Raptor remains one of Yggdrasil’s most recognisable modern releases – a game that carved out its own space and a design philosophy that balanced clarity, escalation and chaos. Now, several years later, the studio is revisiting the title with a sequel. For Ricardo Viana, Executive Creative Director at Yggdrasil, the challenge wasn’t simply to make something bigger, but to make something worthy of the name.
In this Q&A, Ricardo explains how the team approached the timing, the philosophy behind sequels, and the evolution of the DoubleMax mechanic as they shaped Raptor 2 into a follow-up that stands on its own while respecting the original.
Bigwinboard (Daniel): Raptor became a massive hit for Yggdrasil. What made now the right time to revisit it with a sequel?
Ricardo Viana: With sequels, you don’t want to wait too long, but just long enough for players to want more. So, the aim is to give enough experience runway for people to enjoy the original Raptor and to analyze the feedback before a sequel is released. If we released the sequel too soon, it would dilute the original’s impact, and if we waited too long, the experience players had would fade. Therefore, making it harder to “catch lightning in a bottle” again, so to speak.
Bigwinboard (Daniel): That makes perfect sense! When the team first sat down to map out Raptor 2, what were the main goals you wanted to hit with this follow-up?
Ricardo Viana: Raptor 2 had four goals. First Goal: If it’s working, don’t put your foot through a Picasso. Take what works and lock it in first. Second Goal: No man crosses the same river twice. The moment we change an element of a game, even with familiar mechanics, the complete package is different; it will not feel the same. DoubleMax is a solid mechanic. What do we need to modify, improve, or remove to set Raptor 2 apart from Raptor?
Third Goal: The juice needs to be worth the squeeze. Make sure the changes are for the player’s benefit, from the visuals on screen to the mechanics and math that provide the player with an entertaining and therefore more memorable experience. Fourth Goal: A Hero’s Journey. Make sure all elements in the game feed into a Story. Providing more overall interactivity by painting a picture, right from the start.
Bigwinboard (Daniel): Was Raptor 2 built by the same core team behind the first game, or did new people bring a different perspective to the project?
Ricardo Viana: It was a combination of both new and old team members. We wanted to make sure the original team was there, as they started the ball rolling and provided details on what they tried initially, what worked, and most importantly, what did not. Then the new members put fresh eyes on the original, focusing on what Raptor 2 would need to stand out as a sequel. Then, with both the old and the new teams’ collaboration, the magic began.
Fully understanding and knowing that the key to a sequel is to avoid the same old, same old, since there are no new offerings for players outside of a familiar name.  We are utilizing GIAB to speed up our mechanics refinement; by inputting a few different math models, the teams came to a quicker decision on what felt right for Raptor 2. Change too much, and the spirit of the original is lost; it feels separate. Change too little, and there is no reason for players to move on from Raptor.
Bigwinboard (Daniel): The original DoubleMax mechanic left quite a large imprint on the slot community. How did you approach bringing it back in the sequel in a way that feels fresh?
Ricardo Viana: Well, it was actually the story for Raptor 2 that drove the direction we took. The first Raptor set the theme and environment.  Raptor 2 story focused on one element, mimicking a pack of Raptors on a hunt. Which, to us, meant providing an opportunity to see more Raptor Wilds on screen. So, we take the base game DoubleMax experience and punch it with reel expansions. From Raptor to Raptors. Solid gameplay improved without taking away from the original.
Bigwinboard (Daniel): Sequels can go in many directions – bigger, bolder, more refined. How would you describe the direction you chose for Raptor 2?
Ricardo Viana: Give the player more of what they want by focusing on the DoubleMax mechanic and expanding the gameplay feel with added elements not seen prior. This allows Yggdrasil not only to please the dedicated fan base but also to surprise old and new players by expanding on what the mechanic can do in collaboration with another solid game mechanic.
Bigwinboard (Daniel): The original Raptor set a very high bar in terms of community expectations. How does that influence your decision-making when building a sequel?
Ricardo Viana: Allot! Too many times, when teams work on sequels, they want to reinvent the wheel or change absolutely nothing, give it a fresh coat of paint. Sometimes nostalgia works; cliches are used because people love them, but too many trips to the well will dry up the water. Many times, the changes are so different that the sequel has no real connection to the original. With Raptor 2, we avoided a complete rehaul, so to speak, by treating the legend with respect and focusing only on what could be improved rather than adding anything new.
Bigwinboard (Daniel): From a development point of view, what part of Raptor 2 was the most demanding or interesting to get right?
Ricardo Viana: Utilizing Game in a Box™ and linking all the game mechanics together. As with any new technology or tool, you need time to adjust and learn new ways to do what was once very familiar. But like a pendulum, once we put all the pieces together, the ease and ability to quickly modify mechanics more than compensated for the difficulties.
Bigwinboard (Daniel): What is the one thing you’re most excited for players to experience when they finally get their hands on Raptor 2?
Ricardo Viana: Hands down, it is the Bonus Game with the combination of DoubleMax and expanding reels. The game story has the Raptors on the hunt for bigger, stronger apex predators. We wanted to make sure that the triggers that led into the bonus game were rewarding, pushing the visual direction of the hunt, and that using DoubleMax in conjunction with expansion felt tight and right.
Bigwinboard (Daniel): Yggdrasil has built several mechanics that became industry staples. Where does DoubleMax sit today internally. Is it still a frontier you want to push further?
Ricardo Viana: No pun intended, but it is a central GEM in our game mechanics’ crown. It most certainly will evolve, but that is mainly driven by the titles that will use the mechanic. No two DoubleMax games are the same. As we move forward, a modified version (much like our Bonus Game) will be needed to keep it fresh without making it unrecognizable.
Bigwinboard (Daniel): Alright Ricardo, fantastic talk! Let’s wrap this up with a final question. Looking beyond Raptor 2, what can players expect from Yggdrasil in the coming year?
Ricardo Viana: Oh, I’m excited for 2026 on so many levels. I usually like to keep my cards close to my chest, but what I can say is that players can look forward to a combination of returning favorites, new game mechanics to add to our library via Game in a Boxâ„¢, and an updated philosophy for our titles that will push story, visual improvements and updated gameplay for those both loyal and new to the Yggdrasil. We are not reinventing the wheel, but we will definitely upgrade the tires, invent tools to make it easier, and throw in some spinning rims for style.
