Nik Robinson CEO, Big Time Gaming
Nik Robinson, CEO of Big Time Gaming: Innovation is the driving force of igaming! Creating new mechanics is a passion of mine, and I can't see an endpoint in the industry where we sit back and say, that's it, this is the perfect slot! I guess we came close with Bonanza! It still is one of the most popular online slots in the world today, but that's just it; you come close, and then you start all over again, each game in essence, has to be built from scratch.
Te online slot industry is now far too mature to rely on a cookie-cutter approach. Today, innovation is the key to game performance and player retention, as players will spend extra time on a game to work out its nuances and personality.
Whether you can overdo the bells and whistles just for most players to go and play a classic fruit slot comes down to the playability of the game mathematics, if the bells and whistles are in the math engine, that's when the fireworks begin! I would advise not to go too overboard in graphical amplification of dull events.
Tis works on land based because you have a metric tonne of machine backing it up, but you won't retain players for long. When I'm playing a new release, it must come together in its base form, you could be spinning triangles, circles and squares and know that the feel of the game is right.
Everyone loves spinning reels, but reels still need innovation! Megaways was a considerable innovation, not only in its mechanics but also in the commercialisation of a unique system. Megaways continuous innovation by many developers who are adding a point of difference to game mechanics around the world. I would most certainly encourage slot providers to experiment with new mechanics.
At Evolution and Big Time Gaming, we are certainly practicing what we preach with a major new, industry-defining category coming out next year Epic Spins, which will be a Jurassic shift in approach and technology. And yes, spoiler alert, it will most certainly have spinning reels but my, how we'll be shaking things up with the biggest innovation in slots since Megaways.
Tom Wood CEO, RAW iGaming
Tom Wood, CEO of RAW iGaming: Innovation is tricky. If you go too far outside of the box, it will require players to “learn” your game or mechanic and we know from experience that in these cases, players tend to skip the learning and go back to what they know.
You also have to be careful of innovating to the point where the thing you have created is no longer a recognised gambling game which might cause issues with game certification or compliance acceptance. It might even require a whole new set of regulations of its own which can block or decrease access and time to market.
It’s also a question of demographics and location. Regarding demographics, older generations tend to prefer the transactional simplicity of a classic slot machine. Millennials and Generation Z prefer interaction and skill elements, which is where new mechanics come in.
In this case, it’s important to keep certain core elements, but you can play around with different types of interactivity and reward sensations. Regarding location, often it depends upon the countries access to brick-and-mortar gaming.
In those countries where casino gaming has existed offline, typically you see a larger tendency towards classical or omni-channel games while locations without this access tend to be willing to try newer mechanics and aren’t tied down to what would be considered traditional Casino games.
At RAW, we believe it's important to analyse the data and keep a focus on what each local market and player base is doing with our games. Tere’s simply no point in creating something that’s overly complicated if there’s no market for it.
In the future, we believe the popularity of the classic slot format will wane as successive generations, brought up on video gaming, that are used to a higher graphic quality and more entertaining gameplay, will look to more inventive mechanics.
RAW is all about innovation and pushing the boundaries of the sea of sameness in what is considered a standard slot. We believe the time is ripe to stand out and deliver more innovative and new experiences for players. Perhaps when new technologies such as virtual reality or mixed reality become more advanced and ubiquitous, we could see a lot richer and more interactive gambling experiences, where spinning the reels could become a thing of the past.
Alex Ratcliffe Chief Product Officer, 1X2 Network
Alex Ratcliffe, Chief Product Officer, 1X2 Network: You can certainly have too much of a good thing; but that swings both ways. You can rush ahead with supplier driven innovations that do not fully consider the experience of players, but you can also become static in producing repetitive gaming content. If a balance is struck between experimentation, and delivering content you know works, there is an ideal middle ground to be found that provides both quality player experiences, and commercial success.
Most definitely you can over-do the bells and whistles. In fact, player research from the past year highlights confusing features as one of the most common reasons players abandon a given game. Even if you win big, if the game is so complex it's not intuitively obvious how that win occurred, you're left with a hollow, unfulfilling experience.
Te best games have clear visual hierarchies, and intuitive feature progression that requires no explanation. Classic fruit slots are classic for a reason; their simplistic allure is in players' understanding of them. However, despite introducing innovative features being a challenge, it's an enjoyable one, and a necessary undertaking in progressing the industry and avoiding stagnancy
Spinning reels absolutely do not need to define the slot games of the future. Shifting demographics alone afford the opportunity to innovate, and studios would be remiss to ignore that. Especially with younger demographics who show curiosity for gamification and player-choice, there's an opening to flip formats on their head, and develop new ones entirely. Already there's plenty of mechanics aside spinning reels; Mine Games, Crash Games, Plinko to name a few.
Spinning reels absolutely do not need to define the slot games of the future. Shifting demographics alone afford the opportunity to innovate, and studios would be remiss to ignore that. Especially with younger demographics who show curiosity for gamification and player-choice, there's an opening to flip formats on their head.
NEWSWIRE / INTERACTIVE / MARKET DATA P109
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