Online slots are the most popular casino games by a significant margin, and this has come about thanks to the diversity they offer. Developers have realized that by creating games with varying themes, they are able to make them appeal to a much wider demographic than traditional table games. When it comes to influences for the reel-spinning titles, there’s no topic that developers shy away from. Indeed, inspiration can come from a variety of places.
Fierce Competition Has Led to Diversity
When you look at lists of slots at online casinos, the first thing that stands out is the sheer breadth of genres available. Horror options like Smashing Pumpspins are found alongside mythology-inspired music choices like Gods of Rock. Ancient Egyptian titles like Ghost of Dead can be found next to futuristic sci-fi spinners like 10X Rewind. This multiplicity has come about because of the fierce competition in the online casino industry, and the need for sites to do everything they can to attract as many players as possible.
In the early days of online casinos, operators that were able to offer attractive welcome bonuses managed to stay ahead of their rivals. Nowadays, though, with these promotions being ubiquitous, other strategies have emerged, especially with the emergence of new technologies. First, simply building up sprawling libraries of different games helped, with sites that could provide table games, slots, and live casino options doing well. But now, this impressive range has also become a common feature of online casinos.
The natural progression from there was to add more diversity within the types of games available. Developers have succeeded in a saturated market by adding greater scope to their games, tapping into untouched genres, and making them popular. Now, no matter what a player’s interests may be, there are slots out there that will tickle their fancy. But how do these developers get their ideas?
Folklore and Fiction
Folklore and fiction have been hugely popular sources of inspiration for slot developers, as these themes come with limitless potential. Developers frequently look to ancient cultures for ideas, knowing that the characters and stories are famous and timeless.
Just as Greek mythology has had a heavy influence on just about every aspect of western culture over the years, it has also permeated the slots market. Players can’t get enough of the legendary gods and titans wrote about by the likes of Homer, and their larger-than-life personalities have been perfectly adapted to the reels. Zeus is a regular on the reels, but players can also find games about other Olympians like Apollo and Poseidon. Some options use classic heroes and monsters, such as Heracles and Medusa.
Aside from Greek gods and legends, developers are keen on drawing on ideas from Norse and ancient Egyptian mythologies. Both have thrown up numerous iconic figures, such as Thor and Odin from the former and Cleopatra and Tutankhamun from the latter. Perhaps the reason why mythology is so prominent in slots is due to the mystery of it all, and the fascination that many people have for these civilizations that lived so long ago and were so different from our own.
Slots have plenty of more modern fictional influences as well. For example, Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein and Bram Stoker’s Dracula are two common works that are frequently represented on the reels. And when they’re not directly mentioned, they often influence related titles such as Immortal Romance and Baron Bloodmore and the Crimson Castle.
Robert Louis Stevenson’s Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde has led to a unique slot equivalent. Dr. Jackpot and Mr. Wild is a fun twist on the concept first conceived by the legendary author. This is just one offering in a long list of mainstream titles over the years to draw inspiration from Stevenson’s work.
Movies and Television
Log on to any list of slots and you’re bound to find a few offerings based on films and television shows from popular culture. Slot developers have discovered that going for familiar options is a good way to gain players’ attention, and the recognizability factor has been found to play a key part in the decision-making process when it comes to choosing a slot game. This feeling of knowing something already can breed enjoyment, as our brains are geared to believe that the thing we know is not a danger to us.
Slot games based on films and TV shows also benefit the producers of that media, as it is another form of marketing. For this reason, some companies commission the development of slot games to expand their franchise. This is a common tactic that has worked well for certain films in recent years, with Jurassic World being a notable example. The dinosaur flick spread out onto other platforms and ended up raking in more than $1.6 billion at the box office.
When it comes to choosing films or TV shows, developers prefer two main options. They either opt for nostalgia and make something based on a classic like The Goonies or Beetlejuice, or go for something current that is at the forefront of popular culture. The latter seems to be the more common approach, as games related to modern titles can piggyback on their success.
Some of the best examples of slots that use television and film themes in the current market include Peaky Blinders, Hell’s Kitchen, and Mad Max: Fury Road. These games allow players to experience the film or TV show upon which they are based in another way, and always feature symbols that will appeal to fans. There is no doubt that this will always be a useful source of inspiration for developers.
Classic and modern works of fiction and mythology may make up the bulk of slot games, but developers have a few other sources of inspiration to draw on as well. Some slots are based on popular sports, while others are simply callbacks to the classic machines of old. One thing that’s certain is that there will always be innovation in the industry, as game creators strive to introduce new things.