Making new traditions – the rise of non-traditional casino content
Nathan Templeman, Head of Marketing at Kingmaker Games, says the only way for operators to truly engage the next generation of players is through crash, plinko and minesweeper titles
Online casino operators are always looking to engage the next generation of player and, until now, this has often seen them adds slots from studios at the cutting-edge of game development. Megaways took the sector by storm, as have the likes of Daily Jackpots and live gameshow formats.
These mechanics and features have allowed operators to revitalise their lobbies with slots and games that put players on the edge of their seats in ways they had not done before. But this was mostly for existing players and despite the broad appeal of Megaways and the raft of mechanics that followed suit, operators have still struggled to connect with millennial audiences.
That was until the arrival of non-traditional casino content. While standard slots have failed to tap into the psyche of those used to playing action-packed, multiplayer games, content that sits at the point where gaming and crypto meet absolutely does.
Crash, plinko, minesweeper, etc – these games are hugely popular in the crypto space and with these player demographics as they combine the formats they are familiar with and seek out, with the option to stake and win. Operators that want to engage the next generation of players must now stock their lobbies with these non-traditional games.
But what makes them so popular?
Ultimately, it comes down to their simplicity. They are incredibly easy to play and are designed to be intuitive so that even if someone has not played the game before, they can quickly understand how it works and start having fun straight away. They are often visually striking and provide gripping gameplay.
Take our crash game, Cash Rocket. It is an exciting multiplayer game where the player predicts how far the rocket will travel before it explodes. Before the game round starts and the rocket blasts off, players are given the chance to place a bet from x1.1 to x200. After the round starts, the cash-out is determined when the rocket’s multiplier hits the player’s predicted bet. Players can eject at any time – if they wait too long and the rocket explodes, they lose their bet and any accumulated winnings.
The social aspect is also a big part of what makes them so widely played among millennials. These cohorts are drawn towards entertainment options that allow them to engage and interact with others, and that is what non-traditional content offers. In Cash Rocket, this is provided via leaderboards that players can track and use to compete with their buddies.
The simplicity of non-traditional content ensures that it delivers a compelling experience on mobile. Again, this is vital when looking to connect with this generation of players who communicate, work and play via their smartphones. More complex slots can chew through bandwidth resulting in lags and disruption to the gameplay. Not so with crash, plinko, minesweeper – these games are super lightweight and can run on any mobile device seamlessly.
The simple nature of non-traditional content means that it can be pushed to existing players who can then enjoy an entirely new online casino experience without having to ride a steep learning curve first. Minesweeper, for example, is a straightforward game of chance that most will be familiar with, especially if there were an early Windows desktop user. At Kingmaker, we like to take these well-known game formats to the next level and with our Minesweeper title, we do this via Treasure Boosts which are stackable – this means plenty of big win potential even from small stakes.
Because players are familiar with Minesweeper, once they have tried the game and seen just how much fun can be had, they are highly likely to try other games in the category. These games really do stand out in operator game lobbies when put side by side with slots – many of which can look the same when based on similar themes – because they use formats and concepts from the worlds of console, computer and mobile gaming.
This is what makes non-traditional content so powerful when it comes to player acquisition and retention. Not only can it be used to draw in the lucrative millennial audiences that so far have proved elusive, but they can also be used to bring new life to slot lobbies and provide existing players with new experiences that promise to be more fun, exciting, and ultimately rewarding than simply spinning the reels on a slot machine.
That’s not to say that traditional slots don’t have a place in casino lobbies, because they absolutely do. But non-traditional content is the key to unlocking access to new audiences while ensuring existing players continue to not only have their expectations met but exceed by the online casino brands they play with.
