INDUSTRY ROUNDTABLE Slot Sequels


In a highly saturated market, studios seek to create titles with mass-market appeal and captivating gameplay, which can often mean attempting to replicate previous success with tried and tested themes. With online casino lobbies being flooded by familiar IPs, we spoke to Jo Purvis, director of marketing and relationships at Blueprint Gaming, Ivan Kravchuk, chief executive officer at Evoplay, Piotr Simon, product owner at Kalamba Games, George Fil, managing director at Push Gaming Group and Bernd Baumert, director of games production and operations at Greentube about sequels within their portfolio and how they have adapted popular titles to reinvent a fan favourite franchise while delivering enough differentiation to warrant a sequel.


In your portfolio, how have you evolved an existing popular game to appeal to a new player base? Jo Purvis: The core tenet of what drives Blueprint Gaming’s game development, for sequels or otherwise, is to focus on giving players what they want and listening to the market, not dictating to it. If a release proves sufficiently popular, then we’ll consider it for a follow-up. That said, our game families and player favourite IPs aren’t necessarily direct follow-ups, which is something we try to shy away from. We try to evolve a game by introducing proven mechanics such as our Jackpot King progressive pot system, Megaways™ or our other creations like Prize Lines™ and Fortune Play. Incorporating new features and gameplay that elevate a title to the next level tends to achieve that cut through with new players and increase retention. Ivan Kravchuk: Evolution and adaptation are always the key to success – and I believe that to achieve that with sequels, you need to captivate new audiences without alienating fans of your original title. Our Penalty Shoot-out instant game is a great example of this. We transitioned the sequel to resonate with the Brazilian street football vibe, making it more dynamic and engaging. The result is Penalty Shoot-out: Street. The game processes are smoother, providing a seamless experience that ensures minimal interruptions and a heightened sense of engagement for players. The sequel also saw the introduction of a swiping technique, making the game just as riveting on smaller screens as it is on larger ones. Gameplay realism was another area of focus for this second-generation rendition, offering players the ability to aim at every spot on the goalpost rather than the five in the original title. This detail not only mirrors the street sport but also accelerates the pace, leading to reduced wait times and a game that feels both quicker and more dynamic. Piotr Simon: In our industry, you could say that historically this has been achieved most often by redeploying previously successful math models that players are known to like. We know the basic game is popular, and giving it a fresh look can give it a whole new lease of life to a new set of players with other preferences in other markets. Another way to do this, of course, is by


16 NOVEMBER 2023 GIO


developing sequels and tweaked versions, of which Kalamba has many examples; such as the Blazing Bull series, and adding the Hold and Win mechanic to some of our previously popular titles. George Fil: Creating a sequel or developing a series can be a challenge, with the driving force behind a sequel being the original’s success. This means players, operators and ourselves have a minimum expectation of the title at least repeating the success of the first iteration, if not surpassing it. The key for us in achieving this goal is to develop something new while adhering to some of the concepts that made the original game such a hit. This was epitomised recently in Razor Returns, which provided an aesthetic upgrade when compared to Razor Shark. We added an extra reel to the aquatic gameplay and introduced a new bonus game on top of enhancing the player favourite Nudge and Reveal feature. We also increased the title’s max win potential and all of this built upon the firm foundations established by Razor Shark to deliver players a familiar yet transformative experience that has proven to be a hit since release. Bernd Baumert: At Greentube this is something we have tried and succeeded at several times, and we really see the value in creating sequels. The important thing is keeping in mind what player demographic you want to attract with each new launch. With a number of our best performing titles, we have added new elements to enhance the gameplay or strengthen existing features, while staying true to the original slot. One of the best examples in our portfolio is Book of Ra, which we have launched several iterations of, adding new mechanics and features. The one constant is for example the theming but also the key mechanic with the Special Expanding Symbol. We are always keen to ensure that the Egyptian theme and well-known characters are always at the core, as this is part of why the series is so popular.


What core features should be present in a sequel to maintain the game’s popularity and in what capacity, if any, should it remain true to the original IP? JP: Crucially, the skill in successfully developing from a proven foundation is ensuring the key components that drove the original remain,


avoiding the removal of the core fundamentals that made the game successful in the first place. It’s about offering something familiar but giving players a reason to play the new version while attempting to bring in a new audience at the same time. Take our Fishin’ Frenzy franchise. In The Big Catch version of the game, the heart of it remains but we introduced a new bonus game with a different way of achieving really exciting wins. If we deviated far from that, we’d run the risk of losing the appeal and the reason it was successful in the first place. We stick to the core elements and then consider which new features or mechanics to introduce so that we can still appeal to existing as well as new players. IK: To ensure the sequel’s success while honouring the original IP, several core features are crucial. First and foremost is providing a sense of emotional engagement and keeping the essence of the original game’s excitement in the follow-up. Looking at Penalty Shoot-out, the emotional rollercoaster that players experience and the rush when scoring a goal remain constant in its sequel. Secondly, the pacing and dynamic time should be improved. Making the gameplay more fluid will add to the overall experience without compromising on the original’s feel. Most importantly, the underlying thrill of the game, the sheer unpredictability and the joy of execution should remain untouched. It’s a significant driving force behind the original’s popularity, and any sequel should continue to harness this energy. PS: I’d say in a sequel, the key thing is to obviously retain the core features that players loved whilst bringing a new experience. Mainly, the gameplay mechanics, art style, and overall feel of the game should be recognisable. However, it’s equally important to introduce innovation and improvements. At Kalamba, we always try to get the balance right between familiarity for existing fans and attracting new players. GF: Familiar features are, of course, a driver of player acquisition when choosing which titles to play. They may have a certain affinity to a particular mechanic and expect its inclusion within a sequel. However, theme, characters, volatility and narrative should also be considered when creating a sequel to truly engage returning players and offer the same fun and excitement that they


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22