When Two Worlds Collide - The Coming Together Of Crash And Simulated Gaming

Katya Machuganova, Gaming Product and Partnership Manager at Silverback Gaming, says the coming together of crash and simulated gaming will create a “boom” for operators.

Crash games and social casino promise to be a powerful combination.

The demand for crash games is on the rise and the social casino market just keeps on getting bigger – last year, social gaming was estimated to be worth $12.77bn and is set to hit $23.05bn by 2023.

For us, crash is perfectly suited to the simulated gaming format – because players can’t win real- money, they like to place big bets (with virtual currency) so they can experience the thrill of big wins.

This makes these players fit into the big-risk/big-reward category, which of course is the player cohort that tends to engage with crash games the most.

Crash games also tend to be multiplayer with tons of social interaction and this is just what simulated gaming players look for in addition to high-stakes thrills.

But what else makes crash and social a perfect match?

In control of your destiny

Social casino players seek immersive gaming experiences – the lack of monetary reward means the game needs to stand on its own two feet and get them excited.

Crash certainly does this – this game format builds anticipation in a way that slots and table games can’t compete with while also giving players unprecedented control over the outcome.

Having the ability to choose when to cashout gives a sense of ownership, and social casino players absolutely love this.

It’s common for more experienced players to develop strategies for deciding the optimal moment to hit the button, which brings another dimension to the game compared to a slot where they hit spin and wait to see if they win.

It’s this active participation that gets pulses racing, and that’s why with our debut crash game we are giving players even more control.

This includes being able to toggle the risk level to match their preferences.

FOMO is real

Another reason we believe crash in the simulated game format will be revolutionary is the social interaction and communities that form around these games.

The nature of the crash format means that once they have cashed out, they need to wait for the game round to end.

This means they get to see what they could have won if they’d stuck it out a bit longer, creating a sense of FOMO which drives the player into the next game round.

When this is combined with leaderboards and a chat function, players often discuss wins, losses and strategies with others playing the game.

Social interaction is a major part of the social casino experience – it’s in the name, after all – with crash providing additional opportunities for operators to foster engagement and interaction.

Reach new audiences

Crash games have been helping real-money operators reach new player audiences, especially the lucrative and hard to reach Millennial and Gen Z cohorts.

It’s proven to have been very good at this, but it must be remembered that a chunk of these players will be deterred by the gambling aspect.

This presents a huge opportunity for social crash games to provide these players with a “lite” experience where they can enjoy the thrill of the game and wagering, just without risking any of their own money.

From there, social casino operators can gently push them towards simulated slots and table games and, once comfortable and if it’s something they want to do, on to real money gaming.

Crash now a must for operators and studios

The surge in demand for non-traditional content and in particular crash means operators absolutely must stock these games in their lobbies.

While much of the focus has been on real money operators, at Silverback Gaming, we understand these trends and preferences apply to social gaming, too.

This is why we have launched our debut crash game first as a simulated gaming title and then in the coming months, it will go live as a real money game, too.

Pushing into new formats is great fun for our designers, sound engineers and developers, and we have given them the freedom to reimagine the crash format.

This is how we have been able to provide players with unprecedented control and other unique twists that we believe will deliver a more thrilling player experience.

Getting the most out of crash

It’s still very early days for the crash format so operators do need to educate players as to how the games work and why they are such good fun to play.

Of course, being able to offer a simulated gaming crash title helps in this regard.

Still, thought needs to be given to lobby positioning with players encouraged to try crash games through various promotions such as free bets if a social format is not available.

This really is an exciting time for the crash format and social casinos – the coming together of these two things will create a boom and at Silverback, we are here to help operators maximise the opportunity this opens up.