When a slot machine strikes gold, developers rush to make more. What drives the popularity of slot sequels and series? This article explores why major developers keep reinventing fan favorites.
Sparking Nostalgia with Familiar Faces
Slot developers leverage pop culture icons and classic stories to tap into players’ nostalgia. Sequels feature fresh takes on beloved characters from movies, TV, video games, and fairy tales:
- NetEnt launched Narcos: Mexico after its hit Narcos series. The new release captures the gritty drama of the Netflix show’s latest season.
- IGT partnered with Sony Pictures for a Ghostbusters-themed slot featuring Slimer, the Stay Puft Marshmallow Man, and other ghoulish characters. The sequel evokes fond memories of classic comedy films.
- Play’n GO produced Rich Wilde and the Shield of Athena, sending the intrepid explorer on new adventures. The Rich Wilde franchise now has over 10 games, each expanding the character’s mythos.
By reinventing stories slot fans know and love, developers leverage positive associations to make sequels instantly appealing. The familiarity entices players to revisit comfortable gaming worlds with such casinos as Stake.
Amping Up Features While Retaining Key Elements
Sequels also introduce features and mechanics that put new spins on the originals. At the same time, key elements remain consistent:
- Pragmatic Play added a 5×7 grid and Cluster Pays mechanic to John Hunter and the Mayan Gods, vastly different from the previous Egyptian-themed edition. But both showcase the rugged explorer, John Hunter, embracing risk for fortune and glory.
- Yggdrasil launched a new take on its popular Vikings series with Vikings – Beyond the North. While prior games used standard paylines, this sequel introduces the new MultiMax Megaways engine for over 117,000 paylines. Yet, it retains the lush Viking world and characters fans love.
- Quickspin introduced Sticky Bandits: Wild Return with a “Back in Town” feature triggering expanding reels up to a 8×8 grid size. This sequel retains the quirky bandit characters but varies the volatility and maximum payouts.
Sequels strike a balance between innovation and familiarity. Developers gamble that adding new twists while preserving key elements will power up profit potential.
Proof Is in the Profits
When sequels strike the right balance, they can become smash hits. Statistics show follow-up editions building on original success:
- 88 Fortunes from SG Digital spawned over 10 sequels, including 5 Fortunes, 1088 Fortunes, and Triple Fortune Dragon. It remains SG’s highest-performing series.
- When Lightning Box launched Dragon Palace in 2016, it quickly became their top-performing game. Their 2018 sequel, Dragon Palace Boosted, then broke revenue records to become the studio’s most successful slot.
- Megaways slots now account for over 20% of Big Time Gaming’s revenue. Their enduring popularity led to officially licensed third-party Megaways games like Donuts Megaways by Blueprint Gaming.
Developers clearly profit from franchising successful slots rather than reinventing the wheel each time. Leveraging proven formulas and franchises keeps production costs down while attracting fans of the original. This makes sequels a smarter investment, especially for smaller studios lacking the resources to market new IPs.
Ultimately, players love revisiting and expanding the gaming worlds they already enjoy. That nostalgia and familiarity drive sequel slots’ enduring popularity. And with such reliable profits, developers will likely keep spinning follow-ups for the foreseeable future.
Big Wins and Sequels: When Popular Slot Games Get Follow-Ups
The success of a good slot machine often leads developers to release a sequel in hopes of reproducing the original’s popularity. Just as movie studios capitalize on box office hits with sequels, slot makers bank on the familiarity of an established brand to attract players.
Sequels tend to build on what made the initial game work while expanding the experience. For instance, a sequel may further develop the original’s theme and characters or introduce new bonuses and special features. The lure of more free spins, multipliers, prize pools, and ways to win entices players to revisit the world they enjoyed the first time around.
Expanding On Established Worlds and Lore
Slot developers face pressure to be innovative while also meeting player demand for more of what they already know and love. Sequels achieve both goals. They transport loyal fans back to familiar settings, stories, and gameplay mechanics which felt like a winning formula the first time around. Meanwhile, fresh takes on those established elements, new narratives, and bonus features make return trips exciting.
Sequel slots often pick up storylines where the original left off, taking key characters on a new adventure. The popular slot Gonzo’s Quest featured a Spanish conquistador on a mission to find the lost city of gold, El Dorado. Its sequel, Gonzo’s Quest VR, uses virtual reality technology to place players beside Gonzo in the Amazon jungle during his ongoing exploits. The enhanced immersion of 3D graphics and surround sound effects intensify the expedition.
Other sequels construct prequels, exploring what happened before the initial game’s events. The popular Irish-themed slot Rainbow Riches spawned several sequels over the years. Rainbow Riches Pick ’n’ Mix traced the fortune-granting leprechaun main character Lucky’s origins. As a young boy, Lucky adventures across Ireland, collecting magic symbols that later become features in the original game. Seeing where Lucky acquired his powers and why those icons hold significance makes playing the classic more meaningful.
Maximizing Hit Potential with Familiar Features
While sequels often introduce new elements, much of their continued success relies on preserving what endeared fans to the first game.
The retention of key visual assets — like main characters, color schemes, and overall aesthetic — triggers nostalgia. Sonically, successor slots may even keep the same sound effects and music as the originals. These familiar sights and sounds prompt emotional connections to players’ positive past experiences.
Gameplay also largely mimics inaugural versions, especially the bonus features and special symbols that proved popular. Maintaining the original math model behind payouts and volatility gives sequels similar hit potential.
For example, NetEnt replicated its blockbuster Starburst slot’s high RTP of 96.1% for the sequel Starburst XXL. Both the classic and expanded versions feature the same diamond, seven, bar, and colorful star symbols that made the inaugural release a hit. While new bonuses were added, the core re-spin feature beloved by fans remained intact.
New Bonuses and Features Entice Fans
While sequels focus on the familiar, they must also bring something fresh to the table. Their primary purpose is getting fans to revisit classic games, but players won’t invest more money and time if they feel they’re just getting a repackaged version of what they’ve already experienced.
Additional bonus features and special symbols provide that extra incentive. Expanding ways to win enhances entertainment and unlocks more payout potential.
Some sequels add or modify base gameplay. While the original Piggy Riches slot had standard spinning reels, its successor Piggy Riches Megaways uses the popular Megaways mechanic of hundreds to thousands of ways to win.
Others introduce new bonus games and special features. Hit sequel Book of Dead unearthed more scatters, wilds, and free spins than its predecessor, Book of Ra. Its high-paying special expanding symbol gives the Book of Dead an extra advantage over the classic.
Various types of features popular with players get incorporated like multipliers, symbol collections, prize wheels, pick bonuses, and more. Jackpots also tend to increase in sequels. Piggy Riches Megaways boasts a maximum win over seven times higher than the original.
Wrapping Up Sequels
In the end, slot sequels try to repeat the original’s success by leveraging popular brands players already love. Staying true to the themes, characters, math models, and features that made the first release a hit provides familiarity. Then expanding stories, bonuses, and special features enhances the experience, incentivizing fans to spin again.
It’s a formula that often works, given many sequels meet or exceed inaugural games’ popularity. Online casinos clamor to offer follow-ups to classics like Book of Ra, Starburst, Rainbow Riches, and Gonzo’s Quest because of their proven earning potential. Players can’t resist the lure of returning to beloved slots for a new adventure that offers even bigger payouts.