average player would think! We’re lucky that in the European and African regions we have a majority of operators who understand that RTP is fundamentally linked to the player experience and that the pursuit of a short-term advantage through lowered RTPs will likely come back to bite them in the long term. Tat said, every market is individual and different things work well in different countries. We offer a choice of RTPs but generally our operators will install at our recommended configurations which, we believe, balance a suitable level of extraction for the operator with a compelling game experience that builds loyalty over time.


Are mechanics as engaging as they can possibly be?


Wayne: It’s always possible to improve. Always. We will never get to a point where we think ‘we’ve done it’ and that we have the most engaging product possible. Te evolution of mechanics is a great indicator that neither us nor our competitors are settling for what we have. Everyone is trying to improve. If we go all the way back to when I joined the industry, I am sure there were some who thought that the stepper mechanics at the time were exciting and engaging. And in fact, when video-based slots first entered many markets, there was resistance from players because they were seen to be complicated. How times change!


Every so often a new mechanic comes along, whether that be hold and spin, Megaways in the online world, true persistence, or even simple changes like double reel sets. Tese new mechanics excite the player and seize the market for a while. Tey do this because player taste evolves, and what was compelling five years ago either gets boring or gets beaten by something else. Our investment into our global


game studios is designed to both satisfy and curate player demand for something new and exciting.


In a nutshell, what are 2023's land-based slot trends?


Wayne: I think there are three main trends that are powering the successful games in land- based slots right now. Firstly, there is a continued prevalence of games that feature persistence. Tis evolved from the classic ‘perceived persistence’ seen in games such as 88 Fortunes through to true persistence where the retained element, e.g. Free Spins count, is real and offers the players an actual advantage based on the values shown on screen. We’ve also had great success with games that combine the two such as Rich Little Piggies which has true persistent elements, such as the number of free spins, but combined with perceived persistent elements, such as the size of the pigs that the player is trying to blow up!


Secondly, I think that game families are becoming even more important. With so many new titles hitting the market each month, there is a danger that the player becomes overwhelmed. It’s very well established that players often choose the games that they recognise and trust, so many suppliers are taking advantage of this and extending their best franchises. Tis is particularly reinforced when looking at how digital gaming is evolving – it is very common in new markets to see the top performing land-based games as the best initial performers as the online market opens up. Te power of a recognisable brand should not be underestimated!


And finally, there is the undoubted move towards fusion of game mechanics. Both Light & Wonder and our competitors are looking at how we can bring popular mechanics together and get them to co-exist. Although this appears simple on the face of it, it can be quite difficult as players have defined expectations as to how mechanics work and how generous they are. When two strong mechanics are brought together it is important that the game maintains the essence of what the player expects, otherwise there is a risk of getting caught short, disappointing the player, and potentially damaging perception of the mechanic.


“When two strong mechanics are brought together it is important that the game maintains the essence of what the player expects,


otherwise there is a risk of getting caught short,


disappointing the player, and potentially damaging


perception of the mechanic.”


Wayne Ellard Light & Wonder


Have any new forms of gameplay, specific titles or emerging studios caught your attention recently?


Wayne: With so many games now being released, it can sometimes be hard to see the wood for the trees! Tat said, there are always rough diamonds hidden in plain sight and we love the competition that these games provide. Firstly, from our portfolio, I am really looking forward to seeing the Hypercharged series released over the next few months. It has all the ingredients to establish itself as an instant classic. I love how it boils down the essence of what makes hold and spin games great, identifies a problem (the win matrix becomes filled up and reduces your chance of landing the next prize) and addresses it in a simple fashion but dressed up in great theatre. I can’t wait to see how players react as they collect


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