Themed slots are rightfully seen as a creative and fun way of engaging with a casino player, explained BGaming director, Marina Ostrovtsova, but cautioned that even the most creative ideas won’t work without well-considered features.
Speaking to SlotBeats, Ostrovtsova gave us some insight into the features within BGaming’s releases, discussing the thought processes behind three major titles – from the characters, the story lines and the ways in which BGaming engages with new players.
SlotBeats: Themed slots have become increasingly popular over the last few years. Can you explain a bit about the inspiration behind your Johnny Cash, Elvis Frog, and Hit the Route slots? Why did you choose these three ideas?
MO: These three slots stand out in the BGaming’s lineup. Each of them has its own story in its base which makes them especially entertaining.
Johnny Cash slot is a story about a daring adventurer searching for gold of the Wild West. The main character of the game is brave and he won’t miss the chance whatever it takes. His name speaks for itself!
This slot was inspired by the times of the Gold Rush. There is a lot of “wealth” hidden in the game. We invite players to find it all and be as fearless and passionate as Johnny Cash! Free Spins, Sticky Wild feature will help them line their pockets undoubtedly!
Bright billboards, retro cars, and fiery rhythms of music – these all are about Hit the Route slot. This game is about our passion for travel and adventures. Three girls dreaming of being famous travel through the legendary Route 66 in the slot. We imagined that this is the way to Luckywood?
We wanted to put some authentical vibes in this game and we did it. It has fantastic graphics, music parts created by our composer and, of course, surprising features such as Sticky Wilds and Mystery Wild Feature giving respins to players. It’s on fire!
Elvis Frog in Vegas is one of the most successful slots by BGaming but this game had a long journey to the release. The idea came to our minds two years ago but it wasn’t embodied. One year passed by and we started to focus on slot games, we improved our skills and had enough experience to finally embody that idea.
This ambitious character is a reflection of BGaming’s team spirit. Everybody in the team loves the cute character of Elvis Frog and puts their energy and talent into it. This slot includes symbols of gambling and reach. An eccentric frog in the form of the pop king performs in the most exciting place on the planet!
SlotBeats: In your opinion, what would you say are the biggest benefits when it comes to releasing themed slots?
MO: It is easy to remember slots like this! Players take a strong liking to some characters and quite often wait for new games with them. Also, themed slots are meant to evoke some good memories and emotions connected with some life events, favourite movies, or famous people. It’s a good way to attract a player’s attention to the product.
But looking for some special forms of the slots we don’t forget about its stuffing. Even the most creative idea won’t work without well-considered features. That’s why every themed slot by BGaming has always got something special inside.
SlotBeats: What is your approach to setting volatility with your themed titles? Is this influenced at all by the themed nature of the games?
MO: Actually, not quite so. Volatility is a math characteristic, it stands for showing how the game is going to distribute the winnings (frequency and value). In our themed slots we set the average volatility, mostly because these kinds of slots are developed for the audience who prefer the variety of entertaining features rather than pure gambling.
SlotBeats: And with the three releases mentioned in Q1, how have they helped you tap into a new demographic of players?
MO: We cannot help but notice that nowadays PC game followers are joining the world of video slots. This generation (if we can say so) appreciate high-quality graphics, animation, and memorable and attractive sound effects.
Furthermore, they demand diversification of features within the game, because the process of interaction with this kind of content is way more exciting. These players are always looking for new emotions. That is how they can widen our demographic.
SlotBeats: Are there then any challenges associated with retaining players that favour themed slots? If so, how have you overcome these?
MO: Throughout our themed titles with characters there were no signs of any problems with retention. It has happened a bit with Hit the Route though. We are glad to share the details here – if we look inside the game, there are three girls and we still do not know who they are (at least what names they have). We tried adding another character to the game – Jack, the driver of the fire track. But it appeared to be too much.
That’s why we focus on creating a main character of the game (a really strong one with a great personality) who will have a long life in a few series of the game. A good example is Elvis the frog from Elvis Frog in Vegas.
SlotBeats: What does the future hold for themed content? Is there still a future for them?
MO: It’s like a good series – if your audience is in love with the theme and the characters, they will follow it even if this is already the tenth season. So as a game provider we will keep searching for great personalities for our slots. Moreover our star characters will definitely start travelling – our Elvis is ready to jump on a joyful party in Hawaii.
SlotBeats: And finally, can you give our readers a sneak peak into any new releases that we can expect in 2021?
MO: We have very intriguing upcoming slots. For example, we’re going to release the 3×3 slot with incredible graphics in steampunk style. It will seem like you travel in time while playing. We were inspired by our Mechanical Orange slot.
These games look very different from others in our lineup, but this is what makes them special. If you’re tired of classical slots, the steampunk styled slot by BGaming will be a positive breath of fresh air for you!
No less an exciting game will be produced in association with the World Boxing Council. It’s going to be a knockout! There will be all the attributes of the boxing match in the game. With the mysterious fighter, our players will be plunged into the thrilling atmosphere of the boxing ring.
Summertime will be full of surprises from BGaming as well. Our cute and eccentric Elvis Frog loved by many players all over the world is going to pack his luggage and travel to Hawaii. We will take all the best from the previous slot and add some more attractive details and exciting features to make Elvis’s story a hit again! Elvis Frog in Vegas is one of the most successful games by BGaming. The new slot should repeat that success.
Also, I’d like to draw your attention to the Fruit Million slots. It was released at the end of 2020 but it will have a lot of changes this year. It’s BGaming’s first “shapeshifter” slot. The game is going to change its skin and features every festive period giving more and more positive emotions to players. For example, the Fruit Million slot will try the St. Valentine’s look and will be full of romantic vibes in the first decade of February.
These are just a few of the upcoming titles. We have quite ambitious plans for 2021. Players will also find some more classic-style and themed slots as well, a new combo-game. It’s going to be a very fruitful year for BGaming!
