The
online gambling industry is unique in many ways, one being that each
internet casino presents limitless borders. An operator can pack in
as many games as it wants and never run out of space. As such,
virtual gaming floors are the
perfect forum for testing out new game ideas.
In
the last two decades, we’ve seen a lot of new games rise to
ultimate glory. Microgaming’s 243 ways to win slots were a smashing
success! Lottery-style
sit-n-goes,
first
introduced by French operator Winamax in 2013,
revolutionized internet poker. Live
dealer casinos, debuted in 2003 by Playtech and perfected by
Evolution Gaming in 2006, solved the lack of realism in RNG-based
gambling.
Worst Online Casino Game Ideas that Bombed
Not
every game created is an instant success. In fact, just like
land-based table game inventions, the majority of them die on the
virtual gaming floor – some faster than others.
7-Card
Stud video poker was a perfect example. It
made the games
more complicated than they needed to be.
Similarly, 7-reel slot machines failed to attract players, who
found them to confusing to keep up with.
Duplicate
Poker turned players off by elimination the luck factor entirely.
Yes, poker players love the skill element, but without the marginal
influence of the luck of the draw, no one wanted to play anymore.
Those
games were historically bad ideas, but none more so than the three
games I’m about to tell you about. These titles died so quickly,
today’s players may have completely missed their short-lived
appearance.
#1 Showtime Hold’em Poker
Showtime
Poker was an online poker variant introduced by PokerStars in May
2018. It was conceived under the premise that players believed it was
“about time poker players show their folded cards”. At the end of
a hand, all mucked cards would be revealed.
PokerStars
wanted this game to take off like a rocket! They were so enthused
about it that they contracted some of their most
famous pros
to build hype by streaming Showtime Poker tables on their live Twitch
feeds.
There
were two major problems with this format. Pro players hated it,
because it forced them to give away their game play secrets. Amateurs
hated it because they don’t give a crap about seeing mucked cards.
End result – everyone hated it!
#2 Live Casino Slot Machines
In
2011,
the creative minds at Evolution Gaming believed they’d had an
epiphany. Live casinos are a perfect playground for table games, but
they
were
unable to accommodate players of the most popular casino games on the
planet – slot machines. Enter stage right, live dealer slots.
This
bold introduction was
meant to revolutionize
the live casino industry. Evolution
put a lot of thought and detail into its debut, going so far as to
replace virtual reels with actual spinning wheels. A dealer would
host the game, offering commentary and providing live chat
interaction with players.
What
went wrong? Well, slots players enjoy traditional
slot games
for a reason. They like the singularity. They like controlling the
pace of the games. Turning slot machines into a social affair was
unnecessary, uninvited, and unwelcome.
Of
worthy mention, live
dealer slot machines
are attempting a comeback this year, although I don’t expect the
results to be any different.
#3 Virtual Reality (VR) Gambling
This
is one concept most of you will remember. It wasn’t
long ago,
around 2015-16, that the virtual reality movement made
its push.
The
concept was spot on. Throw on a headset and enter a virtual casino
world, where your real-life actions transfer into the virtual realm
in the most realistic digital casino games ever imagined exist!
Yes,
it was quite a concept, but it did not catch on, and for one very
simple reason. The technology necessary, and availability of that
technology, has not yet reached mainstream households. That’s not
to say that VR gambling doesn’t still have a chance in years to
come.
Microgaming
was making mobile games back in 2003, but it wasn’t until 2007 that
the first smartphones appeared. Who wanted to play slots on a flip
phone? No one. Another five years would pass before the mobile
gambling revolution actually gained a foothold, and now, it’s the
number one way to play over the internet, and enjoy all the new
online casino game ideas that developers are constantly spitting out
– the good and the bad.
Cute, cuddly, award winning 3D VR slots experience from Evoplay.
Slot machines have been “raging” with innovation for more than a century. The first drum-based, bar-top games were “all the rage” in the late 19th century. Then it was fruit machines, awarding sticks of gum. Next, video slots blasted onto the scene in the 1970s, followed by internet slots in the late 1990’s. Online gaming slowly evolved into a 3D slot experience, and now, “all the rage” belongs to the fascinating realm of virtual reality (VR).
It’s taken time for this particular fancy to take off. The technology
is there, but far less than a majority of the people own it. And for
that reason, one company has been gearing its digital slot machines
towards a combined 3D and VR experience, and its turning more than a
few heads.
Evoplay’s Award Winning 3D VR Slots, Sprinkles
Evoplay has only been developing online gaming software since 2017, and already its portfolio consists of 60+ interactive titles. Evoplay’s embrace of the latest technology and their mobile-first attitude is spearheading a whole new era of 3D/VR gambling.
In 2018, the company debuted the world’s first 3D + VR slot machine
at ICE. That game, called Necromancer, wowed audiences from all over
the globe. Now, their latest 3D VR release, the Sprinkle slot
machine, is attracting so much attention, it’s harvesting admirable
awards for innovation.
Sprinkle was awarded the Spinnovator of the Year Award
at last month’s Spinnovation Summit 2019, held in Prague. It is a
prestigious award, indeed, recognizing Sprinkle as the industry’s
leading innovation.
