When we talk about video games, we immediately think about the hugely popular PC and console titles we spend hours playing in the comfort of our homes, or the mobile games we play on handheld devices. But there is more to video gaming than just traditional-style gameplay.
Online casino suites have gaming at their core. The big difference is, the games are aimed at gamblers and there is less focus on skill and much more on luck. However, players can still take measures to give themselves a better chance of winning, even if the odds are always tilted against them.
Different games, different objectives
Roulette is perhaps the most famous and simplest example of a casino game where the ultimate goal is to win back more cash than you wager. Blackjack, baccarat and poker are also offered by online casino suites while many like LeoVegas also cater for the bingo lovers of the world.
Beyond these games, you will also find a mesmerising number of video slots themed on anything from superheroes and rock stars to movies and TV shows. Whatever your interest, you will probably find a slot machine themed around it.
For traditional gamers, these types of games don’t really fall within their radar. Most gamers have little interest in the gambling side, and if they do, they view it as a completely different pursuit. Having said that, titles such as World Championship Poker, World Series of Poker and World Poker Tour have appeared on PCs and consoles in the past. The big difference was, though, that you played for fun and not cash.
Looking for common ground
And that’s the key here, the developers behind casino and slot games have become fascinated to discover exactly what it is that makes gamers play for hours on end when there is no financial reward in site. If they could replicate that experience in their own video slot and casino games, they would attract even more players who might play for longer.
Pay to play
But would traditional gamers ever pay to play these games? Even if there was a chance they could win some cash? Well, at the height of the arcade boom, players would pump coins into a machine just to access the fun of the games like Space Invaders. They knew that every coin pushed into the slot was only buying them time until they lost all their lives and the game was over. And the better they were at the game, the more time they got for their money.
Today, players spend hundreds, sometimes thousands, of dollars on consoles, equipment, games and accessories for exactly the same reason. Therefore, there is an argument to suggest that if casino game developers can produce games with engaging gameplay that is rewarding from a gamers perspective, but has a gambling element attached, they might attract more traditional gamers to their websites.
At the heart of this is the concept of gamification which has already entered the video slot and casino world. And we expect to see much more of it in the coming years
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