CasinoBeats has published the opinion of the Head of Games at Kalamba, Andy Sekula, who talks about what the new slot mechanic should be like. According to him, developers should not re-create the wheel and a successful new product is an existing solution with a new twist. Although Kalamba Games is not known for its innovation, the direction of their thinking seems to be right.
Innovation in slot mechanics is about trying to find a balance: something completely unfamiliar can turn players away, and relying too heavily on proven success means you haven't been able to come up with something new.
The challenge is to stick to what players are most familiar with, improve on it, and bring in some newness so that the gameplay feels fresh and fun. And since the mechanics of the game determine the mathematical model and monetization, developing it correctly from the very beginning is the line between a successful game and a failed game.
This position is likely shared by most other developers. At least, the opinion that it is not worth overloading the players with novelty was voiced in an interview by the director of Big Time Gaming. Where he talks about how back in 2017 they had the idea to create the Royal Mint, which has two unique features: Triple Reaction and Heartstopper. However, in order not to overwhelm the players, they decided to launch Opal Fruits ahead of time, introducing players to one of the features, Triple Reaction.
According to Andy Sekula, Kalamba initially offered high volatility slots with complex mechanics that were aimed at a limited audience of slot enthusiasts. But after analyzing the indicators and listening to the comments of the developers, they changed tactics. Now these are initially less volatile games, but with the ability to change the mechanics due to the HyperBet and HyperBonus functions. And it already appeals to a much wider audience.
