Anna Rosak is a digital marketing and online gaming specialist. If anyone knows how online slot machines are created, it’s her.
When people play slots online, they are rarely thinking about the entire process taking place between the initial concept and the final product. The most basic premise of an online slot is, after all, deceivingly simple: you spin the reels, and symbols align to bring you a win or not. However, it takes a lot of work to create such a game, and no one knows it better than Anna Rosak. Anna Rosak is a digital marketing and online gaming specialist. If anyone knows how online slot machines are created, it’s her.
“When we are talking about online slot machines, one must never forget that they are much more similar to the classic arcade and video games than they are to casino games such as roulette, blackjack and baccarat”, says she and adds, “Therefore, the entire process is far more creative than simply adding a new design to the deck of cards or a wheel.”
Getting the season right
As one of the most important factors in creating a successful game, Rosak mentions timing. According to her, it can affect the game’s reputation and performance in multiple ways:
“You want to the game that is in season, meaning mermaid slots will perform better in the summer, and those about magic and witches during the Halloween season, she reveals and continues, “Of course, there are games that are not seasonal, but they rely heavily on design and additional bonus feature to find their place under the sun.”
Furthermore, Rosak explains that software suppliers are aware of the fact there are plenty of similar games on the market. It is up to them to introduce them in a new light by combining multiple themes and genres.
“Think about Egyptians and cats, Vikings and cocktails, and post-apocalyptic heroes and waste management – they all might sound bizarre, yet are very successful games”, she told.
Gaming mechanism as selling point
Another element in the game’s success is the gaming mechanism, which is usually determined early in the process.
“Once you have a general idea of what you want, you can start fooling around with the mechanic that puts the game to life. How many reels will it have, and how many paylines? Will it be a jackpot game? Are there any spins to be triggered? Or perhaps expanding Wilds? There is so much that can make or break a slot machine”, adds Anna.
In the past decade, there was a significant trend on the market – licensed gaming mechanisms, such as Big Time Gaming’s Megaways. Any gaming studio can purchase the licence and apply the mechanism to its game of choice, usually a particularly popular one.
“It gives players a sense of familiarness, as well as excitement, as games adorned with popular mechanisms are all the rage”, explains the expert.
Creative freedom to create magnificent slots
This is probably the most important and thrilling step in creating a slot game – the creative part of it. By this, we mean storylines, characters, effects, music – everything that makes a game thrilling and exciting.
“In this day and age, players have higher standards than ever. Especially if the play slots for real money, or as Polish say “automaty do gier na pieniądze”. They won’t settle for less, and with every new release, they want to see better graphics, a more original tale, and more rewarding mechanisms. And most importantly, they must like the game the very second they start it, as there is plenty of other fish in the sea”, tells Anna.
It is up to designers and story makers to make the game a bestseller. The intro, the heroes and heroines, the special effects and all sorts of meters must grab your attention and never let go.
Standing out in the crowd
Yet, there are many studios out there that have creative games, excellent features, and captivating payouts, yet they don’t manage to establish themselves as industry leaders and hitmakers. Anna Rosak thinks she knows why:
“Players want games that are provably fair, licensed and that have a certain zhuzh to them. Even so, we have to admit that for every hit, a gaming studio will have to release at least two dozen games that won’t hit the soft spot. Making a game is easy, but making it a blockbuster is something that requires the X factor.”
And what could that X factor be? Judging by Anna’s words, it is a combo of everything that comes to mind – releasing the right game at the right time, getting the graphics right and having a gaming mechanism that is just complex enough to keep you intrigued, but not overwhelmed.
“There is no recipe that grants success. If there was, I would be already making games like crazy. However, I dare to say that gaming studios have to listen to the heartbeat of customers and build upon it. Everything else is just guessing”, concludes Rosak.
