ELK Studios

Introduction to ELK Studios

A developer that's making a name for themselves in the iGaming scene is none other than ELK Studios.

Founded back in 2013, the team have been around for over a decade, with a strong focus on quality over quantity. 

In their tenure, they've smashed major milestones and broken barriers as true innovators in the slots scene, thanks to their groundbreaking mechanics and feature-packed titles. 

Their first title, The Lab, back in 2014, showed the world what the Swedish-based outfit is made of.

They've even won numerous awards and accolades for their slots, including the Game of the Year award in 2017 for Wild Toro, one of their most popular games. 

Fast forward to today, though, and they've produced over 100 titles and supply their games to hundreds of licensed operators and partners in every regulated corner of the world. 

They may have started from humble beginnings, but ELK Studios find themselves positioned front and centre at many slot sites. 

Our Five Favourite ELK Studios Games

Whilst ELK Studios have a stacked portfolio of hits, there are a few standout titles that perfectly capture what makes them one of the most creative developers in the business.

Their games aren't just visually striking. They're built with personality, precision, and plenty of replay value. 

There are a number of aspects that determine the best of the best when it comes to an online slot game, including the audiovisuals, features available, and max payouts. 

It was hard to pick just five, but we've taken the time to pick out a few of our favourite ELK Studios games that, in our opinion, best showcase the studio’s style, innovation, and top-tier craftsmanship.

ELK Studios Most Iconic Slot Series

No other game provider does slot series and sequels quite like ELK Studios.

They truly know what sticks with their players, milking it for all it's worth with several games starring the same beloved characters, themes, and features. 

Here are a few of our personal favourite series produced by the masterminds at ELK Studios. 

Some other honourable mentions include Rabbit Royale, Gold, and 7s, the former of which has a seasonal sequel called Reindeer Royale. 

Pirots: A Worldwide Sensation

Not to sound like a parrot and keep repeating ourselves, but few games have shaken up the slot world quite like Pirots.

When ELK first released Pirots 2 back in 2023, the CollectR mechanic was instantly a hit. 

Instead of simple spinning reels, these feathered fiends move across the grid (like Pac-Man), collecting matching symbols of their colour. 

This all serves to gradually fill up a collection meter that triggers bonus features (and all our endorphins as it gets close to the top).

ELK’s CollectR idea has been so influential that other developers have since taken notes.

Nolimit City's Tanked and Print Studios' Chomplings both show clear inspiration from Pirots' movement-based gameplay, proving just how much of a trendsetter ELK has become.

Pirots stands out as one of the few slots that have reinvented the slot experience outside of the same reel-and-payline formulas. 

ELK Studios Best Characters

Part of what makes series like Pirots so successful comes down to the characters involved.

And ELK Studios has their own iconic characters in spades, guest-starring behind the reels.

We've established that ELK Studios nail their animal characters, like Pirots' Feathered Foursome and the birds and sloth in Tropicool.

There's even the iconic Toro (the raging bull) from the series of the same name.

Then there's the troll family in games like Book of Sam, Electric Sam, and Sam on the Beach. 

Every studio also has their own intrepid explorer, like Play'n GO's Rich Wilde or Pragmatic Play's John Hunter.

Well, ELK Studios has Kane behind the Gold series, a dishy-looking adventurer who looks suspiciously like Keanu Reeves in his John Wick days. 

Masterpiece Artwork and Animations

Are we sensing a trend here?

As you can see, a lot of ELK Studios' games are based around the age-old animal theme.

But many of their games do dabble in others, too, like the Wild West, candy, and even ancient mythology, but with a classic ELK-flavoured spin where normality goes completely out of the window.

Every release feels polished, like a AAA release, feeling instantly recognisable from the minute you press “Play.”

But it's their execution that makes them stand out, with their world-class graphic design and visuals. 

Their animation work is buttery smooth, full of expression, and always matched with top-tier sound design that brings each world to life.

Standout Features From ELK Studios

With over 50 titles locked into their portfolio and more games coming out every month, what keeps ELK Studios so exciting? It can't just be graphics and characters alone. 

We can safely say that the features used in ELK Studios' games are always a big draw; you never know what they're going to do next.

Their slot mechanics are actually one of the reasons we come to them time and time again in our streams or mention them in our slot reviews as the gold standard. 

Outside of regular free spins or wilds, ELK Studios are the creative masterminds behind the reels, offering up innovative new concepts on a platter, and we love to eat them up.

ELK have put everything you can possibly imagine into their slots, but here are some common features and mechanics you'll find. 

X-iter Bonus Buy

While many developers have offered their own twists on the Bonus Buy over the years, ELK Studios have accomplished something truly unique with their X-iter feature. 

Coined as the “shortcut to x-citement” by ELK themselves, this feature allows players to jump straight into the action through a selection of predefined modes, often with five to choose from. 

These modes are tailored for each individual slot, allowing players to experience the core of each game and pick their favourite. 

These X-iter features can be anything from guaranteed base game features, free spins with growing win multipliers, or direct entry to a number of bonus games, with different price tags attached to each.

However, those in the UK are out of luck as Bonus Buys like X-iter are currently prohibited by the UKGC.

ELK Studios Maths Model

The old saying goes: “if it ain't broke, don't fix it,” and it's clear that ELK Studios have taken that as gospel.

To create their maths models, ELK works with statistical modelling, cloud-based computing, and data to develop, refine, and verify their slots and ensure everything is as smooth and fair as possible. 

You'll find that the vast majority of these games sit heavily around the 94.0% RTP mark, especially a lot of their latest releases. 

While this has caused a lot of friction with fans expecting games over 96% RTP, ELK more than makes up for it with their max wins.

These numbers are often sitting at the 10,000x, 25,000x, or even 50,000x bet in games like Cyngus 5 and Nightmaker. 

Streaming ELK Studios Games

As we're streamers at heart, and always will be, we always take the time to play games with huge win potential for our viewers.

That's because they're the ones that get the most engagement, with our fans just as on the edge of their seats as we are.

With their huge win caps, beautiful graphics, and feature-packed gameplay, ELK Studios are one of our favourite developers to showcase live on stream for our 30,000+ YouTube subscribers. 

Most Unique Releases from ELK Studios

We've established that ELK Studios like to deviate from the norm with their slots.

But even some of their titles are veering on the obscure, definitely accomplishing their goal of pushing through boundaries.

Here are three games we've handpicked that are… shall we say more unique, compared to the rest of their catalogue, whether that be in theme or mechanics. 

These games are unlike any other games we've ever played. 

Final Thoughts on ELK Studios

Despite being a smaller-scale studio, ELK Studios have proven they mean business, producing premium quality slots for over a decade.

They're not afraid to push boundaries and think outside of the box, making each release unmistakably their own. 

Their titles never miss and rarely score below a 7 in our reviews, with their groundbreaking mechanics helping them to stand out in a crowded industry.

Showing they still have many tricks up their sleeves, ELK remains one of our favourite studios to review, and we, alongside their legions of fans, wait with bated breath to see what they'll release next.