Slot Games Psychology
Gambling has always been part of our lives, and slot games are one of the most wanted categories, both in land-based and online casinos.
The continuous development of digital technologies only made them more accessible to a wider spectrum of people, redefining player experience all the time. And not only that, it made all the content somehow tailored to fit one’s personal demands and needs. It’s that peculiar feeling that we can somehow identify with the story from video slot game, its characters, and yet it’s just the reels and some colorful pictures.
We all play slot games, that’s a fact, but why do we do that- and why do some become addicted?
It may come as a surprise, but money is not the main reason for that. Multiple factors are responsible for this, but the secret is in the fine-tuned combination of themes, features, graphics, and music. Let’s delve into the psychology of slot games and find out why we cannot resist them!
Introducing Components of Slot Machines
Our focus here is online content, so we shall be discussing digital one-armed bandits. Before we get down to deeper analysis, let’s see all the elements of online slots.
Those are:
- Random Number Generator (RNG) and volatility (variance)
- Some characters or symbols
- Features (Wilds, Scatters, Free Spins, multipliers, etc)
- Reels with paylines, megaways, or some other mechanism
- Paytable with rules
- Various command buttons
To activate it, you just press spin, no complex strategy or special skills are needed. Or with autospin, you can just sit back and watch the action going on. But when the reels start spinning those characters come to life, thanks to animation, and some excellent tune is heard in the background, altogether creating a highly immersive atmosphere. And that’s PRECISELY the moment where their “secret powers” take over the situation and keep players so attracted and engaged in playing.
What Happens Behind The Reels?
A process of game development involves a whole team of people- mathematicians, designers, sound designers, animators, and many more. They work hard to enter the players’ minds and find out what attracts their attention, and what keeps them interested.
For that reason, the spectrum of topics used in slot games is impressive:
- Fruits and other vintage symbols (sevens, bells, bars)
- Celebrities (singers, actors, politicians…)
- Civilizations and cultures (Egypt, China, Japan)
- Animals and sea world
- Space
- Halloween and Horror, Christmas
These are just some of the most frequently seen, but there are many more. Yes, some of these themes have been exploited so many times, but surprisingly, popular game developments manage to find new angles and present a story from different perspectives.
Of course, the more skillful the team of designers, the more vivid and vibrant those characters are, and when you add cutting-edge animation to it, well you get a true movie-like experience.
And as a final touch- music. Sometimes genuine soundtracks from movies or albums are used, but in a majority of cases, it’s a tune created for the game exclusively and made to add more vibrations to the story. As you can see, this whole universe behind the reels is the one in charge of keeping players interested. But, there’s something else.
Let’s find out what!
The Power of Rewards
The features we mentioned, their role is vital as well, as they are made to add more challenge and unpredictability to the game, to twist and turn its course. You have transparent reels, the ones that disappear, special symbols which add more reels, multiply other symbols, and God knows what else, all for the following purpose:
To make the game more rewarding.
Which is one more reason why people play slot games. By exploring the bonuses through casinos you will notice that a majority of them are connected with slot games- Game of the Month, Free Spins for XY game/ for BTC players/ casino for mobile clients/ for weekends, and so on. With so many opportunities to have some additional spins, and play a bigger number of slot games, how can one resist?
That’s why online casinos do their best to fill their portfolios with as many releases as possible, as they give them plenty of chances to attract the players with various free casino promotions and benefits.
Why People Play Slot Games?
Aside from the immersive atmosphere and rewards, there’s one more reason- because they require no special skills. Pressing the spin button is nothing of complicated science, which makes the game suitable for both newbies and experienced players.
Unlike some other games which DO require thorough knowledge on rules (poker, for example), a slot is plain and simple- all you need to do is read the paytable, place the bet, and spin. But, don’t let that simplicity fool you, it doesn’t mean your brain should go offline.
You still need to pay close attention to your bankroll. Some games come with a specified bet amount per line or spin, whatever, but those which don’t- make sure you don’t act like a big-time player all the time and place some reasonable amounts.
Be smart with your bets, so that you could enjoy playing games for longer periods of time, and you will enjoy this leisure time activity in its best edition. Starburst slot is ideal game for start at online casinos, read review to find out more about winning combinations together with play strategies and claim exclusive bonuses for real money action.
Food for Thought
In our article, we primarily focused on the psychology behind slot games in some positive light, hoping that players know how to stay on the safe side, and avoid becoming problem-gamblers. Because, that’s where all the magic stops, opening door to some dark sides, which are, again, the result of poor knowledge and poor budget management.
As you can see, these spinning reels, music, characters, symbols, and colors have much more behind them than it meets the eyes. Knowing that players’ expectations are higher and higher, developers will keep on pushing the limits and try to exceed those expectations. Think of it as some sort of symbiosis, where feedback from players motivates content providers to come up with more unique and more personalized products.
This Perpetual mobile is the core of gambling and it’s meant to keep both sides happy and satisfied, and bring benefits to both sides. Your main task as a player is to keep it fun and responsible.
Then you can immerse yourself in one more space adventure, join the Viking battles, listen to some cool music, revoke some nostalgic moments with fruity machines, or whatever else you feel like. Of so many slot games, finding the one which is your cup of tea shouldn’t be a problem.
