The Hub Innovation project, developed through SlotMatic Play, is shortlisted for Freeplay Gaming Supplier and Acquisition and Retention Partner following its London preview, as its first official game prepares to launch
Pidiots has secured two nominations at the EGR Italy Awards 2026, earning places on the shortlist for both Freeplay Gaming Supplier and Acquisition and Retention Partner.
The nominations arrive as the Pidiots universe prepares to move from its first public activation to the launch of its first official game. The project combines irreverent characters, evolving mechanics and technology designed to make audience participation a central part.
On the official EGR Italy Awards 2026 shortlist, the nominations appear as “Hub Innovation — Pidiots powered by SlotMatic Play” for Freeplay Gaming Supplier and “Pidiots by Hub Innovation” for Acquisition and Retention Partner.
Two nominations across strategic categories
In the Freeplay Gaming Supplier category, Pidiots is shortlisted alongside GOL Games, Key2 Business–Stickyplay and Promofy. The award considers commercial success, product development, product integration and delivery, and flexibility.
Acquisition and Retention Partner features 12 finalists, including companies such as 7777 Gaming, Enteractive, Fast Track, Optimove, Promofy and Sportradar. Its criteria include business growth, delivery of brief, flexibility, understanding customer needs, reaction to market challenges and service reliability.
“The two nominations therefore position Pidiots in different but connected areas: freeplay technology and the use of interactive experiences to support engagement, acquisition and retention,” SlotMatic explained.
Commenting on the result, Domenico Vacchiano, Founder and Chief Innovation & Technology Officer of SlotMatic, said: “Being shortlisted in two different categories is particularly significant for us because it reflects the two sides of Pidiots: a freeplay experience designed to engage audiences and a project that places technology, creativity and interaction at the service of acquisition and retention.
“The London preview showed us how strongly this crew can generate participation, and we now want to bring that same energy into the first official game and the future evolution of the Pidiots universe.”
Five characters built for participation
Pidiots is built around five colourful and deliberately imperfect characters: Randy Canman, Blob Ross, Sir Panics-a-Lot, Gloop Dogg and Yellvis.
Rather than traditional heroes, they are exaggerated personalities designed to generate chaotic situations, reactions and recognisable moments across games, tournaments and digital content.
The first public test in London
The project received its first public test during EGR Awards week in London, where a special Pidiots game was created for EGR Global.
Participants played, competed, shared feedback, and interacted with the format in a live environment.
“It was fantastic to see so many people enjoying and engaging with a PIDIOTS game specially created for EGR Global in London,” Vacchiano said following the activation.
SlotMatic technology behind the project
The project is developed through SlotMatic Play and uses SlotMatic’s Game Features Engine to turn creative ideas into structured gaming experiences through integrated features and mechanics.
“PIDIOTS shows how SlotMatic’s Game Features Engine helps turn creative ideas into fun and unique game experiences,” Vacchiano explained.
Its roadmap includes recurring characters, evolving mechanics, adaptive feature systems, tournament structures, creator-oriented interactions and interconnected gameplay concepts.
At the centre of the technological infrastructure is AGENTIX, SlotMatic’s proprietary system for game modelling, feature logic and behavioural simulation.
Towards the awards ceremony in Rome
Entries for the EGR Italy Awards 2026 cover projects and results developed in the Italian market between August 2025 and July 2026.
Independent external judges assess the submissions, while Deloitte verifies the final scores and confirms the winners.
The winners will be announced on October 20, 2026, at the Rome Cavalieri, where Pidiots will arrive with two nominations and an evolving project preparing to launch its first official game.
NYCE perspective: connect freeplay to measurable activation
Freeplay can attract attention, but its commercial value depends on the bridge into repeat participation or a defined next action. The useful measures are completion, return rate, progression into another experience and eventual conversion—not only launch reach.
That measurement logic connects with one-to-one activation strategies for converting registered users, where the emphasis is on moving an identified audience towards a first meaningful action.
Explore suppliers and solutions in the NYCE Product Marketplace, or contact NYCE to discuss a commercial introduction.
Originally published in the NYCE Marketplace section on Yogonet on August 21, 2026.