What Do Experienced Slots Players Look for In a New Slots Title?

When beginner players experience a new slot title, there’s little to no expectation. Whether it’s the theme, the gameplay, the visuals, or the bonuses, everything is met with fresh eyes and fresh mindsets – meaning it’s a lot easier for gaming developers to create the game, ‘hit send’, and watch the title grow in popularity.

Or, at least, it would be if there wasn’t a wide range of players to cater for. While newcomers try out slots every year, there are always the experienced slots players to consider for developers – the ones who have been playing slots for multiple years, to the point where they know exactly what to expect when a new title is released. 

It is these players that developers have to keep in mind every time they release a new slot, 

understanding exactly what experience players will want and how to market the title to them. 

So what exactly do experienced slots players want? What do they look for in a new slots title, and how is it affecting the slots that we all play? We’re going to look at the features of the latest slot titles and find out.

RTP

The first thing to note is that it isn’t all about the game itself. If an experienced player was to look through the casinos.com platform, the first thing they’d be searching for is information on the RTP – return to player – percentage. This is the indicator of how much money has been wagered and what the slot is programmed to pay back to players over time. If the RTP is high, then it means there are better long-term payout odds, which is why most experienced players look for 96% or higher.

Volatility

They’ll also check the volatility. If an experienced player is to try out a new title, they’ll want to measure the risk level associated with it, and whether there are big – but less frequent – wins or small – but more frequent – ones. They’ll then wager this volatility with their own risk tolerance and playing style. For instance, a player who seeks big wins over a long period of time might opt for a high volatility slot, while a player that’s happy with smaller wins, but more consistent wins, will opt for low volatility.

Bonuses

When it comes to the game itself, a new player might try games that look good from the outset. Perhaps they follow a certain theme that they appreciate, or the graphics and gameplay looks more smooth and accessible. 

An experienced player, on the other hand, will start by processing the bonuses. Free spins, multipliers, wild symbols, mini games – they’ll look at all of the engaging and rewarding bonuses that the slot has to offer and then contemplate what the potential increased payouts will be.

Theme & Design

Once the player knows about RTP, volatility, and bonuses, they’ll then take into account the theme and design. Do they like the look of the slot? Does it encompass a storyline or visual that says something to them, or is it outside of their comfort zone? While this is all subjective, experienced players often appreciate well-designed and curated themes – slots that have clearly had thought put into them, rather than developed quickly and, perhaps, haphazardly, to quickly get it to market.

Betting 

The betting range will also be considered. This is the range of acceptable bets per spin, with some betting ranges accommodating high stakes, and some accommodating lower ones. This isn’t just about the money that can be won, of course. Many experienced players know a great deal about slots and how to play the percentages. They put work into working out their strategy and preparing for wins, in the same way that an athlete might put work into getting fit for matches. To get the best out of themselves – and to make the most of that work – they need to find a slot that accommodates both low and high stakes.

Game Mechanics

Next up, an experienced player will always look for games with smooth mechanics and recognisable structures. They won’t often just play one slot and put the phone down, of course. It’s important to play a slot that feels swift, easy, and user-friendly, and then move onto the next one – and this can be greatly impacted by badly developed games with high latency and stuttered framerates. 

Individuality

Lastly, an experienced player has obviously been around the block, so they’ll always look for something new that does something different in the market. Of course, reel structures and pay lines should be familiar, but when it comes to the slot development, something unique or innovative will always be more appealing over something they’ve played a hundred times before. 

You might be wondering just how many differences one slot can have to another, but this is why experienced players know best! There are so many things developers can do to make a game unique, whether that’s through the theme, gameplay, or – more often than not – the game mechanics. And each time they do create something different, rest assured there are experienced players there to lap it up.