Later this month, on May 30, Play’n GO will be releasing an exciting new game: Rich Wilde and the Tome of Insanity. A highly anticipated follow-up to the legendary
Rich Wilde and the Tome of Madness; this latest edition to the series promises to build on its predecessors’ impact, taking the online slots experience to the next level, through leveraging innovative new game mechanics and features.
We spoke with George Olekszy, Head of Game Retention at Play’n GO to find out more about what it truly takes to create a popular, fan-favourite slots series.
George gave us an exclusive insight into the inspirational source for this new game release and, crucially, explained how Play’n GO deploy innovative features to keep their players engaged going forward.
This game has such an exciting title, does it have a storyline to match? What sort of journey can players expect to be taken on?
“The story is very much a key part of this game. In ‘Tome of Insanity’, Rich Wilde is being hunted by the creatures of the deepest dark. His objective is to escape with the invaluable artifacts contained within, before he is deprived of his sanity. The exciting features in this game compliment the story very well.”
This new game is the sequel to an already very popular slots title. What was the inspiration for this and how can you ensure that it will be just as popular as its predecessor?
“The inspiration for this game was the desire to continue from where we left off in ‘Tome of Madness’, a very exciting story in its own right. ‘Tome of Madness’ was such a big hit with our player base, it only felt right to add another chapter to this great story. Like most of our sequels, we ensure the popularity by staying true to the core elements of the game that players enjoyed so much – and then enhancing the already existing features that players loved.”
Does the game have any innovative new features and how will this help operators to keep their players engaged?
“One of the most exciting features in the game is the damnation-free spin. While it will look very familiar to players, with the added feature of a win multiplier the mega wild symbol. The symbol takes the form of Yog-Sothoth, and appears as a 2×2 mega wild symbol, which can then apply a x2, x3, or x4 multiplier.”
Play’n GO are widely considered as the pioneers of grid slots. Why are these types of games so important? And what role do they play in the wider iGaming industry?
“Grid slots are very important. They offer something very special indeed. Innovation is key in our industry, and we pride ourselves as innovators. It’s important to offer players variety, especially in this day and age where they have so many different entertainment options.”
The Play’n GO portfolio is filled with exciting titles across many different themes, with many of these IPs becoming sprawling fan favourites. How do you decide which ones to develop into a series and can we expect to see more sequels being released in the future?
“There are many elements that can decide if a game is turned into a series. It can sometimes be down to the popularity of the original game, other times it’s if we believe there are strong characters, or stories, that need to be continued.
“Ultimately, it comes down to making what we believe is going to provide our players with the most exciting and entertaining online casino experience. You can definitely expect this theme to continue in the future. And we’ll have further sequels launching later this year.”
Editor’s Note:
After speaking with George, it’s clear that creating a blockbuster slot that will resonate with the players is just as much about the storyline as the game mechanics.
Being able to take your players on a fun journey is absolutely critical to maximising engagement.
The introduction of grid-style slots is a game changer. This modern game innovation is very different to the traditional slot game. They offer much more dynamic play, are fast-paced and many have the cascading element to them, which has the player anticipating what’s coming next.
We can’t wait to see how the industry reacts to this game once released. But if its predecessor is anything to go by, then you can expect Play’n GO to deliver another hit!