The Development of Slot Gaming

Did you know that whenever you chance your luck on one of today’s multitude of online slots you’re enjoying a pastime that’s over 120 years old? That’s because the very first slot machine was invented in California in 1895 by a young and ambitious engineer called Charles Fey who was working for the state’s electricity company at the time.  He named the machine the “Liberty Bell” and, unsurprisingly, three bells on the winning line won you the grand jackpot of 50 cents.

The machine was an instant success and very soon after its launch Fey was able to give up his job and set up a factory producing models in bulk.

Mechanical slots then went on to enjoy around seventy years of popularity and success until in the early 1960 the first ever electromechanical machine called the Money Honey was introduced by Bally bringing about a seismic shift in what became possible.

New features in this next generation of machines included the ability to hold reels, nudge them and even to win free credits as you played. Complex lighting sequences also meant that the machines were even more visually appealing attracting even more players to try their luck. Online casinos such as 888casino are pushing out a great range of online slots that are developed for a more immersive experience.

So when online gaming first became a phenomenon suing slots of this kind as the basis for a new “virtual” kind of machine was the next logical step. However the added possibilities of animation and a more complex range of playing and winning options opened up a far wider range of ways to make the evolving slots even more immersive and involving to play.

So today’s slots may have more in common with video games than they do with the traditional “fruit machines” of old and the way that they are developed is very similar too. There’s likely to be a brainstorming session to come up with possible themes before a multi-disciplinary team set about creating the new slot. There’s likely to be some kind of narrative to the game as well as the possibility of reaching different levels. But, better than video games, the rewards for winning are not simply a sense of satisfaction but actual cash prizes.

As well as the self-contained worlds that some of today’s online slots feature, if you visit any major online casino you’ll find that there are also ones that tie in with movie franchises like Marvel Comics and which also capitalise on real life sporting events. For example Rio 2016 saw a rash of Olympics-themed slots appearing in the late summer.

In terms of involvement and playability, the slots designers are constantly working on these aspects of the games too. By incorporating sound effects and video clips slots are moving steadily into the realms of entertainment and with the rise and rise of virtual reality it seems more than likely that actually getting “inside” a slots machine is surely just around the corner.

But while we may have come a very long way from Charles Fey’s Liberty Bell, one thing has remained constant throughout the history of slots – the thrill that you can’t help but experience whenever a winning line comes up.