Creating a slot series is a tricky task that requires a delicate balance between retaining familiarity and evolving the initial idea. Failure to adequately progress a concept can result in the loss of player interest, while releasing a new game too far removed from its predecessor may not necessarily appeal to fans of the original.
SlotBeats spoke with Mike Collins, Game Product Owner at Thunderkick, Amit Samji, Head of Studio at Push Gaming, Daniel Kalinowski, Affiliate and Social Media Manager at Blueprint Gaming, Radka Bacheva, Head of Sales and Business Development at Wazdan, Michael Maokhamphiou, Studio Director at Lightning Box, and Yuriy Muratov, Chief Commercial Officer at 3 Oaks Gaming, to get their thoughts on the most important factors that drive a slot series’ success.
SlotBeats: What factors are considered when deciding whether to turn a slot into a series? Are there specific performance metrics that inform this decision?
Mike Collins: Numerous factors can influence the decision to turn a single slot into a series, including popularity, strong brand recognition, player engagement metrics, and even previously utilised gameplay mechanics. The most noteworthy factor, from which most decisions stem, is popularity.
If a particular theme or a game’s features garner significant attention, there is an opportunity to turn that title into its own brand, as we did with the Esqueleto Explosivo series. The visuals and singing skeletons are highly recognisable, which naturally lends itself to being serialised.
Engagement is another key factor that can forge these decisions. It is important to identify whether a game is resonating with players by assessing metrics such as the average number of game rounds and retention rate. This data can provide invaluable information about the stickiness of a release and the potential appetite for a sequel.
Amit Samji: Data plays a crucial role in deciding whether to turn a slot into a series. By analysing player behaviour, we can identify popular mechanics, themes, or games that resonate with our audience. If a particular title significantly outperforms others, we aim to capitalise on its success by creating a series that builds upon its strengths while introducing fresh elements.
Daniel Kalinowski: Deciding whether to turn a slot into a series is a major call. Choosing to do this means launching considerable focus into a singular project like Blueprint Gaming’s recent Rapid Fire Jackpots collection of titles. Such decisions affect each department working at the studio, so firstly we make sure to consider whether the content fits with our brand and audience. Once you start thinking about this, you then naturally start to analyse the content quality of those potential products.
In terms of performance metrics, we can use data that indicates whether our games have good engagement with the audience and if the market demand would suggest that we are on the right track with our output. This information is based on retention, revenue and even social media ratings to see which games spark the most interest.
For example, one of our recent games called Cash Strike proved to be a big hit with our audience, which is confirmed by data that includes the metrics above. We believe that the main gameplay mechanic in this game, also named Cash Strike, is what made the slot such a strong performer and so we chose to develop this slot further in future releases.
The latest iteration of this game and the mechanic was seen in Cash Strike Hotstepper, where the Cash Collect symbols had been altered to step down one position on the reel during each spin until it steps out of view. This is a good example of how working on a series of slots pushes the studio to be more innovative with the games.
Radka Bacheva: The first question we ask ourselves is whether the game still has room for further upgrades and if any changes implemented might transform it into a separate production. If the answer to the first question is ‘yes’, we then carefully examine the latter. However, we have noticed that most games typically possess a unique quality that allows them to expand their potential continually.
A prime example is our top-performing series, Coins. In this series, Wazdan meticulously adjusts every mathematical detail to pursue the goal of delivering unparalleled innovation. These changes also extend to visual design and enhancing the overall experience with features like the Freedom of Choice suite elements that many developers still overlook.
Michael Maokhamphiou: We concentrate on the core mechanics of a game to evaluate its potential for evolving into either a Jackpot family or a game series that maintains player engagement. If the gameplay incorporates unique features that resonate with players, it often signals a promising opportunity to develop a series around it.
We analyse key metrics such as ’rounds per player’ which is the average rounds played during each session to gain insights into player engagement. Additionally, turnover is a crucial factor; it helps us assess whether the game’s success merits warrant expanding into a franchise or series.
