Observed Signal · Aug 18, 2026 · Technical Release · Source: Mobilegamer.biz · Impact: 3/5 · Sentiment: Positive
MTG Playamp adopts AI across game development and marketing
MTG’s Playamp division—comprising studios such as Plarium, InnoGames, Hutch, Snowprint, Ninja Kiwi and Futureplay—has embedded AI across development, art, marketing and business intelligence pipelines. Playamp CEO Oliver Bulloss describes AI as an “amplifier” that speeds workflows and lets teams reinvest time savings into more projects rather than cutting staff. Examples include InnoGames’ custom “AI Stage Designer,” which reduced stage development from ten weeks to three and avoided layoffs, and a reported 60% reduction in planned 2025 external art outsourcing spend through AI-assisted art production. Plarium built three no-code internal data tools (VizOps, Nexus, Chronicle), added LLM agents in BigQuery for plain-language data queries, and created an internal art platform, Artmaker, to protect IP. AI is also used for faster, character-led ad production and playable-ad prototyping via an AI-first VS Code framework with native Claude Code integration.
Major midcore game studios within MTG’s Playamp are embedding AI across development, art, BI and marketing, materially increasing creative throughput, reducing external art spend and introducing internal LLM/data tooling—trends relevant to creative production and ad asset supply in gaming and app marketing.
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Key Takeaways & Evidence Grounding
- MTG’s Playamp division includes Plarium, InnoGames, Hutch, Snowprint, Ninja Kiwi and Futureplay.
- InnoGames built a custom “AI Stage Designer” that cut stage development time from ten weeks to three without layoffs.
- InnoGames reports AI-assisted art production reduced its planned 2025 external art outsourcing spend by 60%.
- Plarium’s data team built three internal tools—VizOps, Nexus and Chronicle—without hand-written code to accelerate iteration and data QA.
- Plarium uses LLM agents in BigQuery for plain-language data queries and has an internal art platform, Artmaker, to protect IP; Plarium also built an AI-first VS Code development framework with native Claude Code integration.
Connected Companies & Entities
3 Entities mapped“Playamp CEO Oliver Bulloss says all of MTG’s studios – including the likes of Plarium, InnoGames and Hutch – have AI tools embedded across p...”
“The Raid: Shadow Legends maker has also built an AI-first development framework in VS Code with native Claude Code integration....”
Ontology Mapping & Concepts
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MTG Aims to Double Size Through Selective M&A and AI
Swedish digital entertainment firm Modern Times Group (MTG) aims to double its size within three to five years, primarily through selective M&A and organic growth, while scaling AI tooling. CEO Maria Redin emphasized a 'village philosophy' where studios maintain autonomy but share technology and learnings. MTG recently rebranded its midcore division to PlayAmp, which includes Plarium, InnoGames, Snowprint, Hutch, Ninja Kiwi, and Futureplay. Shared services include Plarium's data platform, the GoGame marketing platform, a D2C platform (accounting for 51% of division revenue in Q2 2026), and an AI Lab. AI is being used to accelerate game development, allowing teams to produce more content and test more ideas. Redin stressed that AI is about improving quality and output, not reducing workforce. The company is also exploring M&A opportunities in markets like Türkiye, China, and Vietnam, while remaining Western-focused.
MTG launches Playamp for midcore games
Modern Times Group (MTG) has rebranded and consolidated its midcore games operations under Playamp, combining studios Plarium, InnoGames, Snowprint, Hutch, Ninja Kiwi and Futureplay with shared services for marketing, DTC monetisation, AI, data infrastructure and player platforms. Playamp reported SEK 9,039m ($953m) in revenue and SEK 2,278m ($240m) in adjusted EBITDA for 2025, representing about 78% of group revenue and 86% of adjusted EBITDA. In Q2 2026, direct-to-consumer channels (launcher, webstores and user-choice billing) accounted for 51% of Playamp’s revenue, and its shared services support more than 60 games. MTG will adopt the Playamp and Playsimple names in place of the Midcore and Casual District labels in its financial reporting from Q3 2026.
Nordic Studios Use AI for Solo Game Building and Player Support
This article explores how AI is being integrated into Nordic game development, featuring insights from various industry professionals. Legal counsel at Rovio notes that legal concerns have shifted from IP infringement to community backlash. Fingersoft's growth officer emphasizes that AI handles automatable tasks while human creativity remains crucial. Playables.ai uses AI for code generation with human review, while Theymes provides AI-driven player support that answers queries before tickets are created. Bitmagic has dissolved traditional development teams, allowing anyone to build games independently.
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