Interviews
HungryBear – real-money Slot Masters Q&A
In the dynamic online gaming sphere, HungryBear stands out as a true trailblazer, spearheading innovation in game design and development with its Slot Masters product. Hailed as the very first multiplayer slot game on the market, it is now set to further revolutionise the online casino sector with an upcoming real-money version, alongside a peer-to-peer mechanic that will allow players to go head-to-head with their friends as they battle for prizes.
Here Justin Chamberlain, HungryBear’s CEO, delves into the development journey behind the upcoming real-money Slot Masters and discusses how it is set to change the face of slot gaming in exciting ways.
Why is there such demand for multiplayer slots right now?
I’d like to think that the buzz and discussion – which there is a lot of – is primarily being driven by us. I’ve seen a lot of people popping up on different podcasts and in different interviews talking about multiplayer being the future, and a lot of people are promising that it’s coming. But, as we sit here right now, we’re still the only multiplayer slots offering in the space.
We’ve established the genre and proved that there’s appetite from the player. We recently hit 1.6 million unique players across our network in 12 months, and they’ve played approximately 1.3 billion spins. I’ve insisted from day one that single-player slots have a limitation – certainly demographically, as younger audiences have grown up playing multiplayer games such as Minecraft and Fortnite. For people up to 25, maybe 30 years of age, all they know and all they want to play is multiplayer, and I think that translates to this space now.
Let’s look at Slot Masters itself as a product. For those who aren’t familiar with it, how does the concept work?
At its heart it’s still a slot, so a slot player is going to understand the game when they first start playing. It’s a set of reels, they spin and you collect points instead of cash, as it’s not real money yet. That was a really important, fundamental piece of bringing this product to market after 20 years of developing slots. One thing I’ve learned is that slot players don’t like a game that doesn’t look like a slot. You can build a game on a slot engine but if it doesn’t look like a slot, typically, they won’t play it. We came to market with that principle at the forefront of our product.
On top of that, it allows for three players to play together and instead of all passively spinning and scoring points upon a leaderboard, Slot Masters allows players to steal points from each other in a timed, typically two-minute window. For example, me, you and somebody else would join a game together, with two minutes to score points. We’ve each got an equal number of weapons available to us – I can bomb your points back to zero, or I can steal your 10,000 points. You can steal them back, raid half your points, or freeze game windows.
Ultimately, it’s still a slot, but it takes those competitive, gamification elements and brings them into play – and that is exciting. Where we’re heading in the future is building a real peer-to-peer game, where I can invite you and a friend to come and play in one game together. That “playing against a friend” element will take it to another level.
What’s the challenge in making that a reality? Does it require a change in the product development process?
It’s in development right now. What we had to bring to market first was a really simplified version of the product. The game was originally designed around ten years ago, but we couldn’t bring it to market then as processing power in mobile phones wasn’t strong enough, and it just wasn’t possible. We took Slot Masters back off the shelf around two years ago and decided right now is the time to do it. There wasn’t a demand for multiplayer ten years ago, but what we had to bring to market was the easiest, simplest version of this product, and that’s what you see on Ladbrokes and other sites.
There’s no risk to the player – they enter for nothing and get the chance to win free spins. The next step of where we’re headed is that product in real money, and peer-to-peer. That’s in development right now. We’ve overcome the biggest challenge so far, and that was just the initial step of bringing a multiplayer product into a live environment. It doesn’t matter how good your product is in internal tests – you don’t know if it’ll stand up until you put it live with an operator.
Today, there will be between 35,000-40,000 people playing Slot Masters. We have to learn how to stand up to that volume, because each one of those players on average is playing 12 times a day. All of these games are happening simultaneously, and our servers can be absolutely hammered by database requests and so forth. Learning how to do that and deliver a stable solution for the operator is the hardest part. Moving that to real money is relatively simple in comparison – the biggest challenge is certification, and then moving that to peer-to-peer isn’t a huge step.
You have a sportsbook version of Slot Masters live with Ladbrokes – Clash of the Day. How is that being perceived by bettors instead of typical casino slot players?
