Gaming Corps Lines Up NHL Alumni Games Through PlayWin Deal
The agreement gives Gaming Corps access to a pool of more than 1,000 former NHL players covered by PlayWin’s licensing arrangement. The companies are not limiting the project to a standard branded slot.
One of the first releases will be built around a hockey shootout mechanic. The other will follow a more familiar slot format. Gaming Corps has yet to disclose which former players will feature in the games or when the titles will go live.
The Split Is Relevant
Gaming Corps has been building both traditional slots and alternative casino products. So, the NHL licence can be used across different parts of its catalogue rather than for a single release.
PlayWin focuses on entertainment products tied to recognised sports personalities and licensed sports IP. Its NHL Alumni Association agreement provides access to retired players from different generations of the league.
North America and Nordic Markets Are First in Line
Gaming Corps said the games are being developed for regulated markets, with North America and the Nordic region receiving particular attention. The choice follows the audience for the underlying licence. Hockey has a large established following in Canada and the US, while several Nordic countries have long-standing links to the NHL through players, broadcasters and domestic hockey competitions.
For casino operators, licensed athletes also provide a recognisable theme before a player opens the game. That can be useful in crowded game lobbies where studios are competing for visibility alongside hundreds or thousands of titles.
Gaming Corps CEO Juha Kauppinen said the company sees well-known sports figures as entertainment brands that can be adapted to both slots and less conventional casino games.
PlayWin Has Rights Beyond Hockey
The NHL projects may also serve as a first test of a wider relationship between the two companies. PlayWin holds rights involving former athletes from basketball and baseball as well as hockey. Neither company has announced additional Gaming Corps titles using those properties.
For now, the scope is narrower: two NHL Alumni games, no confirmed launch dates and no operators named for distribution. The next useful detail will be which players Gaming Corps selects for the releases, since the strength of the licence will depend heavily on how recognisable those names are in the markets where the games are offered.