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In order to capitalize on the iGaming industry’s continued evolution, many suppliers have launched their own slot franchises. In spite of the enormous potential, launching a franchise is not easy. You need to navigate a variety of obstacles in order for you to reap its benefits. We gather the insights of four leading suppliers who have franchises. We explore the challenges and opportunities of establishing a franchise, from regulatory obstacles to technological innovation.
As technology advances at an accelerated rate, how important is it that franchises stay up to date with the latest trends for slot development?
Mike Collins is the Game Product Owner for Thunderkick.It is crucial to adapt with the times. Otherwise, you will lose players. We are currently creating titles with a mobile-first, portrait-first approach. Since more people than ever are using their mobile phones to play games, it is important that every provider considers how to make their titles accessible to as many customers as possible.
Our titles always make use of the latest technology to ensure that they work as intended.
Dr. Eyal Loz is Chief Product Officer of RubyPlay. There are no incentives for developers who want to change the core elements of a game franchise that has been proven and makes money. We are instead seeing add-ons, which are designed to give existing players a new way to interact with the game they are already familiar with. It is done through elements like side Mini Games and Buy Features.
It is the opposite when suppliers are trying to establish franchises. The players are eager to try out new things but will leave if they feel that it is too similar to what they are already familiar with. Innovation is risky and costly, so it is best to avoid it. RubyPlay’s Immortal Ways Series combines the well-known “10,000 ways to Win” concept that players love, with a Hold and Spin mechanism, which is easy to understand. The feedback from players was that the game was familiar but also completely new. The players were comfortable with the game and committed to it after trying it. Both players and industry are resistant to new developments and change.
Shelley Hannah is Chief Product Officer of Relax Gaming. It’s crucial. The days of predicting the behaviour of players for the next 5 years are gone. Today, players are more likely than ever to try out different games and have more options in the market.
From a slot design perspective, we must listen to the feedback of players and evolve our games. It’s important that, as a franchisee, we keep up with the latest trends to stay a leader in the market.
It can’t be a skin, or just a slight variation, of the first, second etc. The franchise must offer much more to players today.
Jo Purvis is Director of Marketing and Relations at Blueprint Gaming. It’s key to any game that will be a franchise. It doesn’t matter what the core requirements are for creating a successful video game. All suppliers are working to perfect the secret sauce – the balance between producing regular supplies of games in order to compete on a crowded and highly competitive market while maintaining a consistently high quality.
Franchises differ in that they retain the magic and charm of an original, while adding enough new features to justify its existence. Since a while, consumers in mainstream media have shown a strong interest in sequels, spinoffs and new versions of their favorite brands, characters, and universes. While leveraging this can be a great boost, it also comes with the challenge of exceeding high expectations.
How can franchises differentiate themselves from the competition in terms of themes and content?
MCInnovation is the key to success in a market that’s so crowded. If the name, theme and narrative of your game have been used before, it is unlikely that you will make a big splash with your new franchise. Although it can be difficult to come up with a completely original idea, investing the time in creating something new will pay off.
The performance of your franchise will also be affected by the improvement in gameplay. You want players to be immersed in the game’s overarching narrative through graphics, sounds, and animations. Going back to my answer from before, the recent technological advancements have made it possible for developers to go beyond what was expected of online slot games.
EL Themes are an important way for suppliers to innovate and maintain high returns while reducing overall business risks. Suppliers can experiment with new themes, UIs, and innovative features within existing franchises while remaining confident that the product line is going to continue performing. If managed correctly, savvy suppliers can keep franchises relevant and fresh for many years.
The best advice for brand-new game franchises is to stick with what you know and love. New ideas that are radical and innovative will be less likely to succeed.
Immortal Ways Diamonds combines a classic theme and our new innovative franchise’s gameplay mechanic. We have experimented since the release of the series with many different themes, each with slight differences in the volatility, math, and flow of the game. One size doesn’t fit all and themes behave differently in different countries.
SH I think that every studio has its own DNA when it comes to creating games. This is what makes them unique. It’s important to find a balance between what works and how it can be re-imagined.
Some may be hesitant to bring new concepts to the market, but we have faith in the extremely talented teams we have around the globe to create differentiation. This is the core of what we do when bringing games to the market.
You need talent and confidence in your team if you want to introduce a new slot theme, or introduce a technology or feature that is revolutionary. When you have faith in your work, you can go anywhere.
JPDifferentiation also plays a key role in game production. With the increasing number of studios that are now global, and the growing number world regions they are selling to, there is a wide range of player preferences. A popular Egyptian theme does not guarantee a successful game. It’s not easy to get the balance right between the animation, audio, and design of the game, and the maths model.
