If you’re familiar with online gambling, then you might have noticed that the most popular games tend to be the ones that are built around storytelling. This is evident in the selection of games available at the online casino at Mr Q. When we can see a narrative unfolding, we might be interested in what happens next. The desire to find out might, along with a host of other tricks and mechanisms, help persuade us to continue gaming.
When the narrative involves familiar characters from our favourite films and television shows, the experience can be even more memorable. When nostalgia is involved, the effect is often powerful.
Branded Slots and Pop Culture Tie-Ins
As of 2022, around four-fifths of all slot machine releases involve popular licensed IPs. This is a rise from just under two-fifths, just a decade prior.
Over this period, the industry has been booming. Much of the profit has been invested in making games that will appeal to more consumers. The range of popular games has therefore broadened. And, since online gaming has grown in popularity, it’s not surprise that a greater variety of new games is available. It’s cheaper to create a new digital game, after all, than a physical one.
Visual Storytelling and Cinematic Design
Casinos have borrowed a whole series of techniques from the film industry in order to create more compelling, cinematic experiences. This has helped to elevate the game to the extent that it can compete with big-budget television in the battle for our attention. 3D modelling, realistic lighting, and story arcs all help to sell the experience.
Emotional Connection and Nostalgia
When games employ familiar characters and motifs, then they might trigger a powerful sense of nostalgia – the feeling that results from an irreconcilable longing for the past. For example, a game might employ synth-heavy music from a beloved film from the 80s, in order to evoke feelings and memories in those who love the film.
Strategic Collaborations and Licensing
By working closely with the owner of an IP, developers can ensure that they’re remaining true to the product. This can help to keep fans onside, and even persuade them to talk to one another, and to promote the game organically, through online forums and word of mouth.
By contrast, when a game is not true to the source material, it might fail to land in the same way, which can undermine the effectiveness of the product.
