Skills-Based Gaming Tech Goes to the Casino

Skills-Based Gaming Tech

Skills-Based Gaming Tech Goes to the Casino

The Mario Brothers, the hedgehog Sonic, an army of intelligent earthworms, zombie Nazi hunters, a sexy plunderer of ancient ruins, and many other characters are familiar faces to the video game generation.

Those born in the late 1970s and beyond had their worlds transformed by a simple console or a floppy disk, and were suddenly able to control the actions of superheros on screen. That generation is now all grown up, and are looking for more adult-oriented ways of keeping themselves entertained.

A few decades ago, going to a casino might have been the natural answer for many gamers who wanted something other than a night in playing Tiddlywinks. However, slot machines, table games and card games do not really cut it for the video game generation. They want more – much more.

The Casino Gaming Industry Responds

If you consider the humble slot machine, its basic design hasn’t changed much in well over a century. Sure, electric lights and, later, video screens were added, and buttons replaced the machines’ famous pull-lever, but other than video slots that included bonus games, slots action remained much of a muchness.

In a bid to attract players from a younger generation than those who remember the days when machines paid out beer or haircut tokens, the casino gaming industry paid close attention to wider gaming trends, as well as to the emerging eSports market.

The answer became evident. The video game generation simply isn’t prepared to give up skills-based gaming, and why should they? It would be like going back to using flint knives instead of laser-cut stainless steel.

Game developers got to work, and soon games reminiscent of those found in arcades began to appear in casinos around the world. Whereas games such as slots, Roulette, Baccarat, and others found at NZ Casinos online rely on chance rather than skill, newer skills-based games require some skill and decision-making on the part of players.

Karaoke - Skills-Based Gaming Tech

Skills-Based Games in Casinos

The skills-based games being produced by gaming software developer are closer to traditional video games than they are to traditional casino games. Apart from many featuring arcade-style controls, their gameplay is totally different to the usual placing of an opening bet and simply waiting for winning results to be produced.

Instead, players have the option of first-person shooter-style games, games in which puzzles must be solved, games that rely on motor skill accuracy, games that require some musical skills, and games that require players to interact with electronic table tops.

The basic mechanics is that players buy into the game, and then shoot enemy soldiers, answer general knowledge questions, sing , or do all manner of other activities to try win real money.

Skills-Based Casino Games and Younger Players

Some critics of skills-based gaming tech being used to develop casino games expressed concerns that such games may attract younger and younger players to gambling. Research carried out by game developers has shown that, at least for the time being, players’ ages does not determine whether they will take to such games or not.

Rather, the research has shown that skills-based casino games are attracting players of all ages from the wider video gaming community. While the greater majority of existing casino players seem more comfortable with traditional games, it looks like skills-based games are fast earning their places in casinos in New Zealand and the rest of the world.