G3 INSIGHT LIGHTNING BOX


Michael, why do you think spooky type slots are so popular right now?


Let’s face it, we all like to be scared, whether that’s a ghost story when we’re a kid, a horror movie at the cinema, or a good thriller on the TV. Like the best themes, it also crosses culture. You see dark clouds cross a full moon, hear an owl hoot or a floorboard creak and appreciate the heightened sense of tension wherever you are in the world. Everybody gets it. Tat’s because it is a genre with universal appeal and instant recognition. We come to appreciate it from a very early age. Novelty and a sense of something new is important in slots, but never underestimate familiarity. Slots are entertainment and people like to be entertained by something they know and feel comfortable around. With a spooky slot they know exactly what they’re getting, on a thematic level at least, from the thumbnail picture on the Casino website.


Do dark themes fit in well with slot design and, if so, why?


Tere’s no reason why they can’t. I think a site full of them would be overkill for most people, obviously, but a few scattered around make perfect sense. After all, people’s mood changes and they play at different times of the day too. You might not play one first thing in the morning, but a bit of late-night horror appeals to many of us. Te trick for any operator or supplier is to strike a balance. A broad portfolio with a variety of themes, game types and features ensures there is something for everyone.


How are dark themes incorporated into slot design to drive player engagement?


Maybe one of the under-rated aspects of slot design is atmosphere. By that I mean the creation of engagement, excitement and the communication of suspense. In terms of suspense, I’m talking about building anticipation that you might hit a feature or scoop a big win. But of course, suspense is a key element to horror films and spooky stories as well. Tere is a natural fit between the two, which is perhaps harder to create if you have a slot based on a field full of cute bunnies hopping around, or something similar. I think a lot of that tension and sense of anticipation is built up by the game’s music and sounds. Again, this is very similar to darker themed movies or plays when the musical score is designed to send shivers down your spine.


What spooky slots does Lightning Box offer and what are you working on?


Our most played spooky slot – and one of our most popular in general – is Lightning


P66 WIRE / PULSE / INSIGHT / REPORTS


Michael Maokhamphiou Operations Manager, Lightning Box


“Obviously, people enjoy being scared and not knowing


what’s behind the door in the haunted house too, otherwise Hollywood wouldn’t have made as much money from


horror movies as it has. So, the key is probably to combine the light-hearted aspects of


animation with the tension of not only the maths mechanic, but the atmosphere generated by the characters the game


features and the soundtrack that sets the tone.”


Michael Maokhamphiou


Horseman. We launched it in July 2018 as an exclusive with Betsson initially and it really took off when it went out to the rest of the network a few weeks later. As the title suggests, it features a headless horseman who roams around in a dark wood, with his pumpkin head tucked under his arm, like the highwaymen of yesteryear. Tere are other mythical creatures too and a Lightning Respin feature which really ramps up the wins for players. I wouldn’t say it’s scary as such, but it definitely appeals to people who like things a little darker, as opposed to some of the light and fluffy stuff!


How can a slot reflect the dark qualities of iconic horror characters in a way that is fun at the same time?


Slots are by their very nature animated and therefore a comic-book presentation of history, the natural world, spooky stories, or whatever the individual theme dictates. Personally, I think that says ‘fun’ from the start because we associate that style of presentation with something light-hearted and enjoyable. Obviously, people enjoy being scared and not knowing what’s behind the door in the haunted house too, otherwise Hollywood wouldn’t have made as much money from horror movies as it has. So, the key is probably to combine the light-hearted aspects of animation with the tension of not only the maths mechanic, but the atmosphere generated by the characters the game features and the soundtrack that sets the tone.


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