RubyPlay recently unveiled the industry’s newest slot mechanic – Immortal Ways – which has already stormed the charts thanks to its intuitive and unique gameplay.
We caught up with the studio’s Chief Product Officer, Dr. Eyal Loz, to take a deeper dive into the creation of Immortal Ways, what makes it so appealing to players and how the mechanic will appear in future releases.
Thanks for joining us Dr. Eyal. Firstly, could you explain the core concept of the Immortal Ways mechanic and how it differs from others in the market?
Eyal Loz (EL): My pleasure! The Immortal Ways design manages to seamlessly combine drastically different core elements within one persistent design. Two Hold and Respin arrays are persistent in all base game spins, with upgrade wheels featuring instant prizes and jackpots. The game also features 10,000 ways to win, as well as a free game feature, where all prizes landing on the screen are won.
What inspired the creation of Immortal Ways?
EL: We saw a gap in the market for a quality game with 10,000 ways to win. Also, the industry was lacking a volatile persistent design for a large in-base Hold and Respin array. We realised that by combining these two elements together with an upgrade prize wheel, it will provide us with a winning recipe for a killer game mechanic!
How do Immortal Ways titles incorporate elements of player engagement and retention to ensure a compelling experience?
EL: The constant nature of the Hold and Respin arrays in the base game ensure that players are keen to continue their play within an increased gaming session, trying to complete and win all the prizes in these zones.
Using a well proven method from casual game design, the screen goes back to an initial empty state once every few dozen spins at random. This cycle gives players a natural exit point. The session loop design guarantees that players can end the gameplay before they reach exhaustion, and are very eager to return to the game for additional experiences in the future.
Following that, how do you make sure a new mechanic can cater to different player preferences?
EL: The beauty of Immortal Ways is that it combines a few different core elements within a single unified flow. To ensure the mechanic reaches the widest audience possible, we have created a full series devoted to it where each game theme and style is drastically different. This opens up the opportunity for all types of slots fans to engage with Immortal Ways. Since launching, we have already seen a strong performance of Immortal Ways Diamonds in distinctly different markets, showing its appeal across a wide player base.
Can you share any insights into the game design process for Immortal Ways?
EL: The whole process from has been very collaborative. It involved us having a hard look at what already works in our content library and combining that with what we hear from players and operators. When you take all that feedback on board with an open mind and open heart, it’s a lot easier to cut to the chase. We’ve built a good understanding of what works, and what should stay on the drawing table.
Can you tease any upcoming releases featuring the Immortal Ways mechanic? What should we expect from the franchise?
EL: There’s a lot more to come from our Immortal Ways franchise! You can expect a large verity of themes, tweaks and variations. In other words, the core elements of 10,000 ways to win, the two large Hold and Respin arrays and the instant prize wheels are here to stay. We have some crazy ideas how to innovate all other game elements!
We’ve already introduced a buffalo themed game, with no less than seven games in the works to be launched over the following months. In addition, operators have requested bespoke versions of our Immortal Ways games, so watch this space for further announcements on when these will go live later this year!
