Let’s Talk Gambling: Game design for player retention (Part 2)

Welcome to the second installment of our Let’s Talk Gambling roundtable discussion about game design for player retention featuring Eamonn Beardsley, Content Strategy Director at Light & Wonder; Norbert Grono, Account Manager at Wazdan; Toni Karapetrov, Head of Corporate Communications at Habanero; Kate Romanenko, Head of Commercial at Kendoo; Andy Huang, CEO at TaDa Gaming; and Mike Collins, Game Product Owner at Thunderkick. For those that missed it, you can find Part 1 here.

How do you strike the right balance of game volatility to appeal to both casual and experienced players and still maintain high engagement across different audiences?

MC: It is simply not realistic to cater to every unique player preference within the same game. Nonetheless, by fine-tuning the perceived and calculated volatility so that the product feels friendly and fun in the short-term; while also offering a realistic route to larger prizes, you can pinpoint the sweet spot to maximise audience reach. This is something we strived for in our recent release, The Wildos 2, which features a bonus round where players can select the volatility, handing the player control of their experience. Attempting to keep everyone happy will likely result in nobody ending up happy. We would rather design a game that one group of players is 100% satisfied with, as opposed to creating something that keeps 50% of both groups happy. The first step is deciding who the target audience is, and then we prioritise tailoring the title to those specific preferences, sticking rigidly to the initial concept and vision.

TK: Volatility is one of the trickiest things to master in game design. If a game is too volatile, casual players can get frustrated if they are not seeing wins often enough. But if it’s too low, more experienced players might feel like there is no real excitement or big-win potential. We ensure our games appeal to a broad audience by offering flexible volatility settings so operators can fine-tune elements based on their players. We also mix things up within the games themselves – some features deliver smaller, frequent wins, while others provide bigger jackpots.

Features like progressive multipliers, expanding reels, and extra respins give casual players more chances to win while still delivering those high-risk, high-reward moments that more experienced players love.

KR: In my humble opinion, first of all, the true talent of a product team lies in understanding the market and players so deeply that they can anticipate what will resonate. It’s a mix of expertise and instinct—a professional gut feeling, if you will. For example, knowing players currently prefer low-volatility games but introducing a bonus buy or other features to test if they’re ready to push their experience to a new level. After this research and development work the team may come up with games of medium to high volatility in slots, tailoring it carefully to learn from the player’s feedback. I trust this is how the best formulas are evolving and I think it’s due to non-stop work on improvements, learning and developing the product that makes a difference over time.

NG: Striking the right volatility balance is crucial for attracting a diverse player base. For casual players, we offer low volatility options, ensuring smaller, more frequent wins that maintain enjoyable gameplay. For experienced players, we incorporate higher volatility for larger but less frequent payouts, delivering excitement and calculated risk. For those preferring a middle ground, we provide standard volatility, balancing win frequency and payout sizes.

A key component of our approach is the Volatility Levels™ feature, which allows players to adjust the game’s volatility at any point during their gameplay. This flexibility empowers players to tailor their experience, whether they’re seeking frequent, smaller wins or high-risk, high-reward scenarios. Available in all Wazdan titles, Volatility Levels™ exemplifies our commitment to delivering a personalized and engaging gaming experience.

AH: Correctly determining the player’s risk and reward experience is crucial for long-term engagement, which is why our strategy is to offer a diverse range of options to cater to different player preferences. Players will find a deliberately wide betting range across all our games as well the option to adjust volatility through features like “variable payout rates” or “bonus modes”. This means that a single game can appeal to a variety of player demographics regardless of experience. Additionally, all our fishing-shooting releases take this one step further by offering different “rooms” or “halls” within the same game. Players of Ocean Hunter Shoot & Win, for example, can opt for the Newbie Room with low-volatility, the mid-volatility Joy Room, or the high-risk returns Honor Room. Allowing players to work their way through volatility and variations at their own pace enhances their control of their gaming, proving a successful direction for us.

EB: This is one of the trickiest parts of game design. Ultimately, our goal is to make games that are fun and entertaining because we are in the business of entertainment. Volatility needs to feel rewarding. Players want to feel like they have the potential for a big win and that there is value in their gameplay. But it shouldn’t feel punishing or so low risk that it becomes boring. We try to build volatility into the experience gradually. When a player first opens a game, we want them to ease in and get familiar with the mechanics. Then, as they engage more, the game evolves, adding more layers of volatility as they go. That journey keeps them interested, regardless of experience level. Different players want different things at different times, so we also make sure our portfolio offers a range – some games with high volatility, others with softer, more casual play. It is about covering the entire spectrum, so there is always something for everyone.

With cultural themes and regional preferences becoming increasingly more significant in game design, how do you adapt your games to connect with specific markets while ensuring they also hold global appeal?

