News filtered through yesterday that Swedish company Unibet are moving from the Microgaming Poker Network to a standalone product early next year.
The product is being developed by Relax Gaming exclusively for Unibet, who said they decided on the move as the “next step in developing their customer experience.”
“The environment in the online poker industry has changed over the years and we have come to the insight that being part of a poker network is not sustainable for Unibet in the long term,” said Daniel Eskola, Head of Gaming at Unibet.
“This project has given us the possibility to start from a blank piece of paper and define everything we believe is important for a fun poker experience. In a way, our goal is to bring the fun back to poker by creating software with a clear focus on the casual player.”
The new software will include a user friendly table selection, rich 3D backgrounds, the ability to change avatar and screen name, as well as gameplay features such as achievements and missions. Another big decision from Unibet is to ban the use of tracking software and HUDs, which will not be compatible with the new software.
It seems like the poker industry is beginning to wake up to the long-term problems that it faces. Much like DTD’s online cash games, Unibet have decided to focus on the recreational player rather than the full-time grinder.
This isn’t huge news on paper, but here at PokerPlayer we are excited about some of the changes happening in the industry. While professionals are important to the game so is having fun, and the more places that offer that to the recreational player the better.
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