Horror is one of the most popular genres in entertainment. Horror remains a staple in movies, TV shows, and games because people want to be scared.
Horror is such a diverse genre because you can find many scary things, which can be translated into media. If you apply this to online games, there are classic scary games, which you can find on Steam. Titles like Outlast, Slenderman, and Left For Dead used video game mechanics, visuals, and some first-person interaction to up the ante on the scare factor.
Even outside of video games, online casinos love to provide scary game titles because there is a huge audience for them. We have already made a list of our top Halloween slots to play this year, but we haven’t discussed why, overall, horror slots remain so popular.
1: People Love To Be Scared
We briefly touched on this point in our introduction, but this is one of the biggest reasons horror slots are popular. Horror slots are always very detailed because developers put extra effort into scaring their customers.
People who play horror slots want to be scared because the experience is exhilarating, and they want to be surprised. Many slots, particularly low volatility ones, have stagnant gameplay, whereas horror slots do not.
However, not knowing what comes next is also a common occurrence in high volatility slots, so horror can easily be blended into these games. That feeling mimics the excitement of spinning on the reels and not knowing what will come next until your symbols land.
2. The Psychological Element
There is a psychological element to why people love horror slots. Of course, the adrenaline and the love of being scared are part of it, but the psychology goes deeper than that.
Humans are curious creatures, and playing horror slots taps into that. In these games, you never know what can happen. Horror-themed games rely on fun symbols on the reels to keep the games unpredictable. You may see typical horror imagery, but hitting the pumpkin symbol may not be a good thing!
The emotions that players feel while playing slots mirror the experience of watching horror movies. However, there is an element of psychological control that horror slots provide. Players can control the stakes to a certain extent because they can stop bets at any time and exit the game, both online and in land casinos.
3. The Appeal Of Halloween
Seasonality also plays a part in the popularity of certain slot genres. When Halloween comes around, Halloween slots become popular again. In October, people want to get into the Halloween spirit, so playing scary games is a fun way to do that. Many slot providers release new horror slots every year to capitalise on the popularity, because they know fans will eagerly await scary releases.
However, the appeal of Halloween and getting into the scary spirit is not limited to Halloween. The seasonality of Halloween provides a month-long excuse for developers to release scary games, which they can theme under Halloween releases. Horror is versatile; the providers can create games themed around Halloween, around vampires, or werewolves, or real-life horrors. The possibilities are endless!
4. Pop Culture References
Horror is a genre filled with dedicated fans, and with that comes multiple successful media projects. When you think of cult classics, there is a range of Halloween movies from each decade.
Since horror remains popular on screen, it translates to the reels as well. Fans of the movies love to see their favourite movies in game form. Because there are already characters and soundtracks, recreating them is not difficult for developers, provided they have the budget to license from the franchises.
This is why big developers often have horror slots in their catalogue, because they know fans of the franchise will come to play those games.
Key Takeaways: Popularity Of Horror Slots
Horror slots succeed because they provide adrenaline and thrilling gameplay. Game providers can be creative when it comes to slots, because they can utilise objects, situations, and physical symbols of things that are perceived as scary and create games around them.
Characters that are scary or villianous can be built into slots on the reels. Alternatively, slot providers can use existing characters from horror franchises to appeal to horror audiences. People who watch scary movies recognise creepy characters, like Freddy Krueger or Mike Myers.
Even if it’s not Halloween, horror slots provide year-round scares and amazing experiences with terrifying graphics, scary sounds, and fun symbols.