Yuriy Muratov: When evaluating whether to extend a slot game into a series, a wide range of factors comes into play. It’s not just about a single data point or a hunch. We look deeply into performance metrics such as player ratings, audience engagement, and detailed demographic insights.
However, one of the most critical indicators for us is the average session length. If players are spending significant time within the game, it’s a clear signal that they are deeply engaged with the experience. A strong session length tells us that the game resonates with players across various markets, and it serves as the green light to explore further development.
In essence, if the original game shows sustained potential and high interaction metrics, we begin thinking strategically about expanding it into a broader family of games, each building on the foundation of the first.
SB: How important is it to find a balance between retaining familiarity and introducing enough new features to evolve a slot series?
AS: Striking a balance between familiarity and innovation is essential for a successful slot series. We prioritise creative mechanics and strive to continually evolve the slot experience. By incorporating new features and gameplay loops, we keep returning players engaged while maintaining the series’ core identity. This approach prevents stagnation and ensures the series remains exciting and visually appealing.
DK: Balancing these aspects is a key to success, as is having an effective mixture of familiarity and innovation which generates interest amongst seasoned slot enthusiasts and those new to the gaming space.
There are a series of factors that we pay great attention to while working on series of games, ensuring that all the changes we introduce to our games are incremental. For instance, you will see more player retention if you introduce new features gradually, rather than overhauling the whole game. The latter can make people feel overwhelmed with changes.
Consistency is also a major factor in running a successful series of slots, as providing the same aesthetic in the games helps to retain the player as you gradually introduce those changes mentioned before. Saying that, balancing familiarity and new iterations is always going to feel like trial and error, so you must keep your ear to the ground and seek out player feedback, whether it’s metric data as mentioned previously, or qualitative criticism provided in affiliate reviews.
RB: Finding this balance is incredibly important because, as developers, we are fundamentally obligated to create purposeful solutions. Releasing a game that falls short would mean failing to understand our own needs, potentially placing Wazdan in a difficult position. After all, who would trust a company that does not recognise its own standards?
Additionally, this balance is crucial to our goal of creating reliable products. For a game series to succeed, it must be familiar and appreciated by players, encouraging them to engage with it. To avoid disappointing our users, we must meet these expectations consistently.
MM: Maintaining the elements that resonate with your loyal player base in successful franchises is essential. Retaining what’s familiar while introducing new features can foster continued engagement and satisfaction among your players.
Our Lightning Series is a great example. We created a sequence of games with the popular Lightning Respin mechanic, which we built upon in our Thundering series by introducing Progressive Jackpots and also adding perceived persistence. This allowed us to expand on a familiar feature while adding depth and excitement for our players.
YM: Striking the right balance between familiarity and innovation is crucial for creating a successful slot series. In many ways, this process mirrors the entertainment industry, particularly in how franchises handle sequels. Like beloved film franchises, where audiences expect a certain level of continuity while craving fresh experiences, the same applies in game design.
Our approach is to maintain the core elements that players love—whether it’s a popular theme or a set of mechanics—while introducing around 10% of new features. The goal is to keep the game fresh enough to entice continued play, but not so radically different that it alienates our existing audience.
If we change too much, we risk losing the game’s identity, but too little change could result in players perceiving it as a mere repetition. It’s this delicate balance that ensures the game feels familiar yet offers enough novelty to keep players engaged and excited for what’s next.
MC: The balance is incredibly important. Players will expect familiarity in a sequel. After all, the decision to play the second game stems from their enjoyment of the original, so failing to recapture the essence of the initial release is likely to act as a deterrent for returning players.
This applies to both the design elements and gameplay mechanics. With Esqueleto Explosivo, gameplay revolves around the increasing multiplier beneath the reels, so if we were to remove that, it would become an entirely different experience.
However, it is equally important to keep gameplay fresh and exciting, or you risk losing a player’s attention. As a developer, we consistently fight the temptation to over-innovate, as this can lead to alienating existing fans of a series.
It is crucial to gradually evolve a series, retaining the familiarity of a fan-favourite brand, while introducing enough new features to elevate the experience and separate a new launch from its predecessor.
