The Ties Between Casino Industry and Gaming
The online casino industry is arguably one of the most competitive industries in the world. In 2017 alone, almost $50 billion worldwide revenue was generated, and there are thousands of operators vying to attract eager players.
By far, online pokies are the most popular games. Operators that partner up with renowned gaming developers put themselves in pole position to soar in a saturated market. Interestingly, slot games don’t take nearly as long as console games to develop. This means developers are quick to jump on trends in pop culture. So, console developers often look to the iGaming industry for their inspiration.
Since the arrival of the casino industry, online slots have advanced significantly. With the technology we have today, developers like NetEnt and Microgaming have created modern offerings with tons of side games and impressive features.
Innovations such as parallax scrolling, and virtual reality have quickly become a hit, too. What’s more, developers have found that using themes from popular culture is a great way to attract new players.
Remasters, Reboots and Plenty of Nostalgia in the Casino Industry
Familiarity appeals to online casino gamers. This is why we see so many nostalgic themes. For example, Pokémon Go was a big hit as it used characters players already knew. What’s more, remastered games such as N’Sane Trilogy and Crash Bandicoot have successfully attracted large numbers of players.
It’s common for slot machine theme developers to pick familiarity when designing games. They know that today’s players want to play titles they recognise. In fact, one of the most successful games to date has been Game of Thrones, based on the famous HBO series. Microgaming new that the show had incredible viewership, which in turn lead to high numbers of players wanting to enjoy the show in different ways – with the chance to win some impressive jackpots.
More Franchises Branching Out into Different Game Genres
It goes without saying that console game developers must factor in a great deal more time than online casino game developers. The timeline starts from when the developers have an idea about a game all the way to the release date. Mostly, console game developers stick to producing content for successful franchises.
For instance, Tomb Raider online slot games have existed for years. Their popularity remains as strong as ever, so console developers know that it’s a pretty safe bet to produce Lara Croft-themed games. The same can be said for titles like the Dark Knight, Hitman and Jurassic World.
Players who cannot wait for their favourite movies and TV shows to be made into console games can also look to the iGaming industry for the latest trends and releases. Games that attract a lot of players and have been around for some time are likely to inspire today’s console developers to create titles with similar themes.
Do you have a favourite themed online slot? Is it a progressive jackpot?