Slot trends – what’s the next big thing?

As with many aspects of culture, there’s a constant shifting of trends and preferences in the world of online slots. Some trends concern themes and genres, some relate to particular developers, and others specific in-game mechanics.

There are numerous influences when it comes to slots. Trends can be triggered or boosted by something as specific as the release of a film, or any other element of the general zeitgeist. 

It can be tricky to anticipate what the next big thing will be, but by examining current trends and developments, it is possible to make some kind of informed predictions.

What are the current trends?

Before gazing into our crystal ball and examining what the future may bring, let’s take a look at what’s happening right now. 

Volatility and narrative still rule

Players continue to enjoy more volatile games, which have a lower frequency of wins but bigger pay-outs. This makes sense, as it adds a great deal to the entertainment factor when playing a slot. High-volatility games like Dead or Alive 2 and Vikings Go To Hell remain some of the most popular. 

Similarly, games with stronger stories remain popular. It’s surprising how many slots completely forego narrative when it brings so much to the table. Games with fleshed-out themes and engaging stories are more engrossing, and they’re more likely to produce appealing sequels. Certain developers, such as Play'n GO, excel in this area.

Neither of these trends seems to be going anywhere soon. Why fix what’s not broken!? 

Name:

Dead or Alive 2

Developer:

NetEnt

RTP:

96.82%

Max payout:

111,111x stake

Volatility:

High

Reels:

5

Win lines:

9

Theme:

Action, Wild West

Release date:

20th Apr 2019

Play Dead or Alive 2 here:

Name:

Vikings Go To Hell

Developer:

Yggdrasil

RTP:

96.10%

Max payout:

3,000x stake

Volatility:

High

Reels:

5

Win lines:

25

Theme:

Action, Viking

Release date:

19th May 2018

Play Vikings Go To Hell here:

Seamlessness and convenience

Modern players, particularly Gen Z (born 1997-2012 approx), have shown a preference for ‘frictionless’ or ‘seamless’ experiences. As a result of having grown up with Google at their fingertips, Gen Z tend to choose games and casinos that offer a more immediate, hassle-free and convenient service. 

Much of this is to do with presentation and the way slots are actually delivered to players. With the majority of Gen Z now old enough to gamble, the preferences of these players are increasingly influential on how casinos design their services. And this trend is likely to grow stronger.

Innovation, but not too much

The best developers are always looking to push things, whether that’s producing never-before-seen game mechanics or designing slots with unique themes. However, they’ve found that pushing things too far too quickly can be a mistake.

Players want a degree of familiarity in the slots they play. They want something that’s recognisable and similar to their existing favourites, but different enough that it offers something refreshing. Striking this balance can be tricky, especially for the more creative studios. 

There’s also a fine line between games that are too simple and those that are too complex. Innovation is important to drawing in players and remaining relevant, but some mechanics can be overly complicated, ultimately pushing players away and detracting from the game’s appeal.

Non-UK bonus buy features

The bonus buy feature was made illegal in the UK in 2019 because of players’ tendency to pay very high amounts for instant access to a game’s bonus round. Globally, however, this feature is enjoying a great deal of success.

Bonus buy features may appeal to less patient players, and it’s possible that the modern everything-on-demand lifestyle may have contributed to this mechanic’s rising popularity. 

Assuming that other regulators don’t follow in the Gambling Commission’s footsteps, the popularity of bonus buy features seems likely to continue.

Crash games

Crash games have piqued players’ interests massively in recent years. This runs alongside the increasing relevance of cryptocurrencies. Crash games are designed to reflect the experience of investment, with players aiming to buy out at the most opportune moment to score the biggest win.

Now that developers have seen that crash games are more than a passing phase, it seems likely that we’ll be getting more in the near future. The current selection of crash games on most casino sites is still a bit limited, but that’s likely to change soon.

The next big thing?

The above current trends aren’t likely to change in the immediate future, but there are a few patterns that are only just emerging. These offer clues as to what the future of slots might look like.

Megaways falling out of favour?

It has been reported that fewer Megaways games are being made. This seems surprising considering their popularity. The Megaways mechanic came out in 2015 and was a great success. Megaways games essentially offer players more than 100,000 ways to win, replacing the traditional reel layout and paytable. 

However, developers seem to be replacing Megaways games – to an extent – with different but comparable mechanics. These typically involve a boosted number of ways to win, so they should appeal to Megaways fans. 

It seems that a new generation of games with many paylines may be on their way.

Gamification mechanics

Slowly but steadily, the line between slots and video games is beginning to blur. The latter now use microtransactions for a steady source of income, and the former are employing more complex mechanics to boost player engagement.

The term ‘gamification’ refers to the use of video game-style mechanics and motivators in other areas of life. This often applies to education and workplaces, as well as other areas where increased engagement is needed. 

Gamification is being gradually applied to slots and casino sites, but this trend is only beginning and it’s got a long way to go before it reaches its full potential. As mentioned, there’s a balance to be struck, but there seems to be space in the market for some games with more complex, involved and elaborate features and mechanics. 

Levelling up and rewards

For instance, some slots present characters which can level-up, or give players the chance to interact with others via a chat window, or to make their mark on a leaderboard. Companies like Evoplay have stated that gamification is central to their mission.

Equally, many casinos are shaping their rewards and loyalty programs around gamification mechanics. Examples include allowing players to level-up an avatar or traverse a map whilst unlocking various rewards, or to compete with other players in a tournament scenario.

Undoubtedly, we’ll be seeing more of this in the future. It’s likely to be a welcome enhancement to the overall slots experience, and one which benefits everyone.

