Visual Storytelling ICONIC21
EDVARDAS SADOVSKIS Chief Product Officer ICONIC21
Te artistry of game visuals lies in telling players everything they need to know without them even realising they’ve been told. Edvardas Sadovskis, Chief Product Officer, shares how ICONIC21 blends readability, emotion, and adaptive features to craft games that feel as good to play as they do to look at.
What's your take on the relationship between symbolic elements and background art?
In game design, symbols and backgrounds act as visual shorthand for story and progression. Classic elements like fruits or coins offer familiarity, while themed visuals build context, Egyptian icons suggest treasure hunts, for instance. At ICONIC21, we keep the story subtle: symbolic design supports, not distracts from, features and bonuses.
While slots remain more traditional in our portfolio, RNG games allow us to experiment more freely. Te key is balance, new concepts should feel fresh but instantly readable. Visuals should elevate mood and reinforce core mechanics without overwhelming clarity or gameplay, especially when players chase progress or unlock bonus rounds.
In what ways do animated effects such as cascading reels, win particles and symbol transformations help narrate progress or plot without traditional cutscenes?
Dynamic animations act as real-time narrators. Cascading reels, win particles, and symbol transformations create a sense of momentum through motion, sound, and rhythm. Tis keeps players immersed without breaking the gameplay flow. Like in Candy Crush, each move triggers an instant video or audio cue. It’s a formula we follow.
Rather than pausing for cinematic scenes, players stay immersed through seamless transitions and effects. Win explosions and transformations signal triumph or tension, reinforcing momentum. Tese techniques turn slots into mini, stories, each spin a chapter, each effect a reaction. Te smoother the animations, the more satisfying the experience,
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especially for players who value pace and sensory feedback over story exposition.
In transforming a slot game narrative into visual style, what balance do you strike between decorative flair and clarity of gameplay UX?
We believe every visual choice should serve gameplay first. Decorative elements are there to build atmosphere, but never at the cost of clarity. Our slot games focus on clean symbol layouts and intuitive UI. In RNG and live casino, we expand more, immersive sound, layered themes, studio, quality visuals, but even there, everything is tested for player readability.
Live casino, for instance, demands a high level of visual control: lighting, layout, and camera work must support both the dealer’s actions and the player interface. Visual flair should always heighten immersion, not distract from mechanics or slow down understanding.
Can you share a prominent example of a game where character design and art elevated the storytelling?
Knock Knock stands out. It’s not a traditional slot, but a suspense, driven RNG instant game where players open doors to reveal wins, or face an eerie monster. Te art and sound design play a starring role. Te monster isn’t just a loss trigger, it’s a character that builds dread and anticipation. Every creaking door, flickering light, and sudden jump, scare adds to the narrative tension.
It’s an example of how minimal narrative, when paired with expressive visual and audio cues, can create a lasting
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