“The only constant in life is change,” said the Greek philosopher Heraclitus, and he wasn’t wrong. Even in the world of gaming, trends come and go, and different markets have different preferences. Regardless, one market proved to be resistant to trends as it has a strong affection for games and slots inspired by comic books. We are talking about the Polish gaming market.
Poland regulated its online gaming industry in 2017, and all sorts of gambling have been on the rise ever since. But while most gamers all over the world prefer to try every new slot that comes around, Polish players stick to one specific theme – comic books. Unlike many, gaming expert Anna Rosak from Poland (read more about her here, is not surprised.
Political and Economical Transition Cause Rise of Batman Slots
“The target audience of Polish online casinos are Millenials, but compared to their peers from all over the world, they have far more specific interests. The force of geeks is strong with my generation,” laughs Anna and continues: “Platforms like 9gag and Reddit are full of Polish young professionals, fulfilling their childhood dreams and collecting comic books, video games, and all sorts of memorabilia that was not accessible to them during the privatization period of the 1990s.”
She refers to the economic and political transition Poland experienced after the fall of communism. At the first glance, this theory might seem a bit far-fetched, but the same trend occurs in many other Middle and Eastern European countries such as Serbia, Croatia, and the Czech Republic. Millennials, now in their 30s, are the Eastern European economic force to be reckoned with. Many of them have high-paying jobs and little to no living costs. They are commonly living in multi-generational households, or in inherited apartments that have been provided by the state-owned companies during communism. They have the cash, and are willing to spend it on taking a trip down memory lane!
This is why online casinos, like the one you can find in Lemon Casino, focus on delivering custom-made gaming categories to Polish customers. They are filled with branded slots, inspired by popular comic book characters. The most relevant ones are those produced by Playtech, a content supplier that scored a deal with Warner Bros, thus becoming the exclusive partner in the production of slots based on the DC Comics heroes.
“The first name that comes to mind is, of course, Batman as he is the biggest guy in DC town. However, gamers in my country don’t hesitate to join Aquaman, Flash, Wonder Woman, and even bad guys like Joker in their slot escapades”, explains our specialist.
Are Branded Slots Worth the Money?
Branded slots, such as those inspired by comic book characters, movies, and novels, usually take the gaming experience to a higher level. Due to elaborate contracts, software suppliers must pay attention to the smallest details. According to the gaming expert, such an approach is often a double-edged sword.
“The good thing is that comic book slots give you something familiar to play, so they are far less intimidating. Take Batman for instance. Every kid knows about the Caped Crusader, the Dark Knight – call him what you want, it is probably one of the most recognizable faces in the world. Such games are more inviting than some random titles you are seeing for the first time”, she claims.
As one of the most negative sides, Anna mentions a lack of creativity. She says that, due to the aforementioned contracts, developers have little to no wiggle room to add something new and exciting, and many such games feel pretty much the same, only with different characters tossed in. Our expert blames executives at movie studios and comic book companies who usually have no knowledge of online gaming, its audience, or features that are currently in demand. That is the main reason why she thinks this trend will come to an end, even in Poland.
Comic Book Games Have Overstayed Their Welcome
“We have to keep in mind that Poland is a fresh and young market with many inexperienced customers who need and want games they will recognize at the first sight. As the market matures and more software companies join, so will the taste change,” Anna predicts. She also said the next big thing in Poland will be slots inspired by video games and e-sports. In her opinion, games with knights, trolls, goblins, and wizards will start dominating the scene, because the popularity of World of Warcraft and League of Legends is reaching sky-high levels.
“LoL, Wow, Assassin’s Creed – people never stop talking about them. If there is one thing that will take comic books off the throne, it’s video games where you can be the hero of your own story,” she concludes.
