ICE PREVIEW


Why Games Global is doubling down on fan-favourite brands in 2026


As portfolios mature and expectations rise, brands are playing a bigger role in how suppliers think about longevity, performance, and what comes next. For Games Global, this builds on years of brand development and will shape how those franchises evolve in the year ahead, starting at ICE.


O


ver the past year, franchises have quietly become one of the strongest forces shaping game portfolios. As the industry looks ahead to 2026, familiar brands that players already know and trust are proving intrinsically valuable, particularly when they are given room to grow.


At Games Global, this shift has come from experience rather than trend-watching. Time spent building and supporting portfolios has shown that strong franchises tend to generate their own momentum. Players know what they are stepping into, operators understand how those games perform, and that shared confi dence brings its own way forward. That success is reinforced by the continued support of operators, helping to sustain the strength and longevity of these series.


Alberto Alfieri


Franchises bring comfortability and give operators clarity around long-term performance. With that foundation in place, new ideas land more naturally and feel part of the experience, allowing additional opportunity to innovate in new and creative ways.


BUILDING FORWARD, NOT STARTING AGAIN


That mindset is easy to see in Gold Blitz Express, the latest chapter in one of Games Global’s most established game families. Rather than resetting the experience, the focus has been on iteration, and the intention was simple: hold on to what players already love and fi nd new ways to keep the experience moving.


The foundations of the series remain fi rmly in place, offering continuity for players who know the brand well. What has changed is how the game plays. New elements bring added energy and pace, creating moments that stand


For Games


Global, ICE is not simply about what is being showcased, but about where the conversation goes next


out while preserving the character of the game and keeping the overall essence of the series intact.


The Blitz Express feature plays a big part in that shift, changing the pace of the game, adding more movement without making it harder to follow. Engagement also plays a bigger role, giving players a deeper gaming experience.


Taken together, these changes exemplify a franchise moving forward whilst retaining its core pillars and identity. Gold Blitz Express is a masterclass in how thoughtful development launches the familiar into the new.


SETTING THE TONE AT ICE As attention turns to ICE Barcelona, the role of franchises becomes clearer. For Games Global, ICE is not simply about what is being showcased, but about where the conversation goes next. It is the point where familiar franchise brands and new content sit side by side, showing how continuity and innovation work in tandem.


Operators are looking more closely at what lasts, not just what launches. Games Global continues to push the industry forward with leading content, mechanics, new titles and familiar franchises. With new game launches coming in weekly, the Games Global portfolio showcases evolution and innovation through each month – giving players not only the familiar but delivering on the fresh and unexpected – and ultimately creating a portfolio of games that last.


42 JANUARY 2026 GIO


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