Phone first, monitor second
The studio was founded in 2015 and is based in Valletta, Malta. Its official website does not name a parent group, so we will not speculate about ownership. What matters more is what PG Soft does differently: it designs games mobile-first, and many of them can be played in portrait.
In practice that means larger symbols, controls within thumb reach and grids that do not need a wide screen. On a computer such a game looks more like a window cut out of a phone – and that is exactly what the studio intends.
For the modern slots category this is an important axis of comparison. While Hacksaw Gaming competes mainly on risk choice and its RTP ladder, PG Soft competes on comfort on a small screen.
What PG Soft states about itself and its games
On this portal we also compare studios by how much data they make available to players. For PG Soft the picture looks like this:
| Area | Stated | Not stated / not found |
|---|---|---|
| Year founded | 2015 | — |
| Headquarters | Valletta, Malta | — |
| Parent group | — | not stated |
| Game RTP | one value (Mahjong Ways 2: 96.95%) | ladder of several versions |
| Volatility | in words (Mahjong Ways 2: medium) | numeric scale |
| Max win | yes (Mahjong Ways 2: 100,000×) | — |
| Release date | month and year (Mahjong Ways 2: 04/2020) | exact day |
| Screen orientation | games also in portrait | — |
Source: pgsoft.com, verified 8 Oct 2026.
A single RTP figure looks simpler than a four-rung ladder, but it does not automatically mean this value is running in every casino. The maker publishes its figure; a given operator may have a different configuration deployed. What counts is the info panel of the open game, not a table on a website.
Mahjong Ways 2: golden symbols and cascades
| Feature | Mahjong Ways 2 |
|---|---|
| Studio | PG Soft |
| RTP | 96.95% (maker’s figure) |
| Volatility | medium |
| Grid | 5 reels × 4 rows + extra row on reels 2–4 |
| Max win | 100,000× |
| Mechanics | golden symbols → wild, cascades, free spins with multiplier up to x10 |
| Release | 04/2020 |
| Source | pgsoft.com, 8 Oct 2026 |
A round starts conventionally, but a win does not end with a single payout. Winning symbols vanish, fresh ones tumble in from above, and the cascade repeats while wins keep landing. If a golden symbol was part of the win, it does not vanish completely – it turns into a wild and helps in the next drop.
Free spins add a growing multiplier that can climb as high as x10. It is this combination of cascades and a rising multiplier that explains the high 100,000× cap.
That cap is an edge case, though.
Illustrative example (not Dukat.bet parameters): at a 0.20 EUR stake, 100,000× equals a theoretical win of 20,000 EUR. With medium volatility, however, most sessions play out in entirely different numbers, and the vast majority of players never come near the cap. A detailed breakdown is on the Mahjong Ways 2 page.
The Ways series and the Fortune series
The PG Soft portfolio can be read through its recurring series. Ways (with Mahjong Ways as the best-known name) builds on expanded grids and cascades. Fortune – Fortune Tiger, for instance – is the studio’s second recognisable line.
For players, the series format has a practical upside: once you understand one instalment, you find your feet faster in the next. Beware, though, of assuming a sequel has the same RTP or volatility as its predecessor. Each title has its own parameters, and they need checking game by game.
We deliberately give no figures for other Fortune titles – they are not in our verified table and we will not guess them.
PG Soft and Hacksaw: what can and cannot be compared
| Criterion | PG Soft | Hacksaw Gaming |
|---|---|---|
| Founded | 2015 | 2018 |
| Headquarters | Valletta, Malta | Stockholm; HGMT Ltd, Malta |
| Main focus | mobile screen, portrait play | risk choice, spin modes |
| Published RTP | one value | several versions |
| Volatility | in words | 1–5 scale |
| Sample game | Mahjong Ways 2 | R.I.P. City, Densho |
| Sample max win | 100,000× | 12,500× / 10,000× |
| In the Dukat.bet list (8 Oct 2026) | yes | yes |
Mahjong Ways 2 has the highest RTP of the samples (96.95%), but there is a catch: with Hacksaw you are comparing against the top rung of the ladder, which a casino may not use at all. Volatility is similar – ‘medium’ and ‘3/5’ sound alike, but they are not the same meter.
The practical takeaway is simple. If you mostly play on your phone and want smooth rounds without many decisions, PG Soft is likely the better fit. If you enjoy switching game modes and buying bonuses, Hacksaw is closer to your taste. A broader decision framework for slots is in the category guide.
Who PG Soft suits and who will get bored
PG Soft works well for players who play short sessions on the go, one-handed, without needing to study ten modes. Cascades give a round momentum without you buying or toggling anything. Medium volatility in Mahjong Ways 2 also means the game does not hinge on a single rare bonus.
It suits less someone who wants risk under their own control – choosing the spin type, buying bonus entry or comparing RTP versions. Such a player will more likely return to Hacksaw.
Then there is a third group: people who want three reels and no surprises. They are right not to look in the modern category – their match-up is Novomatic versus BetSoft, classic slots with a different logic and a different level of published data. The difference between the two slot categories is not quality but what you expect from a round: a cascade and a rising multiplier, or a simple line with a quick result.
Portrait play: a quick check before the first spin
Mobile-first design does not mean there is nothing to check. Before playing on your phone, we suggest running through a few points:
- Info panel: find the RTP and rules in the mobile interface too – they are often tucked away in the menu.
- Stake: on a small screen it is easy to mis-tap; check the value before every change.
- Turbo and autoplay: cascades in fast mode fly by surprisingly quickly, so set a round limit.
- Connection: if it drops, the round usually finishes on the server, but check the result in the game history.
We look at how each category behaves on a phone in the article on mobile play.
PG Soft at Dukat.bet and Slots Bonus
On 8 Oct 2026 PG Soft featured among Dukat.bet’s studios. Which of the studio’s games are currently available in the lobby, we do not confirm – the provider filter will tell you in a few seconds.
The slots offer is Slots Bonus – 500% up to 3,000 EUR + 15% Cashback. Check the conditions, game contributions and other rules in the official Dukat.bet bonus terms.