Younger generations have grown up playing video games and there is a certain level of entertainment value and social interaction missing from traditional slots, Justin McCool, CEO and founder of Native Gaming pointed out when explaining the reason behind their up and coming slot title.
Native recently unveiled plans for its proprietary slot MMO sweepstake casino which it describes as the ‘world’s first massive multiplayer slot game’, patent-pending.
Unlike traditional ‘spin for and a chance to win’ style online slots, the new entrant will be a full video game that replaces the traditional, casino-style slot mechanic with a monster-catching system similar to the popular Pokemon games.
Monsters can then be used to battle and earn money or cashed in directly to the casino, however Native Gaming has not announced a release date as of yet.
Earlier this month, Native Gaming and Black Dog Venture Partners announced their new link up with Atari which will see the integration of the gaming giant’s new cryptocurrency, the Atari Token into its new MMO slot.
McCool spoke to SlotBeats about its new title and features within it, the lack of younger people engaging in slots and the importance of responsible gambling.
SlotBeats: You recently announced your new Native MMO online slot game, can you expand more on what is involved within the game?
Justin McCool: The Native MMO is a massively multiplayer online Casino and slot game that replaces the ‘spinning reels’ used in traditional slots with a Monster Tamer mechanic made popular by games like Pokemon.
Unlike traditional slots where a winning spin might look like 7, 7, 7 in a row; a winning spin in the Native MMO would be catching a rare or legendary monster that can be sold back to the House for up to 20,000 times the price of the ball used to catch it.
Players can also train their team and battle in PvP (player vs player) and PVE (player vs environment) Jackpot Raids.
SB: In terms of patents pending, how many patents are included within this game and how many have you still got pending?
JM: We currently have eight provisional patents that encompass 23 unique game mechanics in 152 countries.
SB: You mention 25 per cent of slot gamblers were under the age of 30, why do you think the younger generation don’t play slots and how can your game encourage younger players?
JM: The younger generations have grown up playing video games and there is a certain level of entertainment value and social interaction missing from traditional slots. We have computers in our phone and high speed internet almost anywhere we go offering us an endless supply of social and gaming content.
Plus in-game microtransactions and loot boxes have introduced a “gambling” element from an early age. So when they sit down and play a traditional slot that is simply 3 to 5 reels spinning over and over it just doesn’t cut it.
The Native MMO is a true MMORPG. Players create their customized avatar and interact with thousands of other players from hundreds of casinos around the world. Just like a non gambling game they level up their team and compete in PvP (player vs player) matches but in our game they can also win and even earn money by playing.
SB: You’re launching the Beta for this game through Kickstarter and Indiegogo as a marketing tool rather than means of funding, why is this?
JM: We will be using Kickstarter and Indiegogo to showcase the Jackpot Raids. We want to really shine the spotlight on what makes the Jackpot Raid system unique so we thought what better way than to have a crowdfunding campaign where participants can earn more money than they pledge.
We will be giving away at least $50k-$100k during the campaign in the form of hourly Jackpot Raids.
SB: Can you talk more about your hourly jackpot raid and how it works?
JM: The hourly Jackpot Raid is our patented multiplayer progressive jackpot system that allows players to earn a percentage of total in-game wagering volume.
First a mass push notification is sent out to all players saying something along the lines of, “Such-and-Such Monster worth $10,000 will be spawning in Native MMO in 45 minutes! Defeat it to claim the Jackpot!”. (This notification can also be shared on social media to receive 100 free spins each hour)
All participating Players then use their team of 6 monsters to collectively participate in a free-to-enter battle against the boss jackpot monster. If the boss monster is defeated then the jackpot prize pool is distributed to the players proportionate to the amount of damage they dealt. Up to half a percent of all in-game wagers goes to the hourly jackpot prizes.
SB: Can players play this game without spending money? If yes then how?
JM: Absolutely. Players can come in with a free spin promotion (20 Free Balls) and catch their starting team of 6 monsters. Then by sharing the hourly Jackpot Raid push notifications, they can farm up to 2,400 free XP Balls per day.
Monsters caught with XP Balls can’t be sold or used to battle, they can only be converted to experience to level up the monsters on a players team.
As their team levels up and gets stronger they can do more damage in the hourly Jackpot Raids and earn more money. There will also be free-to-play in-game content and mini games.
SB: How are you managing responsible gaming within your new title to help vulnerable players from becoming addicted?
JM: The majority of users who make sports bets, casino bets and other gaming offers play in moderation for entertainment. Certain habits and behaviour patterns which are considered to be normal and not causing any concern can develop into an addiction for some people and cause problems.
In the same way, bets on sports and gambling can lead to problems for a small group of customers. Clients with gaming addiction are prohibited from further participation in the gaming line-up. Subsequently, the customers are provided with contacts of organisations where they can receive professional advice and support.
SB: You recently partnered with Atari. Will that partnership have an impact on the Native MMO game? If yes then how?
JM: Definitely. As an Atari game, the production quality and polish has been ramped up to a level you’d expect to see from a AAA video game title and will be featured on the new Atari VCS console.
There will also be an Atari region in the MMO that will include Atari inspired mini games and content as well as a great new non-gambling game they are working on.
