Soft Landing: Will Crash Games Dominate iGaming in the Long Term?
As with all areas of entertainment, the online casino sector will see trends come and go. In the 2000s, for example, branded games based on popular IPs like Marvel were all the rage. But while branded games still exist today, they are arguably not the dominant force they once were. Similarly, Megaways games appeared in the late 2010s, seeing a huge amount of success. Their popularity has proven to be sticky, effectively creating a new sub-genre of casino slots.
Right now, though, the hottest type of game comes under the umbrella of “crash games”. There has been a feeling of almost overnight success with these titles, which you can find at major platforms like DraftKings Casino. But are they here for the long haul? Will they have longevity? It is, of course, difficult to predict what will happen, but we can break down what crash games are all about to give you an indication of why they are so popular.
Crash games are a new type of casino game genre
A crash game is a type of casino game where the objective is to bet on the animation a type of craft – such as a rocket or airplane – that takes off into the air. As the craft rises, the potential winnings rise. The objective is to cash out before the craft flies off or crashes, hence the nomenclature. If you cash out, you win the amount on screen. If it flies off, you lose everything.
The games are deliberately set out in a minimalistic, retro design, not unlike something you would see on a 1980s video game console. The simplicity of everything is a feature, not a bug. You simply place your bets, watch as the craft takes off, and then hold your nerve to try to cash out at the opportune moment.
While that probably does not give an answer to the question of the popularity of the games, it’s worth noting that the simplicity makes them oddly compelling. Indeed, the lightning caught in the bottle element is that it becomes a test of nerve, hovering your finger over the cash-out button in the knowledge that waiting an extra second could mean the difference between a healthy profit and a loss. That simple test of nerve doesn’t really exist with other casino games.
Will crash games evolve over time?
There are dozens of different types of crash games available to play now at major casinos right now, and while they are all somewhat different, the main elements tend to remain the same. The big question is, therefore, whether they can evolve? At the moment, many of the games feel quite similar, and that could potentially lead to a feeling of stagnation after a few years.
But there is also room to use the model of the games as a base case, developing them further with new features and ways to win. That’s broadly what happened with Megaways games, as different developers decided to take new approaches to this style of slot gaming, keeping the premise of Megaways feeling fresh.
For now, though, players are enjoying this nerve-wracking new type of casino game, which has really caught their attention. It’s become ubiquitous at online casinos, and going by its popularity, this new sub-genre could he here to stay
