NextGen Review – The Studio Behind Foxin’ Wins and Medusa
By Todd Winkler,Editor at online-gambling.com
Todd Winkler
Editor at online-gambling.com NextGen built its name on detailed, animation-heavy slots years before Light & Wonder owned the studio. In this NextGen review, we cover the Sydney-founded studio behind Foxin’ Wins and Medusa: its best games, RTP rates, mobile play, and licensing.
| Company Name: | NextGen Gaming – a Light & Wonder studio |
|---|---|
| Headquarters: | Sydney, Australia |
| Founded: | 1999 |
| Owner: | Light & Wonder, Inc. (formerly Scientific Games Corp) – acquired via NYX Gaming Group, announced September 2017 for approximately $631 million |
| CEO: | Matt Wilson (Light & Wonder CEO, since October 2022) |
| Gambling Products: | Video Slots |
| Popular Games: | Foxin’ Wins, Medusa, Merlin’s Millions |
| Number of Games: | 100+ |
| Specialization: | Animal and fantasy-themed video slots |
| Licenses: | Historically UK Gambling Commission and MGA |
| RNG Tested By: | Independent labs |
| Technologies: | HTML5 |
| Release Schedule: | Infrequent – new titles ship occasionally rather than on a set schedule |
NextGen Gaming launched in Sydney in 1999 and built a reputation for tightly designed, visually rich slots. The studio merged with NYX Gaming Group in 2011, and Scientific Games acquired NYX in a deal announced in September 2017 for roughly $631 million.
Scientific Games renamed itself Light & Wonder in 2022, and NextGen’s catalog now sits inside that parent’s slots portfolio, alongside SG Interactive. New NextGen-branded releases are rare these days, but the classic catalog is still widely distributed.
Expert Verdict – Is NextGen Worth Playing?
Yes, for the nostalgia. We played the catalog for this review, and Foxin’ Wins and Medusa still hold up as detailed, well-paced 5-reel slots, even if the studio’s output has slowed under Light & Wonder.
Two things to watch. NextGen releases new titles rarely, and its catalog skips table games, live casino, and video poker entirely.
Best for
- Fans of classic 5-reel slots with animal and fantasy themes
- Players who enjoy Foxin’ Wins and its sequels
- Anyone at a casino running under the Light & Wonder umbrella
- Players who don’t need frequent new releases
Not Ideal for
- Anyone chasing new NextGen titles – releases are rare
- Players who want table games, live casino, or video poker from this studio
- Jackpot chasers – NextGen has no progressive jackpot slots
Best NextGen Games: Top Picks and Must-Try Titles
NextGen is a slots studio, first and last. The range of NextGen casino games is entirely video slots – the studio has never branched into table games or live dealer tables.
The sections below sort it by category, with our picks for the best NextGen games in each. Expect animal and fantasy themes, classic 5-reel mechanics, and one notable movie license.
NextGen Slots: Popular Titles, RTP, and Unique Features
NextGen slots built the studio’s name in the 2000s and 2010s. The house style pairs detailed animation with classic 5-reel mechanics, from Foxin’ Wins’ fox-in-a-mansion theme to Medusa’s Ancient Greek setting.
One caveat: some NextGen titles ship Superbet or Buy Pass variants with a different RTP than the base game. Check the paytable first.
| Slot Name | RTP | Theme | Volatility | Bet Limits | Max Win Overall |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Foxin’ Wins | 95.62% | Animals | Medium | $0.25 – $50 | 4,000x |
| Munchers | 95.35% | Monsters | Medium | $0.01 – $250 | 5,000x |
| Shangri La | 96.63% | Asian | Medium-High | $0.20 – $40 | 3,000x |
| Psycho | 95.57% | Horror | Medium-High | $0.25 – $50 | 2,500x |
| Medusa Megaways | 96.28% | Mythology | High | $0.20 – $25 | 50,000x |
| Merlin’s Millions | 96.08% | Fantasy | Medium | $0.50 – $125 | 5,000 coins (fixed prize) |
Reading the table: RTP is the long-run return at the base model, volatility is the ride, and the last columns show stake range and prize ceiling.
Medusa Megaways shows the high end at 50,000x, while Foxin’ Wins remains the studio’s best-known original. Demo modes let you try these NextGen online slots for free, and our guide on how to play online slots covers the fundamentals.
RNG Table Games by NextGen
NextGen makes no RNG table games. It is a slots specialist, so you will not find its own blackjack, roulette, or video poker.
For high-quality table games from the same corporate family, we suggest SG Interactive, Light & Wonder’s other digital studio.
Live Casino Games by NextGen
NextGen produces no live dealer games, and its Light & Wonder parent shut down its own live-casino operation (Authentic Gaming) in February 2025. Casinos carrying NextGen slots pair them with a separate live-casino supplier for that side of the lobby.