Blueprint Games allows us to draw on our years of experience to create new games that are based on the success of the original game. It’s important to have the right mix of fresh, new ideas and experience, and also keep an eye on what players want in terms of slots and other games. It’s an intricate and nuanced process.
What impact do you think the current regulations have on the growth and establishment of new slot franchises in certain markets?
MC Navigating the regulatory landscape is critical for the growth and establishment of new slot franchises. Regulations present both opportunities and challenges for game providers. While compliance can ensure a fair, secure, and trusted experience that fosters trust among players; these regulations can also limit the creative freedom of providers.
Slot franchises that are successful strike the right balance between adhering to regulatory frameworks and finding new ways to engage their players. Staying on top of emerging trends is essential to maintaining a competitive advantage in an industry that is constantly evolving.
ELHistorically, franchise games developed on highly regulated markets have outperformed franchise games developed on less regulated markets. Basically, products designed for unregulated markets have a hard time adapting to the complex regulatory requirements. Regulation should therefore be seen as an advantage by the designers who are more creative.
The addition of side features to franchise games, which were originally developed to meet strict market regulations and restrictions, can enhance performance and retention in less regulated markets. The business will always find it easier to relax the designs than to restrict.
RubyPlay’s Immortal Ways games are designed according to strict design principles. This ensures that they will all comply with the most stringent regulatory requirements. We will only offer the Buy Feature in Immortal Ways where regulations allow.
SH This is something that impacts the entire industry. As a new franchise, it is important that you keep up to date with any changes and regulations that may impact the game. It is a challenge for developers to create slots that are both user-friendly and adhere to the many rules of regulated markets.
Relax Gaming goes to great lengths to meet all regulations and provide a safe gaming environment. This should be the core value of any franchise.
More and more gaming regulations are being implemented. A successful franchise requires the best technology, which allows for easy product adaptation when new regulations are implemented.
JPRegulatory activity is constantly being speculated about, and the game development process is affected by this. In many markets, we see that current regulations do not prevent or hinder the growth of slot franchises. They simply set out some rules that must be adhered to.
Studios can standardise their product development and achieve efficiencies by ensuring consistency. It is not necessary to invest time in creating products unique for specific markets, or in building overly complex products. In the opposite, games must be configured to meet the requirements of different jurisdictions. This requires more resources.
Franchises can be adapted and developed to grow and develop with new products.
We also adapt and certify other versions of the industry standard Jackpot King System, depending on the market/operator’s size, to ensure that we can provide a compliant, engaging and profitable jackpot product.
In this industry, player loyalty is key. What are the most effective engagement and retention strategies for slot franchises?
MC Replicating the mechanics of previous games in the franchise is an easy way to keep players interested for future releases. Do not fix something that isn’t broken. Instead, focus on improving previous releases and staying true to the original.
It doesn’t harm to introduce something new in each game of the franchise. You’ll not only keep the gameplay fresh, you will also create excitement among players who are eager to learn a new twist on their favorite game.
EL The holy grail of suppliers is to develop an evergreen franchise. At that point, a product line dedicated to creating innovative experiences in the franchise should be created. Innovative designs which don’t forget the core experience of players in existing franchise games.
It is impossible to predict what will resonate with players. However, when a successful mechanic is discovered, it should be developed into a whole series while maintaining the original parameters that made the game so popular. Loyal players love things that feel new, yet also safe and familiar. When players lose their balance, they will start to churn.
Designers are increasingly focusing on complementary side features to maintain the evergreening potential of franchise games and boost long-term loyalty.
RubyPlay’s Immortal Ways is no exception. There are a number of new features in development. These include the ability to buy a feature and other innovative gameplay changes without affecting the core gameplay.
SHIt’s important to know your market and what your players want. We can use data in order to see which players are most enthusiastic about the franchise. Then, we can work with operators to make sure that the next releases are seen by these players. Mailers and promotional campaigns are two ways to do this. All of this helps to influence a player’s subconscious when choosing who to play against.
We take player feedback very seriously, as we mentioned earlier. When a player sees that steps are taken to enhance their experience, they will be more engaged and build a relationship.
JPKnowing who your customers are is essential. The ability to sell the right titles to the right players and markets can make the difference between a successful title and one that fails. Blueprint has been successful in building on what is working and making the most of it. Blueprint has achieved this level of market optimization in the UK, with slot series like Luck of the Irish which is now in its third version, while other IPs such as our Kong games are well-known in international markets.
We do not consider market-specific features but instead focus on slot themes, mechanics, and brands that resonate in particular jurisdictions.
