The Hottest Trends Driving Casino Video Slots in 2024
The world of casino video slots is always evolving, with game developers continually pushing the boundaries on new features, themes and technologies to create engaging experiences that attract players. As we hit the middle of 2024, a few clear trends have emerged for where slot design is headed this year and beyond.
Multiplier Mania
It’s no longer enough for a modern video slot to simply offer free spins or a basic pick’em bonus round. Players now expect to see multipliers galore both in the base game and especially in bonus modes. Multiplier values ranging from 2x up to 100x or even higher are becoming commonplace, often increasing even further through randomized mechanics or by collecting certain symbols.
Megaways and Beyond
The Megaways game engine that allows for up to 117,649 Ways to Win on every spin has been a smash hit since its debut in 2016. Now eight years later, Megaways has gone fully mainstream and is a standard option included in slot portfolios from all the top developers.
But the innovation hasn’t stopped there, as many studios are now rolling out their own interpretations and spin-offs to offer more Ways possibilities than ever before. Look for new proprietary mechanics like Infinireels (Netent), UltraNova (Thunderkick) and Multimax (Yggdrasil) to be heavily featured in online casino lobbies for those who want to play video slots.
Jackpot Hyperspins
While progressive jackpot slots used to be confined mostly to their own siloed game categories, we’re now seeing developers find creative ways to incorporate them into the core gameplay of their regular video slots. “Hyperspins” modes or bonus rounds that give players a chance to win one of several progressives by hitting a special combination of symbols or triggering a lucrative free spin series are starting to proliferate.
This allows for more frequent, albeit smaller hits than the mega million-dollar-plus prizes in traditional progressives while still offering that life-changing potential that jackpot chasers crave.
Cluster Pays and Grid Slots
More and more games are eschewing the traditional payline approach in favour of the Cluster Pay and Grid Slot models. In Cluster Pays, players win by landing clusters of matching symbols instead of paylines, while Grid Slots take this a step further with geometrical reel grids of varying shapes and sizes beyond the usual 5×3 layout.
This opens up room for all sorts of novel mechanics like expanding reels, cascading wins and moving wilds or multipliers across the grid. Expect to see slots become more freeform and visually distinctive as these layouts and formats become more ubiquitous.
Acquisition and Branding Deals
On the business side, the past year has seen a flurry of merger and acquisition activity with video slot studios being the hot commodity for purchase. Heavyweights like Evolution and Light & Wonder have been on spending sprees, scooping up boutique developers like Nolimit City, Big Time Gaming and Red Tiger to add to their internal pipelines and talent pools.
Branded slots incorporating major pop culture licenses from movies, TV shows, celebrities and game franchises are also becoming a more prevalent trend as providers recognize the marketing power these recognizable titles have to attract casual players and slot streamers alike.
The Use of Game Engines and New Technologies
In the early days of online casino slots, most games were built from the ground up almost like starting with a blank canvas. Today, studios are increasingly taking advantage of accelerating technologies like game engine frameworks to produce their slots. Popular engines like Math.Vegas’ Skybox game creator and Wizard Games’ Genie Spin offer templates and tools to streamline production and rapidly spin up new game concepts with impressive visual quality.
We’re also seeing experimentations with new technologies like cryptocurrency integration, NFT integration and incorporation of skill-based mini games or elements into video slots. While many of these innovations are still in the early innings, they hint at the potential for slots to morph into more dynamic hybrid experiences in the years ahead.
An Ever More Social and Streamed Experience
Video slots aren’t just solitary experiences anymore, but are becoming deeply embedded into the streaming and social media culture. Major slot streamers on Twitch, YouTube and other platforms now wield enormous influence, making or breaking games based on their feedback and what their fans gravitate towards.
Online casino developers are smartly courting these content creators for promotions and input during the production process. We’ll likely see slots roll out more features optimized for streaming like multi-viewer bonusing events, more social/chat integrations and mechanics that create addictive, must-watch experiences for crowds.
No matter where the trends take us, one thing is certain – the video slots of 2024 and beyond will be bigger, bolder and more innovative than ever before as game makers push to grab players’ attention and loyalty.