This new generation of gaming tech is equally designed to thrill a
new generation of gamers. The panel of judges at last weekend’s
summit were especially impressed with mobile first mechanics,
encompassing beautifully rendered 3D graphics for traditional
hand-held play, and a wholly immersive, 360° panoramic world for
those with VR viewing capabilities.
Evoplay Molding the Future of Slots
“The future of slots is all about creating a gaming experience that
responds to the patterns of behaviour of the new generation,” said
Evoplay CEO Alexander Levchenko. “We’re looking forward to
kick-starting this future and making slots more immersive than ever
before!”
He expressed the company’s “absolute delight” in winning the
Spinnovator of the Year Award, which he described as “one of the
industry’s most prestigious awards for innovation. There is so much
fantastic technology available for development studios to harness,
and the emerging generation of players need an entirely new
approach.”
Sprinkle Slot Machine: Beyond Cute and Cuddly
Like many of Evoplay’s enigmatic themes, Sprinkle carries an extra
terrestrial theme. But these aliens aren’t the scary,
odd-number-eyeball variety. They’re the cutest, cuddliest little
balls of blubber you’ve ever seen. The designers made sure to give
them an extra adorable appearance, with large, sad eyes none could
resist.
These colorful creatures exist on 5×3 reels with 25 bet lines, set in
in a dark, oceanic world surrounded by aquatic flora and vibrant,
underwater mushrooms. The white, crowned blob is the wild,
substituting for all standard symbols. A firefly feature sends
fireflies onto the reels, landing only upon high-paying symbols.
Those symbols become sticky for 3 free re-spins.
New study predicts future of VR online gambling 2018-2022.
Virtual reality, or VR for short, is one of the latest technologies to emerge in the realm of digital experiences. Despite being around for several years now, it’s still considered a burgeoning market with a niche audience. But like many of its predecessors—the computer, the internet, online gambling—it’s one that is expected to take off in the coming years.
VR gambling, in particular, is a market that many believe will become incredibly lucrative over time. Mobile casino games were once a niche market, too, yet now they outrank player access via desktop and laptop computers.
We’ve had access to virtual reality gambling for longer than most people realize. Microgaming debuted the industry’s first title in February 2016 at ICE Totally Gaming, wowing the crowd with its immersive VR Roulette game (pictured left). Soon after, NetEnt began upgrading its most popular 3D slots, like Jack in the Beanstalk, Dracula and Starbusrt, for VR compatibility. Like VR Roulette, VR Blackjack games allow players to reach out, grab chips and place them on the table’s betting diagram, just like a real game.
Predicting the Future of VR Online Gambling 2018-2022
This week, a new research report emerged from HTF Market Intelligence. The study, entitled ‘Global VR Gambling Market 2018-2022‘, utilizes in-depth analyses of this and relative online gambling insights to project the future of this potentially multi-billion dollar industry.
Geared towards “business strategists, industry executives, marketing, sales and product managers”, the study focuses primarily on macro-economic issues in the market. HTF MI details, “influencing factors and key market trends and drivers that are changing the dynamics of Global VR Gambling market.”
What will Drive the VR Gambling Industry?
The report indicates E-Sports betting as the most dominant factor in the market’s impending progress. E-Sports is linked directly to another multi-billion dollar industry—competitive game play of Mass Multi-Player Online (MMO) video games; League of Legends, DOTA 2, Counter Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO), etc.
Countless players compete in tournaments around the world every year, with massive prize pools up for grabs. How massive? The League of Legends 2017 Season World Championship paid a grand total of $4,596,591 in prizes.
As the participants in these games compete for that cash, countless more followers are betting on the outcome, just as they would any traditional sporting event like football, hockey or tennis. HTF MI believes the scope of VR gambling will get a major boost from this arena; more so than any other gaming venue from now through 2022.
Biggest Challenge facing Virtual Reality Gambling
In the meantime, the study details the high pricing of VR headsets as the biggest challenge for growth in VR gambling. There are cheaper models on the market, but they don’t share the qualitative capabilities of their more expensive rivals.
The latest Oculus Rift bundle, including headset and controllers, runs about US-$400. Its more modestly priced Oculus Go, a stand-alone headset, goes for about $200. Comparatively, the HTC Vive headset+controller bundle runs about $500, the ASUS Windows version $400, and the Sony PlayStation VR, with headset and camera, $200 (half its original cost). If you think those prices are moderate to high, how about the HTC Vive PRO HMD Starter Kit for $1400, or the headset alone for about $800?
While those prices might work for some, they clearly detract from what could be a much larger clientele. Just like computers, laptops, smartphones and tablets, VR headsets must become more affordable before the market can expand to mainstream.
Most Notable Trend in Gambling with VR
Oddly enough, the biggest trend in the VR online gambling market isn’t really gambling at all, but rather the opposite. VR has become a significant tool in the treatment of gambling addiction.
Preventative research has shown that simulated environments can be helpful in teaching addicts to recognize triggers and avoid temptation. According to researchers at the Cyberpsychology Lab at Universite du Quebec en Outaouais, VR provides a safe and realistic environment for patients to test themselves.
