Following the launch of new studio Playzaar, Gambling News sat down with Mr. Zaar, CEO, Finder of Play, and the brand’s most mysterious hire. We managed to pin him down for a few questions about games, players, partners and why he has strong opinions about casino lobbies.
First things first, who exactly is Mr. Zaar?
I’m the guy who has spent an unreasonable amount of time scrolling casino lobbies, wondering why, with more games available than ever, so little feels exciting. So I decided to do something about it.
We’ve put together a team that pairs industry veterans who understand games with creative people who look at things from a different angle entirely.
This isn’t about reinventing online casino, or pretending everything before us got it wrong. It’s about bringing back curiosity, variety and personality. We want to build games around how people actually play today. Whatever mood you’re in, there should be a game that fits it. Chilled, competitive, chaotic, or whatever fits the in-between moments.
So what is Playzaar doing differently?
For us, it starts with making games that actually earn a player’s attention. There’s no shortage of content out there, but more choice doesn’t automatically mean better choice.
We want to be much more deliberate about what we build: listening to real players, using data and combining that with strong creative instinct rather than chasing whatever mechanic happens to be fashionable that month. If I’ve learned one thing from this industry, it’s that if every studio is running in the same direction, it’s probably a good idea to start heading in the other way.
That also means keeping things clear. No unnecessary complexity, no hidden surprises, and no features bolted on just so there’s something new to shout about.
Different players want different things at different moments. Our job is to make sure there’s something genuinely worth finding.
How does that philosophy translate into the way Playzaar designs games?
We see Playzaar as a marketplace, but a good marketplace is curated. It isn’t someone standing at the entrance throwing things at you until something sticks.
“We see Playzaar as a marketplace, but a good marketplace is curated. It isn’t someone standing at the entrance throwing things at you until something sticks.”
Variety matters, but quality matters much more. We want to understand what players enjoy, use data intelligently and then build games that deserve their attention. There are already enough online casinos that feel like someone emptied a warehouse of games into the lobby.
A player shouldn’t need an instruction manual and a degree in advanced mathematics before pressing spin. Mechanics can be clever without being confusing, features should have a purpose and things like game information and RTP should be easy to understand. We take the games seriously. Ourselves? Not so much.
What does Playzaar want from its relationships with operators?
We’re about partnerships, done properly.
This industry moves fast. New titles, features and trends land while previous ones are still making noise. We work closely with operators to deliver games with real depth and themes that don’t all blur into one. If the only thing separating two games is whether the main character is a Viking or an Egyptian, it’s fair to say the studio hasn’t been trying hard enough.
We’ve built a team that’s genuinely invested in getting the right games in front of the right players, and is focused on helping operators hit their targets and bring some life back to the lobby while they’re at it.
What comes next for Playzaar?
A few surprises.
There’s more to come over the next few weeks, so the easiest way to follow along is to find Playzaar on social media and keep an eye on what starts appearing.
One we can tease now: we’re partnering with SPINPIXS, a streaming platform, on a new series that takes a look behind the scenes of our industry. We think this will resonate with a lot of people, but you’ll have to judge for yourselves.
Consider that your first clue.
We’ll also be at SBC Summit Lisbon. Come and find us at S10 in the startup hub, say hello, and find out whether Mr. Zaar is any less mysterious in person.
You can also meet the rest of the crew and check out our prize giveaways.
About Playzaar
Playzaar is an online casino games studio building a portfolio that doesn’t blend in, from slots and strategy-based games to branded content and sweepstakes-ready titles. For partnership enquiries, contact [email protected].