Big Time Gaming

One Patent That Changed the Industry

Big Time Gaming was founded in Sydney in 2011 by Nick Robinson, Nik Robinson, and a small team of slots engineers. The studio released competent titles in its early years but had not yet defined its identity. In 2016, that changed with the release of Bonanza — the first game to use the Megaways engine, a patent-protected mechanic that randomises the number of symbols visible on each reel on every spin, creating between 324 and 117,649 possible ways to win per spin.

Bonanza became an instant landmark title: extreme variance, unlimited cascading win multipliers, and a frequency-to-size ratio that perfectly matched the digital player preference for rare but enormous wins over steady small returns. Within three years, BTG had licensed the Megaways engine to Pragmatic Play, Relax Gaming, Iron Dog Studio, Blueprint Gaming, and dozens of others. The mechanic now powers over 100 titles across the industry — making it the single most commercially replicated mechanical innovation in the history of digital slots.

Beyond Megaways

BTG’s own catalogue of around 80 titles is smaller than its licensing footprint suggests, but the in-house games remain the most considered implementations of the engine. Extra Chilli (2018), White Rabbit (2017), and Danger! High Voltage (2018) demonstrate the studio’s ability to match extreme mechanical ambition with strong visual identity. The catalogue skews deliberately high-variance — BTG titles are not recommended for players who prefer frequent wins and extended session play at lower risk.