26 JUN 2026ValkyrieXStudio publicly confirms forced RTP reduction from 98% to 96.7%, igniting player backlash
In a rare public statement that has sent shockwaves through the Stake community, slot provider ValkyrieXStudio confirmed they were forced to reduce their game RTP from 98 percent to 96.7 percent after pressure from a larger provider widely understood to be PragmaticPlay. The statement, which accused the unnamed competitor of 'harassing smaller providers' and 'threatening them to lower their RTP' because they were losing market share, described the behaviour as 'the greediest and most pig behavior' and framed it as a direct attack on players.
The revelation landed with immediate force. Player sellerz quoted ValkyrieXStudio's post with outrage directed at Stake, while PathosDev clarified the core issue in a reply that earned 238 impressions: Pragmatic is forcing Stake engine providers to lower their RTP percentage, and players are the ones being robbed. Dollartree_1 escalated further with a 336-impression post accusing the platform of choosing provider profits over player fairness, and Tony1188_ noted the sudden uniformity of Stake engine games all capped at 96.7 percent RTP.
The anger is not purely theoretical. Player LightMero27 posted screenshots showing 300-plus spins on a new slot promoted at '97 percent RTP' without hitting even a 2x multiplier, calling it the 'best rugged slot.' This directly contradicts the advertised RTP and feeds the growing belief that the numbers players see cannot be trusted.
For the community, ValkyrieXStudio's statement carries unique weight because the provider was previously celebrated as a bright spot, with players consistently posting big wins and praising their games at 200 percent plus RTP. That same provider now saying they were forced to lower the odds against players transforms the narrative from speculation to documented industry practice, and the backlash is only beginning to build.
