What processes do slot developers take when creating new titles? Check out Relax Gaming’s video slots developement round table (Image from relax-gaming.com)
Relax Gaming publishes an interesting round table with Nik Robinson from BTG, Relax Gaming’s very own Simon Hammon, and the UK’s most revered iGaming from Playtech also had James Frendo in the mix. The Q&A session was to give people an idea of how slot development is coming along in the modern era and what makes a software provider successful when identifying themes and game titles suitable for the current video slots market.
When you visit your online casino and see certain games that have been developed based on already big name brands, have you ever wondered why that particular title was picked or even about the licensing laws surrounding the process of acquiring the rights to that title? I took a look into some of these questions and what some of the industry’s most established names had to say about it. When it comes to identifying a title suitable to develop into an online slot a certain amount of creativity has to go into the actual design of the game to keep it interesting for the player but of course, before that plenty of thought needs to go into what will actually work.
Nik Robinson from Big Time Gaming believes when choosing a readily well-known brand to develop into a slot it is important to consider what elements of the original game are suitable to be brought into a slot type environment and careful consideration needs to go into the parts that would be meaningful for a slot. Robinson claims that when developing some of their big titles at Big Time Gaming like Monopoly and Wheel of Fortune, the actual game boards for these brands were used in workshops at the beginning of the process.
Another consideration that has to take place is what demographic this brand might appeal to and James Frendo of Playtech believes that careful attention must go into a developer’s long-term plans for release around a certain demographic. Once the review of a game’s suitability has been studied there must be a process for securing the rights to produce this game and Relax Gaming’s Simon Hammon believes it can depend on a few aspects but essentially comes down to the IP, who holds it and whether they have all the rights for example; do they hold the rights to the music?
The brand owner or IP can affect the next steps also as this person/company may have a desire to be involved in the development process, etc. At Big Time Gaming, which recently produced the popular, Vegas Fully Loaded video slot which they secured all the rights quite easily because it is their own design. However, in recent titles such as Who Wants to be a Millionaire Megapays, BTG has to secure rights to use the Who Wants to be a Millionaire brand name. The brand owners reserve the option to approve their image inside the game and generally implement guidelines, but that is where it ends, according to Nik Robinson. It seems at Relax Gaming and Playtech, it very much depends on the brand owner as to their level of involvement. This of course must have a knock-on effect for the development process compared to when producing an in house title, although not for Big Time Gaming, both Simon Hammon and James Frendo both believe that this effect is all down to how much involvement that brand owner wishes to have. Simon concludes the biggest impact will always be how it affects the developer’s timeline, and with ongoing discussions and necessary approvals, additional time should always be planned for this during production.
When developing an online casino game that follows a big brand, the name itself will always attract some attention, but according to James Frendo, this isn’t what’s going to keep those players coming back. A game needs to have engaging gameplay to keep those players wanting more and, of course, the big-name brand helps to bring them in to start with. Of course, that brand has to have a broad enough audience, the more niche brand risks putting the more casual gamers and even fans off, believes Simon Hammon.
Big Brands Are On Top of Things: It is agreed by all that the best formula to this is to combine a broadly popular brand with well thought out mechanics and gameplay to keep those players coming back for more. Playtech, Relax Gaming and Big Time Gaming evidently have this formula well worked out. You can see the full Q&A on the Relax Gaming website here.
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