Pop is made by Big Time Gaming, an Australian slot studio that Evolution acquired in June 2021 for up to EUR 450 million.
- Best known for inventing the Megaways mechanic
- Pop is the third title in BTG's 4x4 reel series, after Donuts and Chocolates
- Distributed to more than 350 operators worldwide
About Big Time Gaming
Big Time Gaming is an Australian slot developer that Evolution describes, in its own investor communications, as "a leading online slot machine developer" and a "thought leader in online slots." Evolution agreed to buy the studio outright in 2021 for up to EUR 450 million, and the deal closed that June. Since then, Pop and the rest of BTG's catalogue have operated under Evolution's corporate umbrella, giving the smaller studio access to a much larger distribution network.
No founding year, headquarters city, or leadership names show up in the public materials reviewed for this page, which is unusual for a studio of BTG's size. What is documented is scale: by 2020, before the acquisition, BTG was already generating EUR 33 million in annual revenue with EUR 29 million in EBITDA, so this is not a startup operation working out of a garage.
BTG's signature contribution to the industry is Megaways, a reel mechanic that varies the number of symbols per reel on every spin and can produce up to 117,649 ways to win. Evolution's own materials note that Megaways has been licensed into more than 200 games from other studios, well beyond BTG's own releases. Bonanza and Extra Chilli are the titles most often credited with putting Megaways on the map.
Pop sits in a different, quieter corner of the BTG catalogue. It is the third entry in a line of compact 4-reel, 4-row slots that started with Donuts and continued with Chocolates. Where the Megaways games sprawl across shifting reel heights, this series keeps a fixed 4x4 grid and layers in cascading "Reactions" instead — winning symbols pop, and new balloons or specials drop in from above and below. Reviewers point out that Pop refines the format further with 256 fixed ways and a Dual Reel setup, where reels spin down and float up to make room for higher-paying symbols.
Distribution-wise, Evolution states that BTG supplies content to more than 350 operators, and Pop shows up across HTML5 casino platforms on desktop, tablet, and mobile. The studio holds a UK Gambling Commission license among others, though the reviewed sources don't map out every regulator BTG works with market by market, so provincial status in Canada for individual titles isn't something this page can confirm beyond general availability at Canada-facing sites.
Terms Worth Knowing
Megaways
A reel mechanic invented by Big Time Gaming that changes the number of symbols per reel on every spin, licensed into hundreds of games across the industry.
Reactions
Pop's cascade system: winning symbols clear from the 4x4 grid and new symbols drop in from above and below to refill the space.
Dual Reel
The studio's term for how Pop's reels move — spinning down from the top and floating up from the bottom at the same time.
Aggregator
A platform layer that connects a studio's games to casino operators; BTG's titles reach 350+ operators largely through arrangements like this.
Acquisition
Evolution's 2021 purchase of Big Time Gaming's entire share capital, which brought BTG's catalogue, including Pop, under Evolution's ownership.
Strengths and Limits of the Studio Behind Pop
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Invented Megaways, a mechanic now licensed across hundreds of games industry-wide | High-volatility design across BTG's catalogue, including Pop, can drain a small bankroll quickly during dry stretches |
| Backed by Evolution's resources and distribution since the 2021 acquisition | Pop's 4-reel series lives in the shadow of BTG's bigger Megaways releases and gets less marketing attention |
| Reaches more than 350 operators, so titles like Pop are easy to find | Reviews disagree on whether Pop offers a bonus buy option at all |
| Consistent track record with flagship hits such as Bonanza and Extra Chilli |
What Big Time Gaming Brings to Its Games
- Megaways reel mechanic, the studio's signature invention, licensed into over 200 games industry-wide
- Reactions-style cascading wins, used in Pop and other 4-reel titles instead of Megaways' shifting reels
- Dual Reel movement, where symbols enter from both top and bottom of the grid
- HTML5 builds that run across desktop, tablet, and mobile without a separate app
- UK Gambling Commission licensing alongside other regulatory approvals
- A distribution network covering more than 350 casino operators
Pop Next to Other Big Time Gaming Titles
| Donuts | The first game in BTG's 4x4 reel series; simpler feature set than Pop, and generally cited with lower max win potential. |
|---|---|
| Chocolates | The second entry in the same series; several reviews say Pop's free spins multipliers push its max win potential past Chocolates. |
| Bonanza | A Megaways title with a shifting reel-height format, unrelated mechanically to Pop's fixed 4x4 grid and Reactions system. |
| Extra Chilli | Another BTG Megaways flagship; larger reel array and different volatility profile compared to Pop's compact layout. |
Questions About Big Time Gaming and Pop
Did Big Time Gaming create the Megaways mechanic used in Pop?
No. Pop doesn't use Megaways at all — it runs on a fixed 4x4 grid with 256 ways and a Reactions cascade system. Megaways is BTG's other, more famous invention, used in titles like Bonanza and Extra Chilli instead.
Is Big Time Gaming still an independent studio?
No. Evolution completed its acquisition of Big Time Gaming in June 2021, so the studio and its catalogue, including Pop, now operate under Evolution's ownership.
Why does Pop feel different from BTG's Megaways slots?
Pop belongs to a separate BTG line of compact 4-reel, 4-row games that started with Donuts and Chocolates. It trades Megaways' shifting reel heights for a fixed grid and cascading Reactions instead.
How does Pop's Dual Reel feature work?
Reels in Pop spin down from the top and float up from the bottom at the same time, a movement the studio calls Dual Reel, which clears space for higher-paying balloon symbols to land.
Is Pop the highest-paying game in BTG's 4-reel series?
Several reviews note that Pop's free spins multipliers give it a higher maximum win potential than its series predecessors, Donuts and Chocolates.
Does Big Time Gaming publish official specs for Pop on its own site?
BTG's own game page for Pop describes the Dual Reel and Reactions mechanics, but detailed figures such as RTP and max win are drawn from independent review sites rather than the studio's page.
Can Canadian players access Pop through Big Time Gaming's licensed operators?
Pop is offered at Canada-facing online casinos and demo portals; BTG supplies content to over 350 operators broadly, though specific provincial approval status isn't documented for this title.
Does Pop carry a bonus buy option like some other BTG titles?
Sources disagree. Some detailed reviews say Pop has no bonus buy, while other metadata listings mention a feature buy, so this remains unconfirmed.