The slots market continues to expand exponentially, and new content is continuing to push the evolution of these games. Ever since Big Time Gaming shook up the market with its Megaways engine, other developers have tried to come up with similar concepts to mix up the gameplay on offer.
One of the best recent innovations is the Connect & Collect mechanic, which is a unique way of awarding bonus features. This mechanic could be set to explode in the years ahead.
Connect & Connect is One of the Best New Slot Features
If you look through the diverse online casino slots on offer, there are countless game mechanics for people to choose from. Along with Megaways, there’s Jackpot King, Clusterbuster, and Locked Up Links. Connect & Collect is a newcomer to the party but could end up being more popular than many of the other options.
One of the most recent games with this nifty new mechanic is Fire Stampede Connect & Collect from Pragmatic Play. The slot features the standard five reels but also has a list of special features on the right-hand side, ranging from 15 Free Spins to Add Wild. Connect & Collect symbols can land anywhere on the reels and stay in place, but players need to join a line of them from left to right to win the bonus that the righthand symbol is next to. This random way of awarding features adds to the game’s unpredictable nature and encourages players to keep spinning.
Looking to Mirror the Success of Megaways
There’s no doubt that Megaways has been the greatest success story in the slots market in the 2020s. Big Time Gaming developed the mechanic, and thanks to its incredible popularity then franchised it to other developers. This is a common occurrence in the gaming industry when a studio makes a breakthrough, and it has been seen with console game engines like the Unreal engine as well.
Megaways has blown up in popularity so much that online casinos now have dedicated sections of their sites for these games. Operators know that a vast number of players are looking for them, so list them in a convenient way. Connect & Collect is new to the scene, but Pragmatic Play may be hoping that other developers will soon want to use its mechanic as well.
Slots Continue to Evolve
Regardless of whether Connect & Collect can match the hype of Megaways, it highlights the fact that developers are still striving to push the slots market forward and help it to evolve. This is good news, as it shows that the games will most likely continue to succeed when new technology emerges.
In 2024, there’s a good chance that virtual reality could start to have a bigger impact on the slots market. With Apple’s Vision Pro release, the technology could boom. Developers may soon start focusing on making new games for the platform. It represents a prime opportunity for invention, and the best ideas could be highly lucrative for studios.
It’s still early days for the Connect & Collect mechanic, but it’s easily one of the most exciting innovations in slots in recent times. It will be hard for it to beat Megaways, but it’s a great indicator of how all studios are continuing to assist in the evolution of slots.