Really well! The original idea behind that product came after the sports betting team at Ladbrokes approached us. They’d seen the success on the casino side, and it was pitched as an opportunity to put a slot game in a sportsbook setting for the very first time, which typically they don’t do. We went into a pretty substantial six-month development period with that team to make the product fit their fanzone system and appeal to the typical sports betting punter.
One of the most unique things about Clash of the Day is that you get to play as your Premier League team. When you become a Fanzone member on Ladbrokes, you tell them what your chosen team is and play on their behalf. We took that a step further with OPAP in Greece, where they wanted a certain leaderboard system – so not only do you play on behalf of your team for daily prizes, you also play on a second leaderboard to help drive your team to the top.
That’s one way we’ve moved our product into a much bigger part of the industry. We’ve only just gone live with these versions, but they’re going to be a very big part of our sales for next year. Football is only one skin of this product, but we’re talking to a lot of people in different jurisdictions about re-skinning it for basketball, American football, ice hockey and so on. I think it’ll be a big one for us next year, because of the amount of permutations we can drive off the back of that.
In terms of a real-money version of Slot Masters, is it a case of working alongside game studios and their IPs, or are you developing your own content around that?
The main deal we have now is with Blueprint, which is just beginning to bear fruit. We’re readying a launch in December with a big tier-one operator who I won’t name yet. The real money version will bleed into those IP deals, but at the moment, the demand we’ve had from operators is purely for the real-money version of the product because it is working so well as a free-to-play acquisition engagement tool. We know the players are there, and we know they engage every day, so the operators and HungryBear are all very confident that once we’ve got a real-money version, they’ll convert to spend on that same product.
We now have the green light from GLI (Gaming Labs International) that the Slot Masters version we submitted to them for testing is compliant with UK regulations, so we now know that we can bring the product to market. We’ve pioneered and led with free-to-play, and we’re still the only offering in the market. We’re now working on the real-money build for this game which is really exciting.
Africa
SmartSoft’s expertise and future vision for the African market
In recent years, the online gaming landscape has witnessed a surge in innovative and engaging titles that capture the interest of players worldwide. Among these, first ever flying crash game by SmartSoft – JetX emerged as a standout game, particularly gaining substantial traction in Africa. This article provides an in-depth examination of JetX, a popular online crash game, and explores the expertise behind its creation. By focusing on the game’s features, the developer SmartSoft Gaming, and insights from an interview with the Vice President Commercial, we aim to highlight the factors contributing to JetX’s success and its impact on the gaming industry.
About SmartSoft Gaming
Founded in Georgia in 2015 by industry experts, SmartSoft set out to create a one-of-a-kind casino games provider that offers high-quality gaming experiences worldwide. By combining interactive features with captivating visuals, we blend gaming and gambling to deliver more engaging, entertaining, and superior experiences. Our mission is not just to attract players but to enhance their enjoyment.
To gain further insights into the development of JetX and the vision behind its creation, we spoke with the Vice President Commercial of SmartSoft.
Rusa Javakhishvili Vice President Commercial of SmartSoft shared insights and analytics from African countries, and outlined future plans. Rusa joined SmartSoft two years ago as Head of Finance and Strategic Projects. In early 2024, she transitioned to the commercial side as Head of Account Management, and is now Vice President of Commercials, overseeing several regions, including Africa.
What was the general concept and inspiration behind JetX?
In recent years, the online gaming landscape has witnessed a surge in innovative and engaging titles that capture the interest of players worldwide. Among these, JetX has emerged as a standout game, particularly gaining substantial traction in Africa. The main concept of the game is that it is easy to play, the player is involved in the decision as much as possible, it is fast and within the fast-paced world we think that it delivers exactly what players need for an enjoyable experience.
How does JetX differentiate itself from other crash games in the market?
At SmartSoft, we appreciate our relationships with partners, it’s very important to us. We constantly think and work to create a valuable product and maintain strong connections with them. SmartSoft’s portfolio includes a diverse range of online casino games, each designed to offer unique features and interactive gameplay but JetX is the literal gem!
