While it might have once felt as though online slots were something of a niche hobby, you only have to look at the statistics to see how popular they are in the modern world. Why is that? Well, looking at online casinos as a straight 1:1 conversion of what you find in a casino or in a slot machine might not quite paint the full picture. In order to fully understand what these experiences are offering, you need to know which decisions they make and why in the name of entertainment.
Immersing the Audience
Before the games are even played, the mood needs to be set. It’s not just about allowing people access to the games that they’ve come to expect from a casino; an atmosphere needs to be created where someone wants to sit down and play these games. A hand of blackjack might be fun in any context, but it’s arguably more fun when the digital landscape has the right sound effects, music that makes you want to stick around without it getting overbearing or annoying, and dynamic visuals that help to deliver on each moment of the game. Sound design is a core pillar of any video game, even if it’s not as obvious as something like graphical flair.
Getting the Games Just Right
It’s easy to look at the kinds of games that you find through online casinos and judge them simply based on their simplicity. How could it be hard to get slots right? All you have to do is design a game where the aim is to get the reels to align – it’s easy to imagine a much more rudimentary version of the game that still functions to this end. However, when you strip it down to the bare essentials, it might lose a lot of what makes it engaging to play to begin with. It’s not just about the element of chance; it’s about the flashing lights and the careful balance of anticipation and pay-off – knowing when to build anticipation and when to deliver dopamine. Jackpot slots can showcase how this might work in a digital format without losing what people enjoy about them.
Entertainment as Comfort
Most people might not feel as though they’re able to properly relax and enjoy themselves in these spaces unless they have some assurances that they’re spending their time safely. This is going to be an especially prevalent concern when it comes to a pastime which involves spending money. Not only are customers going to want to know that their financial details are being kept safe, but they’ll also want to know that they’re guaranteed access to the money that they win.
While it might not be something that’s as pressing or immediate a concern as those factors, in the long-term, there will also be a question of how a given platform is encouraging people to play. For the games to stay enjoyable, responsible gambling advice could also be provided on the platform – advising regular breaks and when to recognise problematic behaviour.
