Are VR slot machines the future of online casinos?

Still in their early days, VR slot machines have nevertheless attracted some attention in the last couple of years, especially given the fact that leading developers in the slots industry started to adapt some of their hottest titles for the VR experience. But compared to other games released in VR (such as the video games released by Sony for PlayStation), the adaptation of real money casino games like slots to VR is still far from the norm. This poses the question: could VR revolutionize the slot gaming industry in future or is this experience not really in demand?

What are VR slots?

VR slot machines are RNG-powered slots that are played while wearing a VR headset, allowing players to immerse themselves fully within the game and interact with its various features in a 3D environment. In recent years, this was made possible thanks to headsets like the Oculus Rift, the HTC Vive, and Google Cardboard. 

NetEnt has placed itself at the forefront of VR technology when it adapted its popular Jack and the Beanstalk slot for VR. This was followed by Gonzo’s Quest VR and Starburst VR, all of which transport players to a fictional landscape as they spin the reels. Microgaming soon followed suit with its Thunderstruck II, enabling fans of this popular game to experience its powerful visual effects in 3D.

In 2017, the small casino game studio Join Games used a real-life actress to create its Kleopatra VR slot, making her the first woman to star in a VR slot. The game immerses players inside Kleopatra’s Egyptian Palace, and when the bonus scatters are hit, they’ll be able to see the floor beneath them opening up as they are invited to access the bonus game!

VR slots now and in the future

Real money VR slots seem to have had limited success thus far and releases are few and sparse, mostly limited to remakes of already popular slot games. Perhaps the fact that gamblers care more about the wins than anything else may be a reason for this: immersive or not, what players want is a game that pays out decent wins consistently (you can find out why at casinohawks.com). Many are wary of the fact that a VR game may be trying to prolong their game sessions thanks to its stunning effects in the hope that they’ll lose more than they intended! For this reason, as things stand VR has been more successful in the realm of video games and other forms of entertainment.

That said, we are sure that there are many more VR slot releases still in the pipeline, and that advances in technology will keep adding to the thrill of this experience. Who knows, maybe RNG games and video games may even merge together in a futuristic VR game that will take the industry by storm!