JetX is an online crash game that combines simplicity with excitement, offering players an engaging betting experience. This dynamic gameplay requires both luck and strategy, appealing to a broad audience seeking quick, high-stakes action. JetX stands out due to its user-friendly interface, real-time gameplay, and mobile compatibility, making it accessible and enjoyable for players on the go. Its growing popularity in Africa can be attributed to its exciting gameplay mechanics and the potential for significant winnings.
What strategies did you employ to ensure JetX appeals to a diverse audience, particularly in Africa?
When we expanded into the African market, we knew it’s a big and diverse region, so it’s important to understand each country individually instead of seeing it as one market. With our partners’ help, we’re working hard to learn about each country’s marketing practices and what types of games people enjoy. It’s a challenging task, but the African market is a top priority for us, and we’ve allocated resources to quickly build our knowledge in this area.
How has JetX been received by African players compared to other regions? Are there any notable differences in player behavior or preferences?
The African market is one of the most interesting and significant for us, and we believe it has great potential. It is a highly dynamic and exciting market, where players are exposed to a wide variety of games. Their enthusiasm for diverse content gives us inspiration and motivation to create games specifically tailored to their unique preferences and needs. Moreover, they are quick to engage with new releases, eagerly embracing fresh content when it aligns with their tastes and expectations. Although Crash products were introduced only recently, they have quickly become a favorite among consumers. We expect this trend to continue growing.
How do you assess player feedback and incorporate it into ongoing game improvements?
This is a crucial aspect for us. That’s why, in collaboration with our partners, we consistently review key feedback on our games and strive to incorporate it as much as possible into new versions. We strive to bring enjoyment in everything we do – whether it’s in our work environment, or for the end users. Our goal is to delight both the customers and ourselves with our work. Therefore, we integrate gaming’s fun elements into gambling to maximize enjoyment. This approach fuels our drive to innovate and create playful experiences, redefining the gambling industry and making it more entertaining;
What future developments or updates can players expect for JetX?
Our product has undergone numerous changes since its inception, with many more improvements planned. These changes are aimed at delivering the best possible user experience for players while ensuring the product remains of the highest technical quality.
How has the success of JetX influenced SmartSoft’s approach to game development?
JetX, the first Crash game created in 2018, holds a special place as one of the company’s most beloved titles. Its global popularity is evident, and we’re thrilled that players enjoy it. At SmartSoft, having a diversified portfolio is crucial, which is why we release new games every year. As pioneers in the Crash genre, we ensure that we continually expand our offerings. Our goal is to provide players with a wide range of high-quality games they can trust to deliver an enjoyable experience.
Interviews
Slot Saturation – Q&A w/ Qianqian Liu, Senior Art Director at Gaming Corps
What are the defining visual features of a Gaming Corps slot?
We pride ourselves on the diversity of the look of our slots, we have three distinct styles that are all used to target different demographics. Firstly, Classic, this is a style which usually is also described as retro and some people would even say dated, we prefer nostalgic! But there is a player base who get great enjoyment from slot games like this. The second is Modern, this is a style that is sleek, shiny and incredibly high-fidelity with assets that look polished and could be very much suited to being hung up in a modern art museum. Thirdly is Stylised, this is a style that is completely entirely dependent on the theme, maybe a comic book style or similar, but it emphasises artistic freedom which is important.
All three of these are what makes Gaming Corps a unique slots provider, catering games for all types of target markets.
Where do you look for inspiration when designing an online slot game?
Different inspirations appear for different themes, if it is classic then an old fruit machine down a pub could be the inspiration. If it is a modern slot, then we like to refer to some modern day mobile apps that are more casual to play. The beauty of stylised is that the inspiration can come from absolutely anywhere but usually it can be something that the artist is personally interested in, such as comic books or anime.
How does Gaming Corp manage to distinguish its titles from others on the market?
We focus on iterations and high quality standards, we will start from a basic concept and iterate and iterate until the asset is exactly what would be expected of the target audience. We get feedback from customers as well to help hone in on a particular style that we are aiming to create.
How do you manage to keep repetitive themes (Egypt, classic, Greece and so on) interesting?
