Pulse
GAME DEVELOPMENT RAW IGAMING
SuperSlice: charting a different course
Founded in March 2021, RAW iGaming set out with a conviction 'to create something that stands out in the sea of sameness'.
Now set to release its debut games, the studio's patent-pending SuperSlice engine is front and centre of its adopted mantra. G3 sits down with CEO, Tom Wood, to discuss how the engine works and its potential to change the way slots are played.
Tom, you've previously been part of iconic games such as 88Fortunes, Raging Rhino and Rainbow Riches. What inspired you to go in a different direction and found a new studio?
Tom Wood,
Chief Executive Officer, RAW iGaming
“More than 70 per cent of games in the Sea of
Sameness are either 3x5 reel or 4x5 reel sets and a large portion of the remaining games are Megaways or
cluster pay mechanics. This means players are seeing a lot of the same game themes and mechanics and we decided we didn’t want to swim in those congested waters.”
I do have a few games under my belt and feel privileged and proud to be part of bringing those iconic titles online. However, I started feeling that we, as in the whole industry, are mostly following and copying each other and that innovation was sparse.
At RAW, we have been monitoring slot launches for quite some time and there are some 200+ new video slots launched to operators every month. I’ll say that again, there are 200+ new video slot launches every single month. Tat’s a lot of content for both players and operators to consume and we lovingly refer to this as the Sea of Sameness.
More than 70 per cent of games in the Sea of Sameness are either 3x5 reel or 4x5 reel sets and a large portion of the remaining games are Megaways or cluster pay mechanics. Tis means players are seeing a lot of the same game themes and mechanics and we decided we didn’t want to swim in those congested waters.
Tis meant we were forced to look long and hard at the data, the marketplace and the mechanics in order to come up with ways to create games that are differentiated but still understandable and entertaining for players.
How does SuperSlice differentiate from this Sea of Sameness?
We hope and believe SuperSlice will be instrumental in creating a new gaming segment, much in the way Megaways and Slingo have
P104 WIRE / PULSE / INSIGHT / REPORTS
done and hence we aren’t just adding features to the existing box but replacing it with an opportunity to develop a new industry game style.
Tis type of innovation could support its own tab on an operator site and, in my opinion, one must go beyond the current box or even just outside of it in order to obtain that kind of status. New gaming formats that have the ability to shift player preferences don’t just live outside of the box, they exist beyond its periphery.
Talk us through the specifics of SuperSlice. How does the engine challenge the 'reel norm'?
Stating the obvious, our games are wheels instead of reels which by default is something outside the traditional reel presentation which could create a new “norm” if it resonates with players. Te key to the SuperSlice engine, outside of it being a wheel, is its dynamic nature where players never know the number of slices that will appear in the wheel and what those slices will hold.
Together with the unknown stop position of the wheel, this creates a lot of anticipation, not to mention the opportunity to play well-known game features in an entirely new way. Besides that, players are so used to seeing the same presentation layer and re-used game themes which create a “normal” situation for players and while it provides for familiarity, it could lead to a repetitive strain where players tire and look to other channels for entertainment such as social or streaming media.
We believe that to keep players engaged, we need to provide new innovative content that hopefully creates new opportunities to entertain, attract
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