Is the slot floor increasingly feeling like deja vu to you when you walk around? All these games and themes look awfully familiar…
How come they have like 10 different versions of so many games nowadays? Like Huff N’ Puff, etc.
Brian L.
Like other forms of entertainment – movies, music, etc. – trends tend to exist, and when they do, sequels and lookalikes are inevitable. Pot games continue to show up all the time because other pot games have been very successful. Asian themed games show up regularly because they tend to do well.
Lightning Link was a success for Aristocrat so they launched Dragon Link. Then Dollar Storm. Then Lightning Dollar Link. Then Dollar Storm Mega Grand Link. And then Phoenix Link. And that doesn’t count all the other similar hold and spin style games that are out there.
Wheel of Fortune has had more than 250 distinct variations since the series began more than 25 years ago. The list goes on.
There’s three main reasons why these variations tend to happen.
Players Play What They Like
If you’re one of the many players who loved the original Huff N’ Puff, you’re going to try Huff N’ More Puff. And fans of the series are happy to keep giving successive games a try as well. The new wrinkles and variations keep it fresh for players. Ultimately we play them, and that is always a primary reason to see these pop up.
Casinos Are More Likely to Buy Recognizable Brands
If a casino has Lightning Link on their floor and it’s been doing well for a long time, they’re going to be open to Dragon Link and so on. Familiarity to those buying the slots is often a helpful way to get casinos to buy the next game in the series when it comes out.
Slot Makers Can’t Take Big Risks on Everything
A game series like Huff N’ Puff comes along because the original catches players’ imaginations, but they can’t take a risk on new games every time. So there will always be some games that are extending an existing brand or game mechanic (or both) to lean into what’s worked for them.
Most players don’t realize that some percentage of slots that get developed never are released, and a percentage of those that are will fail. This is no different than movies, music or other forms of entertainment, but it means it’s an expensive process, so you need some relatively surefire hits to ensure a successful business.
Takeaway
Ultimately we see lots of versions of some themes because they are successful. Players, casinos and slot makers are all on the same page – they’re played a lot, they’re seen a lot and they get regular new themes.
Fortunately with hundreds or thousands of slot machines on each casino floor, there’s plenty of choice even with all the variations if you would prefer to play something else.
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