For these, it is all about combining the innovative mechanics with a unique spin on a narrative that has been re-told before. Of course if you are to create an Egyptian theme you should still recognise it to be fundamentally Egyptian with its gods and its hieroglyphs. But is there a way to put the spin on the narrative that ties it to the mechanic that has not been done before. It is important to do market research to find common thread that you can capitalise on but also things to stay away from.
What impact does localisation have on game development from a visual perspective?
Localisation of Gaming Corps is super important to us, we sometimes want to create games that can be tailored for a particular market. Especially when working with casinos for bespoke content. For example, we created a game in 2023 called “Ramen Puzzle” which was launched with a casino partner in Japan. It was very important for us to nail the anime style that suited this market and it was a core part of the development cycle to research, develop and iterate on our designs to perfect the style.
Another recent launch this year was Samba Soccer, a crash product that was created with Brazil in mind. It had a stylisation that suited popular games in that market but also a theming that set the game in Rio de Janeiro. This visual combination allowed the game to be hyper localised to this market.
What future trends do you think are going to impact the look and design of online slot games?
More and more over the years, the target demographic has moved away from playing on desktop to playing on mobile, in particular on mobile portrait, so we will always feel as if designing with a mobile-first approach should be at the forefront of what we do at Gaming Corps. This I believe will continue to trend upwards. This has a big impact on the way that slot games look and feel, there is a small space with lots of elements fighting for room so it is important to be very clear with Product Owners on what are the most important elements of the slot game.
Interviews
Safety First: Slots Temple Q&A
For a company that has begun to blur the lines between affiliate and operator, social responsibility remains the ultimate watchword for Slots Temple, says CEO Fraser Linkleter.
How important is social responsibility to the affiliate side of Slots Temple’s business?
We began life as an affiliate business that offered free demo games and slots tournaments (and we still do!). This allowed us to build a highly engaged base of players that genuinely loved playing slots. From day one, we always put social responsibility at the heart of everything we did.
We always believed that an entertainment-driven socially responsible gaming experience created a sticky player-base that trusted us and created better quality traffic for our partners.
Has tightened regulation of the gambling industry over the past few years impacted affiliates’ responsibilities towards its users?
Definitely. Affiliates deliver an estimated 30% to 50% of acquisition to operators in the UK, and while the sector is not directly regulated by the UK Gambling Commission, these numbers demonstrate that the responsibility to protect players from harm should be shared.
Increased regulation over the past few years means that operators, rightly, must be more cautious about choosing their affiliate partners. Ultimately, as affiliates, we must accept the responsibilities we share as part of the gambling supply chain.
The reality is, while affiliates are not directly regulated, the standards to which operators are held by regulators are passed on to us through our partner contracts. Affiliates that do not comply with these standards will struggle in this climate because operators will only work with the partners they can trust to behave responsibly. So social responsibility has become not just an ethical consideration but a strategic business decision too.
In 2022 Slots Temple received a license from the UKGC which allowed you to offer paid tournaments and real-money slots. Has this changed the way you think about social responsibility?
Social responsibility was always a big part of our business model, and our UKGC license was a recognition of that. Of course, offering real money games means that we are held to the same high standards as all licensed operators.
That means KYC, deposit limits, timed reality checks, affordability checks, self-exclusion options, and so on. But for us, it’s about more than mere compliance. Our model has always been about being a safe destination for fun play and prizes. As I say, we’ve fostered this community of slots fans who trust us and it’s important that we maintain that trust through the way we operate.
Ultimately, the license allowed us to offer our player-base more choice. First, that was free-to-play tournaments with cash prizes, and then low-stakes paid-for tournaments with bigger prizes, plus real-money slots.
So, your experiences as an affiliate have made you a more socially responsible operator?
Yes, because it has helped us understand what our players want. For example, we believe safer gambling is about smaller deposits. Where we offer cash play, it’s always small buy-ins and small bet sizes. There are tournaments for 1p, or you can play for free in UK tournaments, all with real cash prizes.
We also think it’s important to educate players about the games we have on site. For example, we clearly display the return-to-player (RTP) and volatility of the game customers are about to play before they are able to access the game.
It’s about being on the side of the player – whether you’re an affiliate or an operator. Ultimately, we believe that an entertainment-driven, socially responsible gaming experience will foster a loyal, trusting player-base.
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