Exclusive and Branded Casino Games by NextGen
NextGen mostly builds homegrown themes, but its best-known exception is a genuine movie license: Psycho, built in cooperation with Universal Studios around Alfred Hitchcock’s 1960 thriller. Foxin’ Wins and Medusa are the studio’s own IP, both extended into sequels (Foxin’ Wins Again, Medusa Megaways).
Owning the Foxin’ Wins and Medusa IP lets the studio build sequels on its own schedule, and 300 Shields shows the same detailed style applied to a Spartan battle theme. The Psycho license shows it can land outside deals too when the fit is right.
Standout Features, Technology & Innovation
NextGen’s era predates most of the industry’s current buzzwords, but a few things still stand out.
- Detail – Animation-Heavy Design Foxin’ Wins and Medusa both lean on rich animation and sound design that were ahead of their time when released.
- Format – Superbet and Buy Pass Several titles let players pay more per spin for an adjusted RTP and bigger bonus-round odds, a mechanic NextGen used well before it became an industry staple.
- Format – Megaways Medusa Megaways brings the flagship into the Megaways format, licensed from Big Time Gaming, with 117,649 ways to win.
- Licensing – Universal Studios Psycho is one of the few NextGen titles built on an outside movie license rather than in-house IP.
The polish shows its age next to newer studios, but the Foxin’ Wins and Medusa franchises remain the reason players still look for NextGen by name.
Playing NextGen Slots on Mobile
NextGen’s HTML5 build means the slots run in any current mobile browser without an app, with the same math and features as desktop.
- NextGen Slots on Android – Full catalog in Chrome or any current browser, nothing to install.
- NextGen on Android Tablet – The extra screen suits Medusa Megaways’ busy cascade features.
- NextGen on iPhone – Safari runs the slots with the desktop math intact.
- NextGen on iPad – A comfortable screen for Foxin’ Wins’ detailed art.
Progressive & Fixed Jackpots
NextGen has no progressive jackpot slots in its catalog. Instead, its games cap out with fixed max-win multipliers, like Medusa Megaways’ 50,000x ceiling.
If a shared jackpot network is what you’re after, IGT builds entire slots around one, unlike NextGen’s fixed-prize catalog.
Security, Licensing & Fair Play
NextGen’s content ships under its Light & Wonder parent’s licensing, which covers UK Gambling Commission and Malta Gaming Authority markets among others.
Independent laboratories certify the random number generators under those licenses. Each game shows its certified RTP in the paytable, which matters because a few titles ship Superbet or Buy Pass variants with a different RTP than the base game.
Responsible Gaming Tools & Player Protection
Protections come from each market’s license and the host casino. Expect reality checks and session limits, plus stake or deposit caps where regulation requires them.
Because NextGen’s content sits under Light & Wonder’s UK and Malta licenses, its games appear at strongly regulated casinos with full player-protection tools. Set your own limits before you play.
| Reality Checks | Yes |
|---|---|
| Session Time Tracking | Yes |
| Bet Size Limits | Yes |
| Demo / Free Play | Yes |
| Autoplay Controls | Yes (market-dependent) |
Frequently Asked Questions About NextGen
Still curious about NextGen, its games, or where you can play them? You can find the answers to the most common questions below.
1. Is NextGen reliable for players?
Yes. NextGen’s content ships under Light & Wonder’s UK Gambling Commission and Malta Gaming Authority licenses, and independent laboratories certify its random number generators. The studio has built slots since 1999 and has been part of that corporate family since 2017 (renamed Light & Wonder in 2022), so it sits at strongly regulated casinos.
2. Which are the best games by NextGen?
Foxin’ Wins is the studio’s signature slot, and Medusa is the other classic, now extended into Medusa Megaways with a 50,000x ceiling. Psycho stands out as NextGen’s one outside movie license, built with Universal Studios.
3. Who owns NextGen?
Light & Wonder, Inc. owns NextGen. The Sydney studio, founded in 1999, merged with NYX Gaming Group in 2011. Scientific Games then acquired NYX in a deal announced in September 2017 for roughly $631 million, and renamed itself Light & Wonder in 2022.
4. Does NextGen still release new games?
Rarely. NextGen’s output has slowed considerably since joining Light & Wonder, and new titles under the NextGen name are now occasional rather than scheduled. The existing catalog remains widely distributed at licensed casinos.
5. Is NextGen suitable for beginners or casual players?
Yes. The slots use classic 5-reel mechanics, stakes start low on most titles, and every game has a free demo mode. Just note that a few titles carry Superbet or Buy Pass variants with a different RTP, so check the paytable at your chosen casino first.