TK: Our approach varies by market. In Africa, we focus on mobile-friendly, easy-to-learn mechanics, while in Latin America, where players love fast-paced competition, we design games with more dynamic, high-energy features​. In Brazil, we’re tailoring some of our most popular slots to match local tastes while also developing new content inspired by the region​. But at the same time, certain features, like our Jackpot Race™, leaderboards, and tournaments, create a competitive hub that players love no matter where they are​. By combining local insights with engaging, adaptable gameplay, we make sure our games feel both familiar and fresh, offering something that players everywhere can enjoy.

NG: Incorporating cultural themes is essential for resonating with specific markets, but we always ensure our core game mechanics have universal appeal. By carefully integrating symbols, visuals, and themes that connect with local players while maintaining globally relevant gameplay features—like rewarding bonus rounds and multipliers—we create experiences that engage regional audiences without alienating global players.

For example, Los Muertos™ II celebrates Dia de los Muertos, connecting with Latin American players while offering universally appealing gameplay. Similarly, our Mighty Wild™ series draws inspiration from the Amazon jungle, capturing the spirit of Latin American culture while delivering dynamic gameplay experiences for a worldwide audience. This strategic blending of local themes and global game mechanics showcases our dedication to creating culturally resonant yet universally enjoyable games.

EB: Players are drawn to familiarity, and it is often the first point of connection. That could be through themes, like Irish or fishing games in the UK, or Egyptian or Asian-inspired slots for other markets. We look closely at what resonates locally and use that as a way in.

But behind the theme, it is the engine that drives long-term success. We focus heavily on building strong core mechanics: solid maths, exciting features, and gameplay that holds up regardless of the theme. Once you have that, it is easier to adapt and layer regional or cultural themes on top.

It is rare to find a single game that performs equally well across every market, but if the engine is strong, we can iterate with different themes to suit different regions. That flexibility is what helps us create games that work globally.

Nostalgia also plays a big part, whether it is a sound, a symbol, or a familiar brand. We have seen this work really well with IPs like Wonka, especially in the US. When a player feels emotionally connected to a game and finds it genuinely fun and rewarding to play, that is when you get actual retention.
KR: If we look at overall worldwide markets the cultural themes and regional preferences do not usually literally respond to some visual associations with these regions. For example, fruit games are popular in Eastern European countries and in Georgia. In India, the most popular game is a crash game featuring a red airplane—something entirely unrelated to traditional Indian themes, contrary to what one might expect. In Brazil, despite the development of numerous football-themed games aimed at this market, the favorites are actually Chinese-themed animal slots. This preference might be linked to Brazil’s well-known offline animal-themed lottery game, though the animals in that game never had an Asian aesthetic or gold elements.

In any case, my point is that what we all imagine and associate a country or a region with in visual terms doesn’t always represent such a region in its games offering. Sometimes players like the fact that there is a progressive jackpot in the game and minimal bets options, another market likes high stakes and scary-looking themes pushing the boundaries of ethics in their looks, it is due to the ongoing work of game designers and overall game development teams to keep up the research and cross-team collaboration to understand the players preferences and market trends and translate them in games creation, or start such trends, who knows

MC: When it comes to tailoring content for specific markets, it is about more than just altering symbols and assets to fit translations; it is about adapting artwork specifically for cultural resonance. These localisations should supplement universally popular game features, which create a strong baseline appeal for a global player base. Thunderkick’s upcoming release, The Golden Pot & Pints, has a regional focus within the St. Patrick’s Day theme, but the incorporation of widely popular mechanics and features ensures that players across the globe can appreciate and enjoy the title. Regardless of whether we are designing a product for worldwide appeal or targeting a specific market, Thunderkick’s passion for game development and creative originality is at the heart of everything we do.

AH: Finding the right balance between local and global appeal is essential. TaDa adopts a global core mechanics and localised content strategy to ensure our games adapt to different market needs while maintaining widespread player appeal.

We noted that players in European markets tend to prefer strategic gameplay, transparent mechanics, and high entertainment value. To cater to this audience, our game design focuses heavily on data-driven mechanics and user experience.

For example, Hold & Win games have performed exceptionally well in the European market. To further innovate within this genre, we introduced additional bonus mechanics such as our version – Lock & Respin – optimised hit frequency, and enhanced interactive Free Spins and Bonus Rounds to elevate player engagement.

Players in Brazil specifically and across Latin America overall favour fast-paced, visually striking games with social elements. To better engage this audience, we have implemented a series of market-specific optimisations.

For instance, in our Fortune Gems series, we utilised vibrant colour schemes, enhanced visual effects, and immersive sound design to align with the local entertainment culture. Additionally, through testing on our free-to-play tournament site www.freeslotmatch.com, we analysed Brazilian player behaviour and discovered a strong preference for high-frequency wins and progressive rewards. Based on these insights, we further refined the gameplay of Fortune Gems to better align with player expectations in Brazil.

By applying a global core mechanics approach with deep local content adaptation, Fortune Gems remains competitive in Europe, Brazil, and the broader Latin American market, offering players an engaging gaming experience tailored to their cultural preferences.