Evolution has finally announced the US launch of slots from Nolimit City, a small but notoriously edgy studio it acquired in 2022. Best known in the US for its live dealer products, Evolution nonetheless derives a significant fraction of its revenue from conventional online casino content, mainly provided by its subsidiaries. Nolimit City’s signature dark humor may help Evolution’s partner casinos appeal to a younger audience accustomed to the gritty culture of contemporary video games.
Evolution’s North American CEO, Jacob Claesson, told Bonus on June 18:
We’re very happy to be launching Nolimit City slots in the US. They offer some truly unique content and I am sure it will find a loyal fanbase in the US, just like it has in other parts of the world.
The new US online casino games are debuting simultaneously across all the US online casino markets it serves:
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- Michigan
- New Jersey
- Pennsylvania
- West Virginia
Evolution’s June 13 announcement mentioned that the debut title for the US market is Buffalo Hunter, perhaps a safer offering than some of Nolimit City’s catalog. Buffalo Hunter adds “mystic powers” as a twist on a popular and often-imitated Americana slot theme. The Buffalo series by Aristocrat Leisure is responsible for starting the trend, but most studios now offer something similar, like Playtech’s Buffalo Blitz, Entain’s Bison Fury, and High 5’s Thundering Buffalo.
Evolution’s game includes “exciting free spins and increasing multiplier features, including a Stampede Super Bonus feature that wraps up several bonuses in one.”
Expect Mature Themes From Nolimit City Slots
Video gamers span all age groups but tend to be thought of as Millennials and Gen Z. Online casino operators have long sought after this demographic because they, by definition, offer a longer lifetime value than Gen X and Boomer gamblers. These digital natives are inclined to engage online.
Meanwhile, operators known for their online sportsbooks, like DraftKings (DraftKings 40,51 +2,30%) and FanDuel, already know they appeal to a younger-than-average audience and are trying to cross-promote casino products to them.
So, the new Nolimit City slots from Evolution (Evolution AB (publ) 3,76 -5,29%) may be just the ticket.
Some of its games sparked controversy in Europe, with themes that included everything from a Russian gulag to the filthy bathroom of a London punk bar. However, Nolimit City’s fans see its approach as self-aware, ironic, and goofy.
Featured Slot: East Coast Vs. West Coast
American audiences may get their first taste of that humor with East Coast Vs. West Coast, referencing the 1990s gang rivalry associated with rappers Tupac Shakur and Biggie Smalls (Notorious BIG). However, it takes a decidedly tongue-in-cheek approach to the subject matter.
The reel symbols include US founding fathers (and banknote icons) Benjamin Franklin, Abraham Lincoln, and George Washington sporting tinted glasses, askew trucker hats, crowns, and other ’90s “bling.”
In the announcement about the US debut of Nolimit City, Evolution’s 2022 slots developer acquisition, Evolution promises:
East Coast Vs West Coast will take players back to the golden era of hip hop, with bouncing lowriders, massive shiny spinner rims, blasting boomboxes, and vivid graffiti.
Indeed, a big dog sports bling, boom boxes flex on rap fans’ shoulders, and sirens wail.
The soundtrack is another of the game’s highlights. The song rotation as online gamblers punch the spin button includes:
- Nolimit State of Mind
- West Coast
- East Coast
- Coast to Coast
- Money on My Mind
Nolimit’s Starting Lineup Heavy on Wild West Themes
Two other upcoming slots will present players with a different version of the West Coast—specifically, the Wild West era.
Tombstone is a high-volatility slot “with 11,456x stake maximum win potential.” The features include Outlaw Wilds, Justice Spins, Gunslinger Spins, and the “hard to get” Bounty Spins.
More gunslingers appear in Deadwood xNudge. This time, they’re roaming Deadwood and can boast of “the gnarliest quick draws of the Wild West.”
That brings the list of known games coming to the US to four:
- Buffalo Hunter (available now)
- Tombstone (coming soon)
- East Coast Vs West Coast (coming soon)
- Deadwood xNudge (coming soon)
It’s perhaps surprising that Evolution has taken this long to test Nolimit City’s games in the US market, given the extent to which the studio has embraced the culture. Many Nolimit City games feature US themes, said Malcolm Mizzi, COO and Commercial Director at Nolimit City.
Perusing the catalog, some games are easy to identify as riffing off or even poking fun at American culture. In some cases, those takes may provide a new form of controversy if Evolution is brave enough to bring them to this side of the Atlantic.
Not yet in the US, the Land of the Free game depicts a rifle-toting, Christian cross-necklace-wearing woman sporting a “Coming Soon” T-shirt. The prison-themed San Quentin likewise risks accusations of poor taste. By the same token, both are likely to appeal to players of equally controversial video games like the Grand Theft Auto series.
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