“I hate to say it, but it seems sometimes the industry has forgotten it’s the entertainment industry and should be about fun and be about creating these new entertainment experiences,” stated Henry McLean, co-founder and commercial and marketing director at 4ThePlayer, as he explained the company’s methods in developing its video slot games.
This week, we revealed the company’s latest slot title, 6 Wild Sharks, which is scheduled to have an industry-wide release on September 10, 2020 alongside its other game, 2 Gods Zeus vs Thor that has a industry-wide release on September 15, 2020.
SlotBeats spoke to McLean about how the company tailors its games, how it integrates responsible gambling measures while meeting player demands and a look into 4ThePlayer’s Big Reel Portrait Mode.
SB: 4ThePlayer creates games tailored to what players want, how do you think this gives you a boost in a heavy market?
Henry McLean: Good question, the gaming market is an extremely busy space with lots of providers all competing to stand out. We think players are noticing we make games ‘for them’ not just for our own ego. Seth Godin put it very well when he said: “In a crowded marketplace, fitting in is a failure. In a busy marketplace, not standing out is the same as being invisible.”
We make games players will enjoy playing, creating new entertainment experiences. I hate to say it, but it seems sometimes the industry has forgotten it’s the entertainment industry and should be about fun and be about creating these new entertainment experiences.
Can you remember the first time you played a slot and enjoyed it? We want to recreate those wow memories each time you play one of our games.
SB: Why do you think other developers haven’t tailored their slot titles to the players wants/needs?
HM: It is easier said than done, with some of these super-sized developers they have a set tone and style that works for them but it might not be exactly what players now want, times have changed.
Although we are glad no one else is doing this as it has created a ‘4ThePlayer sized gap’ for us to fill.
SB: How has 4ThePlayer managed to tailor its products to players whilst integrating responsible gambling into its slots?
HM: One of the first things we think about when looking at features is, is it responsible. We are big advocates of responsible gaming, despite being a small player in a big market we recently worked as part of the Industry Group looking at responsible gaming ideas.
One idea of ours that has resonated with them and the wider industry is our ‘Slot Nutritional Diagram’. We created this to clearly show players more about what is ‘inside the slot’ they are about to play so they can decide if it is right for them or not.
We do not hide the information away; it is on the splash screen of our games before the players press spin. The idea was inspired by the revolution in the food industry, creating nutritional traffic lights on food to allow informed decisions as sometimes you want a sugar high snack and sometimes not.
We are also super transparent on our help files, creating a Quick Fact box at the very top of the help file giving stats that are often impossible to find or are hidden deep in the bowels of the help file.
Players have feedback on both saying how refreshing it is with posts on forums asking other developers to do it too.
SB: What new features have been incorporated into your games?
HM: Innovation is another big point for us, as often the best way to entertain is with an innovation.
However, all innovations we do have a clear purpose, like our game development process is done for the player. Our biggest innovation is Big Reel Portrait Mode.
Big Reel Portrait Mode fixes one of the biggest player frustrations with mobile gameplay, the substandard portrait play. If portrait play is offered the reels use circa 20 per cent of the screen, making a very poor experience and often leaves you guessing what is happening.
Big Reel Portrait Mode uses up to 60 per cent of the screen by rotating the reels and spinning them right to left. We also adjusted all artwork and animation, so it fits the new orientation. It sounds simple but it took a fair amount of work to get it right. For the traditional players we do give the player a choice over small reels or Big Reel Portrait Mode, however, Google Analytics data has shown us it is much more popular than small reels and, in some stakes, even landscape.
Another innovation is dual spin in our latest game ‘2 Gods Zeus vs Thor’, this feature gives the player the choice of two spin buttons and the chance to double their win on every spin. All the player needs to do is choose a spin button, if a win matches the colour, they choose to spin, it’s doubled. The fun thing is it is totally random so leaves you constantly guessing which colour to spin.
In the bonus round we play with the feature as well, the bonus is Win Spins and the player gets to guess what the next win colour will be – if they guess correctly the multiplier goes up.
SB: What can players expect from 4ThePlayer in the next 12 months?
HM: They can expect what they have started to love about us, more high-quality polished productions, packed with entertainment and player-centric innovation.
