Team up with your gang and take control of the available turf, one spin at a time. Gang Wars by Greentube is a unique online gambling experience based on the cult classic film, The Warriors.
We had the pleasure of spending time with Bernd Baumert, Director of Games Production and Operations at Greentube, to learn more about their exciting new online slot, Gang Wars. Join us as we delve into its gang turf-war theme, engaging board-game-style bonuses, and its unique territory control mini-game.
Q: What inspired the gritty, turf-war theme, and how did you craft each gang’s identity to resonate with players?
A: The main idea for the game’s theme was inspired by the cult classic movie The Warriors. The protagonists must flee across New York to return to their home turf on Coney Island while being hunted by the city’s other colourful gangs.
We believe this is an excellent theme for an online slot because it provides something fresh to the industry and our portfolio while also being recognisable to players.
Creating the gangs’ identities was exciting. The red gang, The Spirits, is inspired by Native American mythology; the green gang, The Clubs, consists of golf club-wielding hooligans; the blue gang, The Chains, comprises a group of burly bikers; and the yellow gang, The Dames, is a female-only group who are experts in the Ninjitsu arts.
With such a varied roster of characters and groups, players will find their favourite gang they always want to win in the Gang Wars Bonus.
Q: The board game-style bonus round is a standout feature. Can you walk us through how this concept came to life and what challenges you faced during its development?
A: We drew inspiration from other popular games outside our industry and sought to translate that into an exciting feature for a game in the slot industry.
Introducing a board game bonus round provided a unique opportunity to iterate and evolve the popular Hold & Spin mechanic. As it is a new concept, developing the calculations for the game presented an interesting challenge. However, the biggest issue we faced was communicating to the player what was happening from one spin to the next, because the bonus feature was so distinctive.
Therefore, we spent considerable time fine-tuning animations and sounds to ensure that players understand what is happening and know which gang is winning the turf war.
Q: The use of shifting territory control and multipliers during Free Spins adds a strategic layer. How did you balance this mechanic to maintain excitement without overwhelming casual players?
A: We worked hard to avoid overwhelming the player, and our designers focused their efforts on clarifying the communication of the feature to ensure it was as easy as possible for all players to understand, particularly the fact that only one gang wins.
Alongside gameplay accessibility, we aimed to make the feature as exciting and entertaining as possible, which is reflected in the vibrant, consistent animations, sounds, and particle effects. This, combined with the opportunity to achieve some nice wins, ensures that players—experienced or otherwise—will have the best possible experience with the feature and return for more.
Q: How did your art and design teams approach capturing the urban street feel while keeping the experience immersive and relatable?
A: Our art team put 110% effort into the aesthetics because the theme is so different from what they usually work on, and they nailed the desired look and feel. The movie itself and New York in the 1980s were major inspirations.
Additionally, it was a design choice to add four characters to the game to make them relatable to the player, influencing the choice of a favourite gang.
Q: With so many dynamic elements in play, what features were specifically designed to keep players returning, and how do you see this title performing in terms of long-term engagement?
A: We ensured the game has a strong math profile so players remain engaged in the base game and the Gang Wars Bonus.
The USP of the game is, of course, the Gang Wars Bonus, which we believe will drive repeat play because it is innovative and has the potential to award huge wins. However, we wanted to ensure the base game is fun and added the Mystery Stacks Respin to boost the chance of full-screen wins.
Finally, the sound design in Gang Wars is exceptional. We focused on conveying the New York sound to the player, drawing inspiration from well-known musicians. We hope players enjoy the music, as it sets the scene for a New York gang war.
Q: Gang Wars feels like it could be part of a larger universe or series. Are there any plans to expand this concept into future titles or tie-ins?
A: Of course, we always plan for what comes next and how to iterate on a game’s mechanics or themes. We would love to make Gang Wars 2 and create spin-offs of the game, perhaps one for each gang member, but we will wait to see how the game performs and if players desire more content.
There are also ideas for utilising this mechanic with a different theme that may broaden the appeal to a wider demographic of players.
Read the complete interview at onlinecasinoreports.com
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