer players hundreds of different games to play, a typical Intouch Games casino offers far fewer. mFortune was launched with just four games, and even now offers less than fifty.
These factors may seem like crucial weaknesses, but in fact represent a unique strength. Because while every other casino offers much the same in the way of games and titles, Intouch Games’ brands offer something completely different. They are ideal for new players who may be a little overwhelmed by the sheer volume of games provided on a typical casino, and also for experienced players who are a little tired of the same old games everywhere else, and are looking for a new challenge.
There is no sign of Intouch Games’ continued period of rapid growth coming to an end any time soon. It has four licenced brands at the time of writing: mFortune, Pocket Win, Mr Spin and Dr Slot.
