Plumbee’s new head of in-house slots production tells SCi how the operator is planning to take slots development to the next level
Social Casino Intelligence (SCi): What was it that attracted you to the role at Plumbee?
Mark Claxton (MC): I was attracted to the role because it was an excellent match for my skills and experience. I felt it was a great chance to offer my slots expertise in a rapidly growing market. I have developed an interest in social slots over the years and was aware of the high-quality apps and content Plumbee had already produced. The chance to be in full control over the Plumbee road map and create all future slot design was a great attraction to me as I’ve always had an eye for what is needed and what is missing in the market. Having been in the industry for 12 years gives me confidence in knowing what actually works in the slots world and how to bring this success onto the social platform.
SCi: What do you think makes Mirrorball Slots stand out from the competition?
MC: Mirrorball Slots: Kingdom of Riches has that perfect combination of superb art, unique and innovative slots, and a great host of gamification features that make the experience a real treat for the player. Visually it stands head and shoulders above the rest and has that wow factor that a lot of social casino competitors lack. The upcoming games are really going to make a statement too – games that are being expertly crafted to give maximum excitement through slot features and gamification elements. We’ve put a lot of effort into our mobile app and this effort clearly shines through as soon as you touch the app on your device.
SCi: Does your appointment mean that we will see more in-house developed slots games from Plumbee in the future?
MC: We’ll be making far more in-house games. We have a greatly experienced set of developers, mathematicians and artists that are really chomping at the bit to get stuck into the new slot productions. These upcoming slots will feature some really innovative features that have never been seen before in the slots market – so Mirrorball Slots: Kingdom of Riches will be a real place of ‘firsts’.
SCi: What are some of the biggest trends you are seeing in the development of social slots content?
MC: I think that gamification in social casino has risen greatly. The use of XP advancement, levels, gifting and so forth. This is something that really has trended recently and is increasing the players enjoyment and adding to the retention factor. A lot of the slots in social also seem to follow that same ‘time on device’ math balance, which is reminiscent of the machines you’d find on the Las Vegas casino floor.
SCi: How much does this differ between mobile and Canvas?
MC: A big difference is the screen size. Mobile devices have a much smaller screen size which means we have to really focus on maximizing the players experience and enjoyment with this limited screen size in mind. You’d find that the mobile social casino apps would trend toward making best use of the device screen size and therefore lose a lot of the visual noise that canvas may have portrayed. Our Mirrorball Slots: Kingdom of Riches App is a perfect example of making the most of the mobile screen size – featuring a clean UI, engaging feature area and large reels.
SCi: Do you think the preferences of social slots players are changing at all?
MC: I believe the players are changing – they are getting more experienced with their slot play. They are better able to understand the difference between a real money slot and a social slot. This means the players are looking for unique slots and gamification features in an attempt to maximise their winnings, and this boosts time on device. If you are not offering a good degree of slot design, free coins and offers to the player, they’ll take their business to the competition.
