With online slots, the possibilities are only limited by the imaginations of gaming developers. So we spoke to the CEO of RAW iGaming, Tom Wood, a developer on the cutting edge of slots innovation.
During his time with SG Digital, Tom Wood worked on 88 Fortunes, Montezuma, Mega Drop, and many more of the world’s best titles, so he knows better than most what slots players should look for – and what they can expect next.
How Tom And RAW iGaming Are Disrupting The Slots Industry
Tom Wood and his team study what’s already out there with the goal of creating something new and different. “RAW was born to break slot games free from what I call the Sea of Sameness.”
“Somewhere between 85% and 90% of all slot game releases are relatively similar in their format and design.” Tom went on to point out how “Sweden saw something like 220 slot game releases in March. That’s at least seven games per day, a number neither operators nor players can consume. If all those games are using a similar template, that isn’t really giving players anything new to experience.”
At RAW, Tom and his team are looking to break the mold. “We don’t want to use innovation as a buzzword but truly supply new experiences for players, which will be immediately recognizable and stand out among the crowded lobbies of online casino operators.”
Right now, RAW is keeping things pretty close to the chest. But in quarter 3 and 4 of this year, they’ll be releasing disruptive games made to wow players. And when they do, we’ll be covering the releases right here on Bonus.com.
Megaways
“Megaways should be on every online player’s radar,” said Tom Wood. “From its dynamic gameplay—which offers a unique reel layout on each spin with its massive 117,649 ways to win—to its unlimited increasing multipliers in the bonus rounds, it delivers an exciting experience and big win opportunities on each spin.”
Some of the most popular Megaways slots include:
- 88 Fortunes Megaways
- Divine Fortune Megaways
- Monopoly Megaways
You can find Megaways slots at Betrivers, Golden Nugget, BetMGM, and other US online casinos.
Slingo
Slingo combines bingo with slots for a highly unique gameplay structure. Here’s how it works:
- Set your wager for 10 spins, typically between $0.10 and $100.
- The grid fills with random numbers.
- Numbered balls are drawn at random. If one corresponds with a number on the grid, it’s filled in.
- You continue drawing (without increasing your wager) to create combinations that correspond with the payout.
- Wild symbols let you select the number yourself, adding a bit of strategy to the game.
- After 10 rounds are up, you can continue paying for one additional spin at a time or end the game and start again.
The more “slingos” (completed lines) you achieve, the higher the payout.
Social Mechanics
“Maltese operator Videoslots Ltd. is pushing the boundaries with gamification features such as Battle of Slots, which pits players against each other in poker-styled tournaments.” Tom Wood continued, “Their newly-released ‘pool play’ feature allows players to band up and look for better jackpot opportunities and wins as a team. I would expect to see US-based operators delivering innovative features such as innovative features as well.”
Tom also pointed out the innovative “crash betting” games, which are most common in the cryptocurrency gambling space. This is where you and your friends bet on an increasing multiplier before it “crashes” and all bets are lost. The longer you stay, the higher your win, but the riskier it gets.
At US online casinos, one of the many unique bonus opportunities has a social mechanic: prize pool tournaments. The users with the most points over the course of the promotion period receive a piece of the prize pool. Online casinos offer daily, weekly, monthly, and even yearly prize pool tournaments for slots, blackjack, and beyond.
Must-Hit Jackpots
“Mega Drop and Mega Drop Quest offer multi-level, must-hit jackpots where players know the exact maximum amount a jackpot can reach before it must drop,” said Tom Wood. “While the games are still random progressives, it gives players some strategy where they can track each jackpot’s contribution against its expected must-hit value. The ‘Quest’ versions of the games offer players the chance to play in a community pool to increase their chances of winning, too.”
Two Mega Drop games available at online casinos in the US include Book of Relics Mega Drop and Dr. Reactive Mega Drop, both of which are available at Golden Nugget.
VR Slots
Virtual reality online gaming is expected to become increasingly common as VR hardware becomes more accessible. The most obvious usage is for live dealer games and multiplayer poker.
But, according to Tom Wood, VR will extend to slots as well: “Evolution Gaming’s new Live Casino take on recently-purchased Netent’s mega-hit game Gonzo’s Quest, which, while still a bit of a mystery, is reported to include elements of virtual reality.
You can find some Gonzo’s Quest VR demos on YouTube, but the exact details are still relatively unknown.
eSports Slots
Slots that incorporate skill-based games as well as upgrading characters on an ongoing basis will be present in US online casinos in the near future. It’s a level of gamification that seems obvious, and some of the top software development companies, including SG Digital, already offer slots like this.
For example, SG Digital’s Jackpot Wars is, according to Tom Wood, “unlike any game feature on the market.”
“Its patent-pending technology offers an innovative combination of eSports tournaments, casino gaming, and progressive jackpots, where players design their own avatar robots, play slots games, and earn golden cogs and virtual tickets that can be used to upgrade their avatars or enter a progressive jackpot tournament.”
Here’s the Jackpot Wars trailer on YouTube.
The Future Of Online Slots
“With the pandemic, it has become even more important to stay in contact with friends and family through digital means. And this hasn’t been lost on the casino industry. I believe you will start to see more community-based features, such as pooled betting and team gamification features.”
Slots are one of the many digital products vying for the attention of players. From video streaming and social media to video gaming and online betting, the need to innovate is an ever-present motivator for the new and exciting.
That means slots players can look forward to being wowed on an ongoing basis.
Also, be sure to play responsibly. All slots are based on random outcomes, so the only good strategy is one where you budget properly and set strict time limits. Learn more strategies here.
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