Storytelling has long been a successful design element built into video games, creating a more immersive gaming experience and driving emotional engagement. Playing games as a character with quests that are built around storylines and narrative layers, draws players deeper into the game environment and progressing through a story provides a reward loop to keep players motivated.
The concept of storytelling has also become a popular design theme across iGaming, with stories built into slot games, for example. Instead of simply spinning reels in a repetitive loop, adding a story behind the spins drives higher engagement. Games such as Book of Dead incorporate stories from Ancient Egypt to build an adventure that players become emotionally connected to.
Rather than hitting spin and being focused purely on the outcome of the spins, playing within a storyline motivates players to find out what happens next. The more spins you take, the closer you get to a conclusion, and in many games players can make decisions that will determine how the plot plays out. You can advance through levels and unlock bonuses that are linked into the story and this is a more interactive way of playing slot games.
Online casino game developers are investing heavily in identifying new ways to keep players motivated and engaged, using storytelling as well as many other game mechanics to increase engagement levels.
These are some of the ways that storytelling and game mechanics are shaping modern iGaming:
Gamification
Leaning into the success of video gaming’s level progression structures and leadership boards, many casino games have incorporated gamification to drive higher motivation levels for players. While playing slots repetitively can soon become boring, if players see that they are close to reaching the next level or are being rewarded with free spins for loyalty, they stay engaged for longer.
Playing traditional slots used to be a very solo gaming experience but today’s slot designs have social elements, including leadership boards that increase social engagement and provide an extra level of motivation to gain social recognition from other players.
Rewards
Reward systems play a critical role in maintaining player loyalty and combining these rewards with storytelling has an even stronger impact. When players are given free spins and multipliers, they feel rewarded for their playing time, even if they are not seeing significant wins. They get to play the game they enjoy for longer and increase their chances of winning, without using their own funds.
Online casino game providers know that the competition is fierce for attracting and retaining players, so they have to offer competitive bonus packages. No-deposit bonuses are not as common as deposit matches, for example, but the casinos who do offer them can attract new players who are hesitant about whether they want to part with their own money. No-deposit bonuses give people the chance to try out games with no risk and then they can decide whether they enjoy it enough to start playing with real-money.
The Impressario Casino no deposit bonus is a great example, offering 60 free spins without requiring any deposit to be paid. The platform does also offer a welcome package with a deposit match and further free spins. But for that first step into playing casino games, the no-deposit bonus allows the players to experience slots, see how the game mechanics work and then make an informed decision over whether it is a game they want to continue playing.
Virtual Reality casinos
Storytelling can be further enhanced with the addition of VR headsets, allowing players to walk around a casino and step into the game. For many people, the ultimate gambling destination is Las Vegas but a trip costs a huge amount of money. VR casinos offer the next best thing, mirroring the real-life casino experience in famous Las Vegas casinos, even capturing the atmosphere with machine sounds and interactions with other players.
While VR casinos are still at a relatively early stage of development, over the next few years this type of iGaming experience is expected to become more popular, with operators working on designs that will make these experiences as immersive and realistic as possible.
This will also help to attract new generations of players who are familiar with playing VR video games but want to try out a casino experience to see if the excitement of VR casinos appeals to them. Having avatars in VR games fits into the storytelling theme, with players becoming emotionally attached to the achievements of their character.
With technology advancing at rapid speed, this is only the start of the journey for iGaming developments and the next few years will be an exciting time for casino players to experience more innovations that make games even more thrilling.
