How Online Slot Games Have Emerged To Put Twitch Users In A Spin

Taking the time to learn a game like bridge can be a lot of fun. You have the chance to get to grips with a set of new rules, while you can also immerse yourself in both tactics and strategy.

However, once you have had your fill of bridge for the day, you might want to wind down and play something a little simpler – and this is where online slots could come in. It is easy to get started with these games and they also come in all kinds of shapes and sizes.

But, if you are not in the mood to play them yourself, there is another way to enjoy everything that the slots world has to offer. For instance, have you ever thought about watching other people experience them instead?

A phenomenon

This idea might sound odd to some, but the trend of watching people play slots appears to be becoming a very real phenomenon.

Earlier this month, StreamElements published its State of the Stream findings for May 2022, which are based on data from Rainmaker.gg. The report includes a rundown of the top 10 categories on Twitch based on hours watched and slots have entered the list for the first time. The category was responsible for 39 million hours watched, with this equating to a month-on-month increase of 24 percent. Trainwreckstv generated the most slot hours watched, as the channel dedicated around 300 hours to streaming slots in May.

By making it onto the list, slots ranked alongside some big hitters from the gaming world, including the likes of League of Legends, Fortnite, Dota 2 and Call of Duty: Warzone.

Range of reasons

While fans of the online casino world will be aware of the impact of online slots, it is remarkable to see the pastime side-by-side with some major names in that report. So, just how has this ultimately happened?

There could be a host of reasons behind it, but a key one may simply be that the titles are very popular. Mega popular titles such as Starburst by NetEnt and Rich Wilde’s Book of Dead by Play‘n Go are a real mainstay of the online casino world and can be played at some of the best new UK slot sites, such as Playzee. As the list highlights, there are also a number of brands with different offerings such as bonuses and free spins that users can choose from. 

With a good selection of games, mobile-friendly services and fresh designs and themes, it becomes easy to understand the enduring popularity of slots.

Put simply, slots can be based around almost any theme and new games are emerging all the time, so there is always something fresh for players to try. In fact, with so many new titles being launched, people may want to see them in action before playing themselves – and this could be a key factor in the success of slots streaming. Slots also tend to offer short and sharp gameplay, as the action revolves around each individual spin. This may also mean that they are effective at holding people’s attention.

Contrast and compare

But, while there may be many reasons behind the impact of slots on streaming, how does this genre ultimately compare to the others on the StreamElements report?

Unsurprisingly, there are some big names from the world of eSports on there and it is interesting to consider how they often involve playing against other real-life competitors. In contrast, slots action is generally a single-player experience, involving just you and your game of choice. Grand Theft Auto V is also present on the list and it is interesting to reflect on the fact that GTA Online has embraced the casino and slots world in its own way in recent years. Rockstar outlines how The Diamond Casino & Resort features gaming options too, including slots and roulette.

Slots can also be compared to some of the games in other ways. For instance, first-person shooters are featured and they involve action based on the perspective of a specific character. This is similar to slots in a way, as they are designed to almost make you feel like you are sat directly in front of a machine. Of course, FPS gameplay still tends to be a little different, in the sense that the adventures included in such games are often much longer than quick spins on a reel.

Making an impact

Ultimately, it is fascinating to see an online casino activity like slots have an impact on the world of Twitch. After all, this area is so often dominated by and associated with video gaming.

Could we see more traditional casino games make the leap into this space too? While that remains to be seen at this point, these findings certainly seem to hint at the interest in this area.

Photo by Caspar Camille Rubin on Unsplash