Game of Thrones Slot Casino (GOTSC) puts people at risk of addiction with its core mechanics that leads to constant rewards, the visual and audio designs that appeals to sensation, and the dynamic of gradually unlocking enacting stories through levels, appealing to the aesthetic of submission and fantasy. It is an online slot game published by Zynga, available on iOS and Android. I played it using an iPad Pro.
GOTSC effectively utilizes mechanics such as manual stop, automatic mode, and bonus games to maintain players’ engagement, creating a constant rewarding dynamic and contributing to potential risks of addiction. The activation button for the slot machine is designed with a manual stop feature. Players can manually press it, hoping for an ideal match, which communicates a “false feeling that players control the outcome of the machine (p.21).” Additionally, players can long-press to enter automatic mode, where the slot machines operate continuously. Once in automatic mode, players cannot perceive the winning conditions for each row, as the slot machine moves fast and enters the next round before players even realize, demonstrating the intentional “mismatch between human capacities to process and respond to information and those of digital technology (p.11)”. The designers of the slot game do not want players to think; instead, the goal is to let them enter a mode of submission, watching the slots change at high speed and only seeing the rewards. Moreover, successes are highlighted while failures are minimized, hooking players through the constant reward system. When I played in automatic mode, I thought I could save time by just leaving my iPad at the side, but my attention was constantly attracted back by the reward animations. This was especially true when I entered a “bonus game” and got to spin the machine ten more times to determine how many times my original award would be multiplied. After that “legendary win” in the bonus game, I raised my single bet from 20,000 to 50,000. This reflects the reading’s concept that secondary “bonus games” invite gamblers to perform actions over which they seem to have control (p.9). Over time, I built up confidence and willingness to bet more, using automatic mode more frequently as I gave up control and confidently let it flow, enjoying the aesthetics of submission.
Fig1. Spin, Stop, AutoSpin button
Moreover, the visual designs and audio effects help build up players’ sensation, further contributing to the aesthetics of fantasy, leading to risks of addiction. All “wins” in the game are highlighted with eye-catching visual effects, such as a big sword or an iconic Game of Thrones moving wheel design flowing across the screen, shining in golden or silver colors, with the winning amount highlighted below in massive size. I was especially amazed by the bonus game part, where each of the 2x, 3x, and 10x multipliers are in vivid motion, creating extremely stimulating visual signals that “you are going to win big.” There was also one incident where the slot machine stopped four rows, with two containing the legendary dragon eggs, accompanied by heavily foreshadowing background music effects as the final slot was still moving. It turned out to be something else, so I didn’t win another legendary bonus round. However, I felt the near-miss effect strongly as the atmosphere was created so well with both visual and audio stimulations.
Fig2. Eye-catching Winning Effect
Fig3. Bonus Game with 3x, 4x poping
Beyond each slot machine, the game also successfully creates an overall architecture with an enacting story where the player witnesses Daenerys going through her legendary journey as they proceed through different slot machines. All slot machines are tied to important GOT storyline events and locked based on levels. There is a task system where players can receive money and experience rewards (towards higher levels) if they complete tasks. The architecture of gradual enhancement through different slot machines and accomplishing tasks to gain rewards push players to constantly play with the slot machines. Moreover, once the social mode is unlocked, the player can choose to play with others, represented by four avatars surrounding the slot machine on the game screen. Players can communicate with each other through the social window, but they can only see how much the other players have won and congratulate them. I never saw how much a player has lost throughout my gameplay, which further contribute to the false sense of control and confidence.
Fig4. Tasks and Rewards
Fig5. Play with other players at the side
Although I wanted to calculate the probability of winning initially, I never thought about any math while playing. The shining effects, fast-moving spins, colorful visuals, and familiar GOT allusions made my brain “stop to think” and really believe in the chances and whether I had “luck.” One suggestion for improvement would be to enhance player interactivity in the social window. I tried to speak a couple of times, and there wasn’t any real-time response. I think more interactions would further contribute to players’ involvement.
Fig6. Limited Chat Functions Highlighting Wins
