Platipus’ upcoming release Urban Neon was the latest slot in focus as the studio’s CBDO, Vladyslav Garanko, took the Beyond the Reels hot seat to emphasise why he believes fruit symbols have passed the test of time and remain as relevant as ever.
Running through the 5×3 slot that offers players the option of three bonus features when enough scatters drop into play, Garanko explained to SlotBeats why he thinks fruit symbols are still so prevalent in today’s slot industry, as well as the importance of familiarity and player autonomy.
With Urban Neon consisting of majority fruit symbols, Danny Lee, Business Journalist at SlotBeats, probed Garanko on the reasons why fruit symbols are consistently used in the majority of the industry’s slot releases.
“It is a self-fulfilling prophecy,” answered Garanako. “The origins of slot machines came from these fruits and they’ve returned to fruits. When people think of what they’re going to have in a slot, they probably think of a bar symbol or a fruit in there, irrespective of what the actual theme is going to be.
“That is just something that has been hammered down into our consciousness, it’s what most people consider or think about when thinking of gambling and slot games. This is why I do believe it’s exceptionally important to cater to that feeling that people get, when they get exactly what they expect.”
This notion of expectations led Lee to ask about the importance of considering familiarity when designing new slot releases, with Garanko suggesting it is a top priority for all Platipus titles.
“Now, that is a question to which different studios will have different answers. I do believe sincerely that it is exceptionally important that players can understand what the game is about just from one look at the icons in the game, and that the title gives clarity on what the game is going to feel like.
“There are thousands and thousands of different games, and when a player chooses what they are going to play, they look at the themes and their understanding of the game to find what they want.
“Long story short, I do think it is important and most, if not all, of Platipus’ games carry this theme that the icons and the titles give players a very clear understanding of what each game is going to be about.”
To hear Garanko explain why the studio implemented the choice of three bonus game modes and guide viewers through the individual bonuses within game modes, click here to watch the full video.
