For years, slot manufacturers sought out popular intellectual property to license – from rock stars and movies to game shows and classic literature. However, in recent years developers have moved to create lasting brands in-house, offering players new themes, storylines, adventures, and bonus features.
Bull Blitz Rampage and Dragon’s Law Super Fortune are two of the latest, building on successful product lines. Bull Blitz debuted in 2020 and Dragon’s Law hit casino floors in 2013. The two titles now join a line of sequels and add to popular franchises.
“Those are the two newest that we launched at G2E,” Konami Vice President of Sales Enablement Stephanie Lau says. “Bull Blitz Rampage actually launched before the end of August, and it’s just been such a great performer, a great launch series for our Solstice 27 cabinet, really enhancing on the brand of Bull Blitz. We’re excited to bring it forward with added mechanics.”
Some of those additions include a nested hold and spin bonus, which offers a feature in feature chase. Dragon’s Law Super Fortune enhances the original with a bonus wheel, added incentives to bet up, and showcases Konami’s diversity in adding additional reel sets.
Bull Blitz debuted in Australia and exemplifies how a solid in-house developed theme and brand can carry over to other parts of the world. Dragon’s Law incorporates a popular theme as well with popular bonus features that keep players coming back.
“We love the strength of Konami’s original creations and that brand recognition,” Lau says. “We get full creative freedom without additional costs, and it really is a matter of pride for our studios as well. They’re so happy when they see a game is resonating with lots of players. And they think, ‘What happens if we enhance it and we see where it can grow?’”
“We get that freedom to do whatever we want and really make the game how we choose. It’s a lot of fun and it’s also proven successful in the market. So we love it when we strike a really good hit game, and we can keep extending on our own brands.”
Dragon’s Law and Bull Blitz, along with China Shores, have been some of Konami’s biggest non-licensed games. Dragon’s Law has seen nearly a dozen different brand extensions and Bull Blitz has spawned several as well.
“The popularity of that game still continues to grow,” Lau says of Dragon’s Law. “I think everyone loves the dragon flying down and dropping wilds. So you keep the same features that players like, but add some additional enhancements. It’s the same approach with Bull Blitz. That sound of ‘Bull Blitz!’, repeat win and extra hit really brings excitement to the floor. We love the fact that we can build upon the success and extend both brands.”
The development process involves a complete creative team at one of the three Konami studios. Creators pitch ideas for games as well as sequels with new features. That could include taking a look at popular gaming aspects in the market and building on them. One popular new enhancement involves incentivizing higher bets with gameplay advantages.
“You basically feel valued in betting higher on that game,” Lau says. “Incentivizing higher bets has actually been a primary focus in the last few years. Dragon’s Law Super Fortune is a great example. When you bet 88 cents, you play your normal, single reel set, while still getting wheel spins and the triple metamorphic feature. But when you bet up to $1.60, less than double the top of your bet, you get triple the fun with three reel sets.
“We feel that incentivizes players thinking, ‘Wow, I can get three times the value.’ So we want to make sure there are great visual cues to incentivize higher bets. Same thing with Bull Blitz Rampage, with a different type of solution. Instead of requiring six symbols to guarantee the hold and spin feature, you only need five symbols when betting at the nickel or dime denomination and above. We really want to give players that perceived value.”
“Bonus in the bonus” is another enhancement and the name gives away what players can expect. Lau calls this “the extra chase in the game.”
“Everyone is used to hitting a bonus event … but is there something more?” she says. “Can I have a chance to win something bigger? The bonus in the bonus is a feature that happens a little less frequently. That being said, when you hit it, you know you’re going to win something good. We want to make sure that there’s a player journey that invites players to achieve different milestones with unique win sensations.
“For bonus in the bonus in Bull Blitz Rampage, first players have a reaction like, ‘Hey, I hit a hold and spin.’ But within that, there’s an additional layer of anticipation over the white bull symbol. You can see a lot of player videos where that’s a big moment and they say, ‘I got the white bull! I won something!’ It’s an additional chase and an extra layer of excitement. Players know they won something big.”
