| Founded | 2018 |
| HQ | Msida, Malta (with a studio in Stockholm, Sweden) |
| Group | Independent — runs the OpenRGS platform that also carries its sister studio Backseat Gaming and the independent partner studio Bullshark Games |
| Signature mechanic | DuelReels (expanding VS wilds) |
| RTP range | Default typically ~96.2%–96.4%; operators may run reduced versions of the same game (some down to ~88%) — always check the info screen |
| Style | Very high volatility, feature-light design, distinctive cartoon-meets-gritty art. Built for big-multiplier swings and streamer moments, not slow grinds — though they make a handful of gentler, mid-variance titles too. |
RTP figures are the studio's published defaults — many operators run lower-RTP versions of the same games, so always check the in-game info panel. This is an independent, informational studio review; Hacksaw Gaming is not affiliated with this site. 18+ · Play responsibly.
About Hacksaw Gaming
Hacksaw Gaming launched in 2018 out of Msida, Malta, with a development studio in Stockholm, founded by industry veterans with a mobile-first, streamer-ready vision. They did not start with slots at all — the company built its name first on fast, instant-win scratchcards and the Pocketz series, simple touch-friendly products designed for fun over flash. That heritage still shows: clean grids, snappy mobile performance and an interface you understand in seconds.
The core philosophy is less is more. Where a studio like Pragmatic Play ships several titles a month, Hacksaw releases selectively and makes each game instantly recognisable as theirs. Most of their hits are built around one strong mechanic rather than a stack of features — an expanding wild here, a nudge symbol there, a collection bonus to close it out. That restraint is why I call them a feature-light studio, and why their best games feel tight and readable instead of chaotic: you always know exactly what you are chasing.
The trade-off is variance. Hacksaw math is famously top-heavy — value is stripped out of the everyday spins and concentrated into rare bonus rounds, so the base game runs quiet and the hit frequency is low. Their flagship titles are very-high-volatility machines with max wins typically in the 10,000x–25,000x range. That ceiling is lower than the 50,000x+ monsters from Nolimit City, but it tends to arrive a little more realistically within a session — a meaningful distinction if you actually play rather than just watch clips.
Two things make Hacksaw matter beyond their own catalogue. First, **RTP**: their default configs are competitive at around 96.2%–96.4%, but — like most modern studios — they publish lower variable-RTP versions of the same game (Wanted Dead or a Wild goes down to 88.42%), so check the info screen every time. Second, OpenRGS: Hacksaw built a remote gaming server that lets partner game providers launch on its certified network. The first two studios to ship on it — Backseat Gaming, Hacksaw's closely tied sister studio, and Bullshark Games, an independent partner studio from Tallinn — are not Hacksaw-owned in-house teams, but they share Hacksaw's distribution and a closely related design DNA, which is why you will see their slots filed alongside the Hacksaw family on this site.
Hacksaw Gaming signature mechanics
Every studio has a handful of mechanics it does better than anyone — the things you recognise the moment the reels move. Here are Hacksaw Gaming's.
DuelReels (expanding VS wilds)
The mechanic that defines them. VS symbols land on the reels and, when they are part of a potential win, expand to cover a whole reel as a wild carrying a multiplier from x2 up to x100. Two in one spin multiply together — that is the moment every Wanted Dead or a Wild clip is built around.
Feature-light, single-hook design
Most Hacksaw hits revolve around one strong idea rather than a stack of overlapping features. Clean grids, a readable interface, and a single mechanic executed well. It is the opposite of the kitchen-sink approach, and it is why a Hacksaw slot is recognisable in seconds.
Nudge & expanding wilds
Recurring building blocks across their catalogue: nudge symbols shift active reels down a position to open new wins, while expanding and sticky wilds drive the bonus rounds. Simple parts, combined for big swings.
Collection-style bonus rounds
Many of their flagship features bank wilds and multipliers across a respin phase before paying everything out at once — Wanted Dead or a Wild's Dead Man's Hand is the template. It is where the headline wins live.
Bonus buys (where legal)
Most hit Hacksaw slots let you pay a fixed multiple of your stake to jump straight into a feature, often with a tiered menu (e.g. 80x / 200x / 400x). Convenient, but it does not change the RTP — it just front-loads the variance into one expensive click.
Most famous Hacksaw Gaming slots
The games that built Hacksaw Gaming's name. Where I have reviewed one, the card links straight to the full breakdown — RTP, volatility and my honest take.
Browse every game I have reviewed in the slot reviews hub.
How I approach Hacksaw Gaming games
No tip beats the house edge — there is no winning system. These are about playing this studio's games informed and keeping it fun.
- Check the RTP in the game info panel every single time. Wanted Dead or a Wild alone ships in versions from 96.38% down to 88.42%, and casinos choose which to license. If the figure looks low, play somewhere else. This is the most useful habit you can build with this studio.
- Expect a quiet base game. Hacksaw math concentrates value into the features, so the hit frequency is low and long dead-spell stretches are normal, not a fault. Size your stake so 100+ blank spins do not end your session — that is the deal you sign with their high-volatility titles.
- Treat the bonus buy as entertainment, not strategy. Buying a feature for 80x, 200x or 400x does not raise the RTP — a 400x buy returning near zero is a real and frequent outcome. Decide the price you are willing to lose before you click.
- Start with the friendlier titles. If you are new to the studio, Le Bandit leans more medium and teaches you the rhythm before you graduate to the brutal variance of Wanted Dead or a Wild or Hand of Anubis.
- Demo first. Almost every Hacksaw game has a free demo — feel how rarely the VS wilds connect and how the collection bonuses behave before you ever stake real money.
- Do not chase the streamer clip. The 10,000x screenshots are the rare tail of the distribution. The honest expectation for any single session is to lose your stake slowly — that is what the house edge means, and no bonus buy or bet size changes it.
Hacksaw Gaming FAQ
Where to play Hacksaw Gaming
30 free spins or 50% freebet — Casino code MOON or sport code MOONSPORT — not cumulative
Affiliate link · 18+ · Play responsibly
Related studios
← All studio reviews · Browse the slot reviews · New to the lingo? Read the glossary →
This is an independent, informational review of Hacksaw Gaming as a slot studio. Hacksaw Gaming is not affiliated with this site. No strategy beats the house edge. 18+ · Play responsibly.