Kingdoms Rise and the World of Interconnected Casino Games
Back in the 2010s, Playtech, which was one of the world’s most important developers of online casino games, faced a very significant problem. The company had held the right to Marvel Superhero slots for several years, creating hugely popular casino games based on the likes of Iron Man, Hulk, the Avengers, and the rest. However, once Marvel was bought over by Disney, the family-friendly company decided that it could not extend any contract. Disney is still mostly aimed at children, so it did not think its intellectual property should be associated with adult pursuits like casino gaming. The games, therefore, disappeared from Playtech casinos.
This was an issue for Playtech, as the games were understandably popular. But the company was unabashed, building a new generation of casino games based on – you guessed it – DC Comics characters with Warner Bros. blessing. While those new games featuring the likes of Batman and Superman were – and remain – popular, Playtech also decided to create its own “extended universe”, first with Age of the Gods, and then, with more ambition, the series of games under the Kingdoms Rise slots banner.
No casino games series looks like this
We use the term “ambition” because there has never been a game series like Kingdoms Rise before or since. There are several games in the series, which are loosely based on a fantasy theme similar to World of Warcraft or Game of Thrones. But all of those games are interconnected. Not just in terms of the fantasy theme, but in terms of utility.
To explain: the games are all connected through a fantasy world map. You can easily hop between the games using the map, switching, for example, from the ice world in Reign of Ice to the desert lands of Sands of Fury. But it goes further than that. As you play one game, you can collect coins as you spin. Those coins act as currency in the Kingdoms Rise Shop, where you can buy special features from any of the games. Oh, we should mention that the games have interconnected progressive jackpots too.
Whether you enjoy the games or not, it’s plain to see that it offers a glimpse of future possibilities for casino gaming. The concept of connected gaming is something that has been mooted for the so-called metaverse. The idea is that you will be able to have a single avatar for different metaverse experiences created by different platforms. Something like this could be achieved in casino gaming under the right conditions. Imagine, for example, taking your Kingdoms Rise coins and spending them at a different casino from the one where you originally earned them.
A blueprint for future casino gaming releases?
Of course, that is all speculative for the moment. As it stands today, Playtech has created a unique type of slots experience that can be enjoyed by experienced players and newbies alike. There is nothing else like it among the 1000s and 1000s of online casino games you can find today. But will it provide a blueprint for future casino releases? It’s hard to say. The industry is hugely competitive, and it can be very difficult for developers to create games that stand out from one another. For every smash hit like Book of Dead or Starburst, there are a dozen games that don’t get a look in.
Still, should you find a Playtech casino, it might be worth checking out Kingdoms Rise, even if you are just curious to see what the series of connected games look like. And don’t forget that the coins you earn from spinning in one game can be used to buy the special features in another, so it’s a good way to explore the different worlds of Kingdoms Rise.
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