In the 1890s, an inventor called Charles Fey first unveiled the “Liberty Bell,” a game machine based on pure luck, that requires players to put in a coin, pull a lever, and hope for a mighty reward. The first slot machine graced a New York bar, and pretty soon, a lot of rival businesses demanded one for their own establishments.
One hundred years later, the company Microgaming released their own version of a slot. However, this one differed from any that came before. Unlike Fey’s Liberty Bell, or the fruit machines that became a success in the 20th century, Microgaming’s slots were entirely digital, and existed online. That was the birth of the iGaming industry.
Slots – Why They Took Off
Slots were not only the first games available online, but to this day, they are still the most popular, prompting many to ask; why? The answer is actually quite simple; slots are easy to understand, and can be quite fun to play. As we said earlier, whether you are playing land-based or online ones at Novibet, the gameplay is a simple matter of pulling a lever (or pushing a button), and hoping for the best.
But, their simplicity is not the only reason they took off. We have to remember that, for a while, slots were the only games available at online casinos. People have grown a sort of fondness, and familiarity for these games, and that certainly contributes to their popularity. It is clear that their success is long-lasting, as slot games are still most people’s first choice.
Themed Slots – Diversity Breeds Success
The primary criticism that online slots get from casino customers is that they can get repetitive. Indeed, there isn’t much of a difference in gameplay or mechanics between two slots. That is why online casinos have come up with a pretty interesting solution; themed slot games. As the name suggests, these are slot games that have been imbued with some sort of aesthetic theme.
The most popular themed slots right now are historical or oriental slot games. These are games that feature visuals associated with historic periods, or far East visuals. For example, a particularly noteworthy historical theme is Ancient Egypt, so you might see games that feature pyramids, Sphynx, or pharaohs. If that isn’t enough, there is talk of a revolution in slot games to come.
Gamified Slots – A Revolution to Come
The video game industry has become such a massive market. Games are now an everyday part of the lives of younger and older generations. Whether that be mobile games or complex RPGs, it is a fact that the sector is more popular than ever. With popularity comes influence, and the iGaming industry has certainly felt the touch of the gaming world.
Slots in particular have changed because of gaming. We are already seeing the inclusion of mini-games in online slots. However, developers are talking about a complete shift of the industry towards a more game-like product. In the future, we might see boss levels, character selection, or even creation screens, and even more complex gameplay. Slots are definitely about to change.
