The Creative Equation Jamie Knight on IGT’s Gaming Future
IGT’s next Chief Studios Officer Jamie Knight speaks exclusively to G3 about her vision for moving away from a volume-led approach to game development, giving
creative teams greater ownership, using AI to accelerate rather than replace creativity, and building the next generation of IGT franchises when she takes the role on January 1.
Jamie, you joined IGT in 2025 to establish Viva Studio in Las Vegas, and little more than a year later been announced as IGT’s next Chief Studios Officer. What did you see when you arrived that convinced you there was an opportunity to rethink how IGT develops games?
When I arrived, the studios were operating a little like factories and were very Product Management led. Te biggest opportunity for the business was bringing ownership back into the studios and enable our designers to better understand the business decisions behind the games they were creating. Tey shouldn’t feel as though they are simply making another game. Tey need to understand what it takes to create a great game that will also perform commercially. Tat is what we have been leaning into - giving the studios greater ownership and encouraging our designers to think more broadly about what makes a successful product.
CEO Hector Fernandez has put content at the centre of IGT’s “5 Cs.” From your perspective, what does IGT’s content transformation involve?
One of our biggest areas of focus is franchises and brands. I think there has been a missed opportunity around some of the legacy brands that IGT has built over many years but perhaps hasn’t leaned into enough. We want to build a stronger portfolio around franchises, brands and mechanics that we know resonate with players. At the same time, we are reducing the overall number of games and focusing our resources on the right products. We are already starting to see an improvement in performance and consistency from doing that. It is about concentrating on fewer things and making those things better.
You’ve spent two decades in gaming and began your career on the 74
creative side. What is your own philosophy on creating a successful casino game?
It is always a combination of things coming together. One area where I don't think we have focused enough historically is production value and the overall entertainment factor, particularly audio. Audio is an area where I think we can improve significantly. You should be able to close your eyes, listen to a game and know exactly what you are playing. We haven't always achieved that, so we are beginning to invest more heavily in that area.
Math is obviously fundamental and we have some incredibly strong mathematicians. Te question is how we combine that with the right amount of innovation. We are looking closely at the incremental innovations that can make a game stand out while retaining the elements players understand and enjoy.
Viva Studio was deliberately established with a different process and culture. What did you want to do differently there, and what can you now take from Viva into the wider studio organisation?
I am a big believer in using people according to their talents rather than shoehorning them into predefined roles. Historically, you might have had an artist who also happened to animate. We are now bringing in people who are specifically great animators and empowering them to use that expertise to increase the production value of our games. Tat was very much the approach with Viva. Rather than having only a few people responsible for a game, we brought together the best talent for each element and created a genuine team around the product. You have more voices contributing, and I believe that makes the final game stronger. It is an approach I have used previously and seen succeed.
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