Online slot machines are among the most popular casino games. Therefore, you can constantly see new slot games in every casino. You get the chance to play a different game each time you visit. Well, have you ever wondered how these games are created? What is the development phase of new slots, and what does it include? Below, we answer these questions and explain what happens before a new slot machine is offered in a casino.
It All Starts with an Idea
Have you heard the term “game engine” before? Most PC games are developed using purchased or rented game engines. For example, Unreal is a very popular engine and has been used in many games so far. By purchasing this engine, the developer does not have to deal with any details that will take time and can only focus on the design. For example, if he wants to place a building in the playground, he just needs to decide what the building should look like. He doesn’t have to write a set of code to create that building.
The reason we give this example is that slot games are developed in a similar way. Slot developers do not create a codebase for a new game from scratch. They use codes that already exist. These determine, for example, the number of reels in the game, the winning conditions, and the RTP rates. These types of codebases use advanced programming languages such as C++ or Java and are HTML5 compatible, meaning they can run directly in browsers. The developers only need to make a few simple changes to this codebase (e.g., change the RTP rate), they don’t need to create any of the basic features from scratch.
Therefore, it is enough to decide the theme of the game, the types of symbols, and the bonus features it will have. If the developer does not plan to make an extreme change (such as adding a sixth reel), it is possible to create hundreds of different slots using the existing codebase.
Therefore, it all starts with an idea, and that idea is about what the theme of the game will be. If the design team has decided to use holiday, cocktail and nautical themes, for example, a game like Spina Colada might emerge. After the theme is decided, the interface and symbols of the game begin to be designed. At this stage, the design team prepares multiple templates, and it is decided at team meetings which one will be used.
After the theme and symbols are decided, it is decided which features (such as multipliers, free spins, pick me games) will be included. At this stage, the design team and the developer team work together: the bonus features of the game have to be compatible with the visual design.
The Idea Turns into a Prototype
As a result of these efforts, a playable copy is produced, which is not yet ready to be sent to casinos. This first copy can be called a “prototype.” Software developers also use the term “alpha”. This version is only played and tested by a limited number of people to find out what kind of errors it contains. At this stage, only the developers play the game, so the alpha process is completed within the company.
Once the most obvious bugs have been fixed, the “beta” phase begins. The game is now ready to be played by a limited number of testers. These testers are mostly company employees, and their only job is to play new games over a long period of time and report any bugs they find. How long alpha and beta processes will take is different in every game. Sometimes, these processes can take months to complete. In any case, once the beta process is complete, the game is ready to be played and sent to online casinos.
Say Hello to Your New Slot
Players can see and try this new game on their next visit to the site. Likewise, the demo version of the game is published on affiliate sites and can be played for free. In some cases, a new game can be played on only one site for a certain period of time. This is normal practice for highly anticipated slots, and it is possible for casinos to win new members only with that game. Ultimately, however, the new slot will become available in all partner casinos. Now you know how slot games are developed: when you hit the spin button next time, remember the efforts of the developer team!
