Opening Thoughts
Slot game design companies have attempted to find the quintessential genre and theme that will lead them to brighter, golden pastures. While many of the top slot providers have been able to create games that resonate with an audience, some themes have grabbed the imagination more than others.
The Appeal Of Mythology In Slot Gaming
Mythology, as a broad scope that also includes Greek, Norse, and Roman mythology, is undeniably one of the most popular themes. It has been so for as long as I can remember, and my expertise and interest in the slot gaming world date back nearly 20 years.
Although all of these games can boast a vast audience, they are Egyptian-themed games that have been able to stand out from the rest and appeal to casual and hardcore slot games alike.
The highest-rated slot gaming sites will often have a decorated selection of all themes. It’s not just the best gambling sites that ensure gamers have the broadest scope of games to choose from. Even casinos just starting out and aiming to reach the level of some of the best gambling sites will start by implementing the most popular themes—it’s an obvious starting point.
This approach means Egyptian-themed games are saturating the market, even amongst an ocean of other themes and genres – but why are they so popular? Well, here are a couple of our theories.
Genre Of Choice For The Big Hitters
Slot gaming has a select bracket of mega names that ultimately dictate the sector’s direction. Sure, there’s the odd game that pops up from a provider that nobody has heard of, but usually, the top games are the brainchild of mega names such as Microgaming and Pragmatic Play.
Pragmatic specializes in slot gaming software and is a mega name in the world of live gaming software. While live gaming software is more in tune with traditional games that require live dealers, a mythological element has still seeped into some of the games designed by some of the premier names, including Pragmatic and Evolution Gaming.
The top names in slot design do have their own approach to game design, but, more often than not, they will allow their customers to provide feedback about which genres they most enjoy. It’s a two-way street. So why have Egyptian slots, which, on the face of it, seem like a completely random theme, been able to enjoy so much widespread success and continue to grab an international audience?
Let’s not forget that Ancient Egypt has been the influence behind some huge Hollywood hit films and TV series – so the idea that it would be able to establish itself as one of the top slot themes is not as farfetched as some might think.
More Realism In The Mythology?
Ancient Egypt has always been a point of interest for slot gamers as it skirts the fine line between mystique and authentic history. Many Greek mythology games are inspired by the Gods and mythical beings. While this is still interesting and has a market in Greece for those who still worship the Greek Gods – it doesn’t quite have the same impact in slot gaming.
Millions of casino gamers seem to be struck by the realism in Egyptian culture and history, which dates back thousands of years. The games often concoct a blend of historical figures like Tutankhamun and ancient Gods like Anubis and fuse it with a desert setting.
Desert Setting & Intriguing Artefacts
Sunny, crisp backdrops, golden sands, or temples laden in hieroglyphics, traps, sand snakes, and scriptures. Ancient Egypt didn’t just have a basic foundation of influence to draw in.
There’s an entire universe of potential options – that’s not to say that other mythology slots can’t boast some degree of this, too – but it feels like Egyptian games have a more significant basis and a broader ecosystem for designers to really flex their muscles.
Not all Egyptian-themed games have these characteristics, but they’re just a few elements that explain why the theme continues to be such a massive hit within iGaming circles.
Summary
As long as slot gaming software companies are willing to put their money where their mouth is and give immense backing to these projects, these games will continue to captivate the world.
While the possibilities of true innovation grow thinner within the grand world of Ancient Egyptian-themed slot games, as long as the big slot providers continue to support it, it’s hard to see an eventuality where these games take a significant enough dip in popularity to disappear out of the limelight.
There’s no shortage of competition for slot games at the moment, and while there will be an inevitable rise of the odd niche game here and there, genres like Ancient Egyptian games are here to stay.
