Casino researchers have often wondered why the slots appeal to so many players. On the surface, it seems to feature simple and inordinately easy gameplay. Yet the number of slots enthusiasts grows significantly from year to year as new players, young and old, feel the magic of the slots experience.
Game designers work hard to make each slot machine as appealing as possible. The slots feature engaging graphic images and mesmerizing audio tracks. The symbols are alluring and the gameplay features a wide range of interactive features and elements that keep the excitement level high. And, of course, each spin of the reels brings with it the promise of significant, even life-changing, real money payouts plus additional casino bonus gifts.
But, according to recent studies, the success of slot machines lies in the satisfaction that players feel from the gameplay itself. There’s a sense of completion when a matching payline is formed that has made slots gaming the kind of popular casino activity that it has become.
Needs Satisfaction in Play
Today’s slot machine designers develop their slot machines with Player Experience of Need Satisfaction (PENS) in mind. PENS refers to motivation and enjoyment in the gaming world.
The developers base the design on new slot machines based on the understanding that slots players are looking for games that are motivating and which deliver satisfaction based on gamers’ expectations for autonomy, competence, and relatedness.
Whereas once, gamers were drawn by the allure of spinning reels and hopes of payouts and jackpot wins, today, they seek games that provide a sense of completion and accomplishment.
One of the core components that drives player engagement is the desire for completion. Behaviorists have identified the way that humans are hard-wired to seek completion and closure in tasks. That means that developers understand that in order to create a successful slot machine, they need to integrate gamification elements. Structured challenges can lead to the sense of accomplishment that gamers want.
Progress and Mastery
The focus in slots gaming used to be on randomness and chance but today, developers are more focused on embracing features that allow players to feel a sense of progress and mastery. Today’s slot machines are meeting user demand by incorporating narratives and task-oriented challenges that are designed to create a more immersive gaming experience.
Narrative-driven slots capture players' imagination and provide context to gameplay. Games like Primal Warriors, Magic Forest, Buffalo Mania and Cosmic Crusade are not just about spinning reels -- they come with plots that engage players and encourage exploration. Within these narratives are challenges that players see as tasks that they need to complete. These include missions like completing paylines, unlocking levels and achieving milestones.
The storylines tap into your desire for completion. As you navigate through these stories, you’ll experience a sense of progression that goes beyond the simple spinning of reels. Every time you complete a task you’ll be moving close to a larger goal as you build towards a purpose.
Task-Based Features
Quests and challenges have always been a part of the video game world but now the slots world has embraced these features as well. Casinos have found that the task-based slots enhance player engagement.
Developers are encouraged to find ways to reward players for achieving specific objectives including collecting specific symbols and reaching certain bet thresholds. It’s clear that players enjoy the challenge of setting and meeting goals
Reward and Progression
The reward systems embedded in modern slot games magnify the satisfaction derived from completing tasks. Such rewards can take various forms like free spins, in-game achievements and bonuses.
You may feel a heightened sense of enjoyment when you receive rewards for completing challenges which reinforces the satisfaction completion in your gaming experience.
Behaviorists note that the interplay of challenge, completion, and reward aligns with the principles of positive reinforcement. Engaging with task-driven slots causes a player’s brain to release dopamine, a chemical associated with pleasure and reward. The more pleasure a gamer feels from a satisfying gaming event, the more s/he will want to pursue similar experiences.
Future of Slots
As the gaming industry continues to evolve, it’s clear that the demand for more fulfilling gaming experiences will continue to grow. Today’s slots players are looking beyond simple entertainment events. Developers are striving to meet this demand by creating games that offer a structured sense of completion. Designers who are meeting this demand are leading the market as these types of games are featured at both online and land-based casinos.
By offering players gaming events that go beyond the thrill of winning, including captivating narratives and meaningful tasks, modern gaming is seeing a revolution in how it’s able to meet players’ needs and expectations.
There are additional changes expected in slots gaming development – immersive Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality experiences, AI personalization, social gaming and more. But all of these changes are expected to include a more immersive core interactive experience with task completion and narrative-driven adventures.
