It can be difficult for a person or business to keep things fresh in a rapidly evolving world. Especially when they started out when the Internet was just a dream and the word “digital” was closer to a science fiction term than reality. But with some perseverance and the ability to quickly adapt, those businesses and people can maintain relevancy no matter what.
One of the most successful at this ability to adapt is the game of slots and, in a larger sense, casinos. Starting out at the end of the 19th century in San Francisco, slots have been around for quite some time. But despite being around for over a century, the game has remained in the public eye by being available in casinos, arcades, public houses and even on your phone.
Let’s take a look at how the game maintained its relevancy and how we suspect it will continue to do so moving into the future.
Offering Options
Image credit: “Slots” by Ays Be.
The humble slot machine is still popular, but these days it’s grown in variety and accessibility.
As technology allows more competitors to make a name for themselves in every industry, sometimes sheer quantity can help promote recognition. Slots do this as well as any other company or game as there is a bevvy of options that appeal to a wide audience. Somebody interested in playing online slots would have more than enough to choose from with options ranging from folklore and fable-themed titles to variants based on fishing, popular television shows, and outer space.
Not only do these slots come with different themes, but they have different odds, animations, and bonuses that set them apart from each other. Long, colourful lists like this shows customers that they’ll always have plenty of options.
This variance makes sure to cast a wide net and catch the biggest audience possible. It also allows the games to stay relevant according to what is popular with people now and in the foreseeable future. As long as developers can give something to everyone while producing the same engaging gameplay, there will always be interested players.
Convenience Is Key
This applies to any kind of business, but slot machines have certainly done a great job keeping themselves as convenient as the current technology will allow. They do this by being offered on whatever device a customer could conceivably own. Cell phones, tablets, computers, physical machines, and gaming consoles are all fair game for developers as they try their best to market to every possible consumer. Customers want the ease of access to the content they love.
If developers can cater to that, they’re already well on their way to building a lasting repair with interested parties. That’s why slot machines only keep or build upon an existing player base: they continue to be offered on almost all forms of technology. We expect that to continue no matter how technology shapes the future.
Keep It Simple
Along the same lines as a convenience, slot machines make it simple to stay invested in them as they never overcomplicate an already successful formula. While technology can advance society as we know it, that often comes at the cost of complicating what we already know. This splits customers into those who want to adopt the new technology and those who are comfortable with what they know.
Slots get around this by continuing to offer the same familiar game. And even though the simplicity stays, advancement also comes. However, that advancement is explicitly explained to the customer. If you want to play a game with slightly different payouts or more reels, you have that option, but the old is maintained alongside the new. Again, this brings in new customers while preserving the player base that’s already there. We fully expect this to continue when virtual reality makes its when over to online casinos in full force.
Overall, slots are convenient, and simple, and offer a long list of options to their customers. Because of this, they’ve earned themself a solid foothold in the casino market. Plenty of others could learn from the system they’ve set up for themselves.
