More than a studio: Peter & Sons on FUSE, creativity, and the future of game development

Peter & Sons is known for slots with an unmistakable personality and continues to push the boundaries of creative game development. In an interview with Slotegrator, the Commercial Director and Founder, Yann Bautista, discusses how the studio balances creativity and commercial success, uses AI while retaining its human touch, achieves growth through FUSE, and shares the company’s vision for the future.

SLOTEGRATOR: Peter & Sons is known for its distinctive visual style and unorthodox themes. How do you evolve and protect your identity to remain unique in such a competitive market?

Yann Bautista: We're very conscious of who we are as a studio, and as we've grown, we've always wanted to stay true to that. For us, it's not about following a fixed style — it's about staying true to the way we create games.

We don't ask our artists to fit into a predefined style. We carefully choose artists with their own style and personality, then give them the freedom to express it. That's what keeps every game feeling fresh while still unmistakably Peter & Sons. Every game is different, but players should always be able to tell it's a Peter & Sons game.

S: How would you introduce your company to somebody who has never worked with you before?

YB: I'd probably describe Peter & Sons as a game studio that likes doing things a little differently.

We come from a broader game development background, and that's influenced the way we've built the company from day one. We create games that often feel closer to graphic novels, animation or indie games than traditional slots, but behind that creative side there's a lot of work on game design, math, compliance and making sure our games perform well for our partners.

If I had to sum it up in one sentence, I'd say we make games with personality. We want players to remember them, and we want operators to be excited to launch them.

S: What’s your secret formula when it comes to blending creativity and business strategy?

YB: There isn't really a secret formula. We define our roadmap well in advance, more than a year before release. At that stage, we look at the markets we want to target, player preferences, operator needs, mechanics, and the overall balance of our portfolio. That gives us the foundation for every new game.

Once that direction is clear, our game designers and mathematicians build the mechanics and the math model. From there, the rest of the team brings the game to life. Artists, animators, developers, sound designers, and producers all work closely together to shape the final experience.

For us, that's what makes the difference. The best games happen when every department works toward the same goal from the very beginning.

S: In our interview almost a year ago, you said that for Peter & Sons, AI is part of everyday work processes in all departments. Can you tell us where its impact has been the strongest, and how it has changed your approach to game development and creativity?

YB: AI has become a useful tool across many parts of the company, especially in research, analysis, localization, documentation, workflow optimization, and internal production processes. It helps teams move faster, compare information more efficiently, and organize ideas in a more structured way.

In game development, its strongest impact is probably in the early and middle stages of work. It can support market research, reference gathering, documentation, testing different directions, and communication between departments. These are areas where speed and structure make a real difference. Peter & Sons games are still driven by human artists, designers, mathematicians, producers, animators, sound designers, and developers. Our hand-drawn style, characters, and visual personality come from people.

S: What role does player data play in your game design and creative strategy? In your opinion, what are the main trends shaping the industry today?

YB: Player data plays a very important role in the way we shape our portfolio and plan our roadmap. It helps us understand which games, mechanics, and features are really connecting with players across different markets, and that plays a big role in the decisions we make.

Of course, it's only part of the picture. We also work very closely with our operators, so the best decisions come from combining player data with market feedback.

As for industry trends, operators are increasingly looking for broader portfolios that can cater to different player profiles and regulated markets. That's very much the direction we're heading in, making sure we can offer the right content for different players without losing our identity.

S: Peter & Sons is growing fast and expanding its partner network. In your opinion, what distinguishes a fruitful business relationship in iGaming?

YB: A fruitful business relationship in iGaming is built on trust, transparency, and long-term thinking. Of course, commercial performance matters, but a strong partnership is not only about signing an agreement and launching content.

The best relationships happen when both sides understand what they bring to the table. Operators know their players, markets, promotional tools, and brand positioning. Suppliers know their games, mechanics, roadmap, and portfolio strengths. When that knowledge is shared openly, the partnership becomes much stronger.

For us, communication is very important. Good partners give honest feedback, share market insights, and help position games properly. A strong game still needs the right launch, the right visibility, and the right context.

S: You have a dedicated program to launch and scale studios. Can you tell us more about FUSE?

YB: Peter & Sons FUSE is our fully supported RGS program, built to launch and scale studios with real infrastructure, real support, and real reach.

The idea is simple: strong creative teams should not have to build everything from zero before they can bring great games to market. FUSE gives studios access to the technical, operational, commercial, and distribution framework needed to grow properly.

That includes the RGS infrastructure, production support, game design and math expertise, compliance knowledge, certification processes, account management, and access to our wider partner network.

Bitpunch is the first studio launched under this model, and it is already showing why the approach works. Born from Peter & Sons, Bitpunch brings another creative voice into our portfolio: a different style, a bolder tone, but with the same quality standard people expect from us.

S: Among your rich game portfolio, can you name a few releases that you are especially proud of and explain why?

YB: Greedy Alice has to be one of them. It's become one of our most iconic titles and has shown just how much players can connect with a memorable character and world.

Barbarossa is another one we're incredibly proud of. It has grown into one of our strongest franchises, with three games already released and a fourth chapter coming in early October. The combination of cascading wins and multipliers that keep building throughout the bonus has become one of the gameplay experiences players associate most with Peter & Sons.

Ghostfather is another personal favorite. It perfectly captures the cinematic, character-driven style that really feels like Peter & Sons. More recently, games like Roman Glory Hold & Win and Big Bounty Bandits Three Pots show where we're heading next. They combine familiar mechanics with our own creative twist, showing that we can keep evolving while staying true to who we are.

S: We’ve heard about your plans to launch Greedy Alice 2. Can you tell us more about the upcoming release?

YB: Given the success of the original Greedy Alice, creating a sequel felt like the natural next step. Our goal wasn't to reinvent the game, but to build on everything players loved about it.

We've refined the gameplay, introduced new features like the Barrage Feature and Super Free Spins, and created more opportunities for bigger combinations and bigger moments throughout the game. The core mechanics are still there, but we've expanded the experience to make it feel even more dynamic and rewarding. Overall, players can expect a faster pace, more action, and, as the name suggests, even bigger bites. We can't wait to see it launch globally on 23 July.

S: Finally, looking ahead, how do you see the role of Peter & Sons in the industry five years from now? What are you investing in today to ensure your long-term success?

YB: Five years is a long time in this industry, but our ambition is clear. We don't just want Peter & Sons to be recognized as a great game studio — we want to become one of the leading creative studios in iGaming.

That means continuing to grow Peter & Sons while expanding FUSE, helping more talented studios grow with the support of our technology, infrastructure, and commercial network.

At the same time, we'll continue expanding our portfolio, creating games for different player profiles and regulated markets, while also growing into other verticals such as instant games and crash games. Just as importantly, we'll continue investing in promotional tools and features that help operators get more value from our content and create even better experiences for players.