Graphics and sound design

Gone are the days of clunky animated reels, simple symbols and monotonous soundtracks. Modern players have higher expectations than this, and modern developers are rising to meet them!

The best developers know the importance of a good-looking game. For a slot to capture the attention of players, it needs to go the extra mile, and not simply be a reskin of a familiar, tired old game.

Evolution and enhancement

Modern slots are feasts for the senses, with rich visuals, elaborate animations and carefully-chosen soundtracks all coming together to create an immersive experience. 

Competition is stiff, so we’re likely to see more companies utilising enhanced visuals to help their games stand out from the crowd. Yggdrasil Gaming is an example of a company who has been doing this well for quite a while.

More adventurous themes

Who hasn’t played a fishing-themed slot? Just about every developer has done their own version – with the most popular and most famous probably being the Fishin’ Frenzy and Big Bass Bonanza franchises. 

There’s nothing wrong with fishing-themed slots, and there are plenty of other themes which have been exhausted too, but variety is the spice of life. In recent years, developers and studios such as Hacksaw Gaming and Nolimit City have produced slots with themes that are hard to categorise. But they’re great fun. 

For instance, Hacksaw’s Benny the Beer and Nolimit City’s Punk Toilet offer themes that will appeal to the more adventurous players who fancy something a bit different. As players tire of familiar themes, these may well see a surge in popularity. 

Name:

Fishin' Frenzy

Developer:

Blueprint Gaming

RTP:

96.12%

Max payout:

5,000x stake

Volatility:

Low-Medium

Reels:

5

Win lines:

10

Theme:

Fishing

Release date:

13th Sep 2014

Play Fishin' Frenzy here:

Name:

Big Bass Bonanza

Developer:

Pragmatic Play

RTP:

96.71%

Max payout:

2,100x stake

Volatility:

Medium-High

Reels:

5

Win lines:

10

Theme:

Fishing

Release date:

3rd Dec 2020

Play Big Bass Bonanza here:

Name:

Benny the Beer

Developer:

Hacksaw Gaming

RTP:

96.17%

Max payout:

10,000x stake

Volatility:

Medium

Reels:

5

Win lines:

100,000

Theme:

Adventure, WTF

Release date:

5th Oct 2023

Play Benny the Beer here:

Name:

Punk Toilet

Developer:

Nolimit City

RTP:

96.07%

Max payout:

33,333x stake

Volatility:

High

Reels:

5

Win lines:

81

Theme:

WTF

Release date:

8th Feb 2022

Play Punk Toilet here:

Developers to watch

Some developers aim to break new ground, whereas others tend to re-tread well-worn paths. We think that the more adventurous developers should be celebrated. Rather than trying to replicate past successes by repeating themes, churning out sequels and milking franchises, they innovate. Here are a few developers who are doing great work:

• ELK Studios
• Hacksaw Gaming
• Nolimit City
• Relax Gaming

Top new slots

There have been loads of great new slot releases recently, many of which illustrate the trends we’ve mentioned above. 

For instance, Nolimit City’s Outsourced is a quirky, wild, retro-styled slot that demonstrates the value of more adventurous themes. Similarly, Relax Gaming has put a unique spin on sports-themed slots with its utterly strange St Louis 1904. 

Innovation should be championed, but that doesn’t mean that franchise games can’t be worthy too. The latest instalment in the Nitropolis series, Nitropolis 5, is a highly volatile, visually lush and narrative-rich winner.

A recent example of creative in-game mechanics would be Yggdrasil’s Jellycious DoubleMax, which uses accumulating DoubleMax multipliers to produce wins worth up to 2,048x the stake.

Compared to the old days, modern players are spoiled for choice! Whatever your preference, now is a great time to be a slots enthusiast.

Name:

Outsourced

Developer:

Nolimit City

RTP:

96.08%

Max payout:

5,000x stake

Volatility:

High

Reels:

4

Win lines:

256

Theme:

Retro, WTF

Release date:

6th Aug 2024

Play Outsourced here:

Name:

St Louis 1904

Developer:

Relax Gaming

RTP:

95.95%

Max payout:

10,000x stake

Volatility:

High

Reels:

5

Win lines:

10

Theme:

Sports

Release date:

18th Jul 2024

Play St Louis 1904 here:

Name:

Nitropolis 5

Developer:

ELK Studios

RTP:

94.00%

Max payout:

50,000x stake

Volatility:

High

Reels:

6

Win lines:

4,096

Theme:

Action, Animal

Release date:

23rd Jul 2024

Play Nitropolis 5 here:

Name:

Jellycious DoubleMax

Developer:

Yggdrasil

RTP:

94.00%

Max payout:

25,000x stake

Volatility:

High

Reels:

5

Win lines:

243

Theme:

Food, Retro, WTF

Release date:

22nd Aug 2024

Play Jellycious DoubleMax here:

The future’s bright!

But not necessarily orange.

Slots are always changing, and so are the platforms that host them. Innovation is the key, and the future of slots looks set to be convenient, engaging and fresh. 

Developers face the challenge of being creative without taking things too far, and there are a few companies who have proven themselves particularly good at this. It’s crucial that the market doesn’t become saturated with re-hashed versions of old games and themes; repetition is not creative.

Trendsetters and trailblazers

It can be hard to say who actually sets the trends sometimes. Generally, casinos and developers are doing their best to anticipate players’ wants. They may not always get it right, and some are certainly braver than others. Sometimes, the games they produce may even influence trends rather than satisfy them. But, at the end of the day, it’s the player who chooses, so the future of slots is in the hands of the people.

The trailblazing developers behind the most original slot games, the wildest themes and the most chaotic mechanics (which we affectionately refer to as WTF slots) are likely to enjoy a boost in the near future. Fortune favours the brave!