Real Dealer Studios' Shane Cotter discusses the groundbreaking new release Volcano Roulette and discusses whether classic table games need to be adapted for today's online audience.
Roulette is perhaps the most timeless casino game. Here's what happened when I gave it a few more balls: And a volcano.
The game we're currently launching is Volcano Roulette, and it's safe to say it's a huge departure from what the industry is used to. The first thing players see is a sophisticated steampunk environment and a roulette wheel with a smoking volcano in the middle. The game's visuals are a few steps ahead compared to typical RNG games, thanks to cinematic RNG technology invented by Real Dealer. Essentially, this means that the game was built on videos produced in the same way as Hollywood movies.
This game looks cool, but what really makes this game stand out is its mechanics. In any round, when a spin begins, one or two glowing lava balls will randomly fly out of the volcano and become part of the action. These extra balls increase your chances of winning a straight up his bet. If a player succeeds in his bet straight up, a special sequence begins where the numbers on the wheel change into multipliers in steampunk style. Then another lava ball erupts and straight up determines the winning multiplier on his bet. These multipliers are as high as his 333x and are applied to all straight bets made in the round. This means players have the potential to win up to 999x their stake.
burst of innovation
The theme of this game was inspired by cinematic RNG. We have great technology that gives us great flexibility. With it you can create surreal games with all kinds of action and place them in any setting of your choice.
So one of our designers came up with the idea of creating a roulette wheel where the numbers would fall, move, flip, and reveal different numbers. All of this is done in an old-fashioned, mechanical-looking way.
We also continually discussed how to improve the process of releasing the ball onto the table. And after a few sessions at the drafting stage, I had the bright idea of incorporating a volcano.
Between the steaming volcanoes and the mechanical behavior of the changing figures, the steampunk theme basically chose itself. Our 3D designers then went to work creating all the mechanical light bulbs, spinning gears, and all these different dials that give the game its character.
some level of familiarity
Volcano Roulette is obviously very different from what longtime players are used to. The challenge when revamping a classic game is to ensure that you retain the elements of the game that players love as you innovate. I think this is the balance that Real Dealer Studios has managed to achieve.
So the question arises whether online roulette needs a change. And the answer is both yes and no. As you can imagine, each player wants a different experience from the games they play. Some people prefer the classics, while others want something completely new.
When this tabletop game first moved into the digital space, it began as a computer animation. It has since been improved, but his animated RNG vibe is still there. Then live gaming came along and gained its own following. But for existing table game players accustomed to the classic brick-and-mortar casino atmosphere, or those just looking for something higher quality, there was nothing there.
Seeing this, we developed Cinematic RNG, which offers a much better online experience with enhanced audio-visual quality and advanced gameplay compared to other table games found online. I wouldn't call this a makeover. It's about getting back to the essence of this game and doing a better job in an online environment.
Of course, some players are looking forward to new developments in the game. The key to meeting these diverse demands from players is having a broad portfolio that spans multiple themes and includes a variety of features. Some are played in a classic style and include a dealer, while others are automatic and include multipliers.
attract new viewers
Where a serious makeover comes in handy is when you're trying to cross-sell table games to a larger player base coming from sportsbooks and slots. However, the challenge here is that each of these two demographics requires a completely unique approach.
For example, to reach sports bettors, we created games tied to real-world sporting events. Just last year, Hockey Fever His Roulette was launched in the run-up to the Ice Hockey World Championship in May. The game was set in a man cave filled with fan memorabilia, with rock music playing in the background. It was everything you could want from a hockey-themed game.
This was followed by Rugby Fever Roulette, which was launched ahead of the Rugby World Cup. We wanted to make this game more personalized for each player, so we built a feature that allows players to choose their dealer and switch visuals and themes to match their favorite team.
Obviously, attracting new audiences was the main focus of these two games. However, creating sports-themed titles also provided an opportunity for our operator partners to incorporate games into their event promotions. So there was also a marketing benefit.
However, dealing with slot players is a completely different ball game. Traditionally, there isn't much crossover between slots and table games. Therefore, we needed to find common ground between the two disciplines. This is where slot-type features like multipliers, collectible features, and unique designs come into play. Cinematic RNG was extremely helpful here, allowing us to create some great mechanics and immersive designs tailored to slot fans.
Recently, we took an even bolder step into the slots realm by partnering with the producers of the hugely popular slots title, 9 Masks of Fire. His version of the legendary game Roulette was an instant hit.
As 2024 progresses, we're confident that even more titles are in the pipeline that will continue to put new spins on classics and drive player engagement. stay tuned!
