Gates of Olympus POP Reworks Zeus With 25,000x Prize Potential

Pragmatic Play has gone further still in taking one of their most well-known slot franchises down a completely different path when they released Gates of Olympus POP. On the 31st of August 2026, the game was officially launched as the very first of all Pragmatic Play's slots to be added to the pop (Play Online Portraits) sub-brand, which replaced the original 6 x 5 grid with a more compact 3 x 5 portrait grid that will hopefully allow for faster and more easily understood gameplay.

The compact grid has not seen the multipliers fall - both features of the original game remain. The original Gates of Olympus had six reels and five rows and tumbled symbols, along with Zeus multipliers that could reach up to 500x. In contrast, Gates of Olympus POP uses a 3-reel and 5-row grid and maintains both the pay anywhere wins and consecutive tumbles from the original. However, the amount of symbols required to trigger the win has been lowered to just five, compared to the minimum of eight used in the original version.

Multiplier symbols have remained at the heart of the game, however their max payout has risen to 1,000x. Anytime that multipliers land in a winning tumble sequence their values are combined prior to application to the final payout. It may not be an exact replica of the original version, but it would be fair to say that Gates of Olympus POP is an adaptation of the gates formula into shorter sessions that are more visually direct.

Free spins remain multiplier-centric

Both 15 free spins and 20 free spins can be awarded in Gates of Olympus POP. Three or more scatter symbols award 15 free spins. Two additional Scatters during free spin rounds award five extra free spins. one of the key mechanics from the original Gates franchise remains - progressive multiplier totals. A player's winning multipliers will accumulate throughout free spins and will affect their subsequent wining tumble sequences. According to Pragmatic Play's press release announcing Gates of Olympus POP, players who land either one, two or three pop symbols will earn a special "jackpot" styled payout.

Specifically, landing one pop symbol earns a player an additional 50 times base bet; two pop symbols earn a player an additional 500 times the base bet; and landing three pop symbols earns a player an additional 25,000 times base bet. The 25,000 times base bet award represents Gates of Olympus POP's top-end jackpot award. According to Pragmatic play's live game page, the aforementioned awards are described as jackpots, where one and two pop symbols award the Spark prize of 500 times base bet and Three pop symbols award the Burst prize of 25,000 times base bet.

Pop is targeted at a different style of slot player

More importantly than the game itself is the strategy behind Pragmatic Play POP. Launching in July 2026 as an offshoot of Pragmatic play's Fat Panda branding, pop focuses on quick animation and fast paced hits using streamlined reels and simple mechanics. Specifically, according to Pragmatic play, pop is targeted towards casual and new slot players. Instead of developing a new line of IP, Pragmatic Play intends to take successful branded slot games into the pop format. Among those branded games slated for the pop treatment are Sweet Bonanza, Starlight Princess, Zeus vs hades. Therefore, the natural progression for Gates of Olympus was logical.

Major slot franchises have become more adaptable

From a New Zealand gaming operator standpoint, Gates of Olympus POP exemplifies what appears to be an emerging trend of slot franchises becoming more flexible and adaptable forms of entertainment Brands instead of rigid game formats. Originals such as Gates of Olympus were first introduced in 2021 followed by many variations such as Gates of Olympus 1000. While Gates of Olympus POP represents a significant step forward in terms of format change by targeting a different type of player experience than merely increasing multipliers.

This difference in approach may represent commercial success. With mobile casino lobby space limited for games that clearly convey their mechanics rapidly, and well-established Brands providing operators recognizable titles to market, Gates of Olympus POP presents more than just another Zeus title. The game's unique combination of features - such as its 3 x 5 portrait grid layout, speedier design, and 1,000x multipliers plus the ability to award up to $25000 instantly through pop symbols - demonstrates how Pragmatic play has adapted a flagship franchise for casual audiences without sacrificing the core characteristics that originally made it so recognizable. Should future pop treatments for other major titles follow this example, this could potentially create a meaningful secondary life for some of Pragmatic play's largest slot Brands.