The Evolution of Pokies: From Classics to Modern Marvels

Did you know that pokies are actually older than the Australian Constitution? This history of slot machines, aka pokies, dates back to the late 1800s. While modern pokies are vastly different from their predecessors, they still provide exciting action with the potential for massive wins.

Let’s travel through time, looking at the evolution of pokies from mechanical machines that paid gum and cigars to modern games that can produce life-changing wins from your cell phone. We’ll also look into the future of pokies and how VR and AI could influence your favourite pokie games.

The Classic Era – Where It All Began

Slot machines have a rich history dating back to the late 1800s. The first machine that would qualify as a slot was more like video poker.

In 1891, Sittman and Pitt created a machine of five spinning drums and 50 playing cards. These games were more akin to video poker rather than traditional slots.

Charles Fey is largely attributed as being the father of the modern slot machine. He started creating machines in 1894, but it wasn’t until 1899, when he released the Liberty Bell, that his games started becoming mainstream.

By 1908, Chicago-based Herbert Mills had become one of the most popular slot makers, with its machines being found in a variety of businesses, from bowling alleys to salons.

Until the 1960s, all slot games were mechanical, requiring a player to pull a lever to operate the internal mechanics. The Bally Manufacturing Co. released the first electromechanical slot games in 1964.

The gaming experience of games from the classic era was akin to what you’d see from fruit pokies or classic pokies. Games had a limited number of symbols, typically consisting of symbols like fruits, stars, horseshoes, bars, and bells.

The first pokie machines were extremely limited in features. Initially, games had a single payline. If you were lucky, you might find a game with a wild symbol. Otherwise, there were no bonus features to classic pokies.

The Digital Boom – More Features, More Fun

The pokies industry was changed forever in 1976 when the Fortune Coin Company released the first video slot game. Using a TV display, this new development proved a game-changer, allowing game developers to develop unique pay symbols, themes, and features. Mechanical reels were replaced with random number generators (RNG), creating true randomness and gaming that were not subject to mechanical failure or manipulations.

The first of the major innovations resulting from video pokies were progressive jackpots. IGT released the first progressive jackpot game, Megabuck, in 1986. The first progressive jackpot was hit in 1987, netting nearly $5 million for one lucky player.

WMS Industries raised the ante in 1996, releasing the first pokie with a second-screen bonus game. Reel ‘Em was the first pokie to offer a bonus game, changing the industry forever and opening the door to a new era of exciting gaming. This innovation led to online pokies offering free spins round as a bonus game.

Another major change in the industry also occurred in the 1990s as mulit-payline games started becoming popular. As technology advanced, games could now calculate and pay out multiple paylines. These games were much more exciting to players as they gave the potential for larger wins and produced a new, exciting aesthetic for gameplay.

Modern Marvels – The Rise of Pop Culture & Celebrity Slots

The evolution of the last 30 years has far outpaced the first 100. The first online pokies launched in the late 1990s, changing gambling forever.

Online gaming allowed developers to experiment and develop new features and game mechanics. Here is a brief rundown of some of the different features that are now commonplace with online pokies:

• Ways to Win Pokies – These pokies create a variety of paylines, aka ways to win.
• Megaways – This mechanic creates randomly changing paylines, creating up to 117,649 ways to win on six-line pokies and up to 823,543 ways to win on seven-reel pokies.
• Cascading Reels – For these games, winning symbols are removed from the board, and new ones take their place, creating a cascade effect.
• Cluster Pays – Instead of paylines, payouts are made for groups of connecting symbols.
• Scatter Pays – Payouts are made based on the number of symbols appearing on the board instead of a payline or cluster.
• Hold and Win – A bonus game feature that locks bonus symbols in place in hopes of unlocking massive prizes, including jackpots.

Another major innovation for modern pokies is the rise of pop culture and celebrity-themed pokies. These pokies range the gamut and provide fun experiences that tap into top fandoms.

Some prime examples of these games include Snoop Dogg Dollars, the first celebrity pokie collaboration for BGaming. Lara Croft Tomb Raider and Jurrasic Park: Gold are a couple of games based on popular video game and movie franchises. Guns N’ Roses is still a popular game for fans of the iconic rock band.

Innovations in online pokies have led to innovative bonus mechanics and larger jackpot prizes. Many online pokies offer multiple forms of bonus games, ranging from traditional free spins bonus rounds to Hold and Win bonus games, instant prize jackpot games, and skill-based bonus games where players can help guide their journey to a big win.

One of the best things about playing at online casinos is that they offer online pokies from multiple providers. This gives you a fantastic selection of games and immediate access to the latest releases.

The Future of Pokies – What’s Next?

Looking forward to the future of online pokies, there are a lot of exciting innovations on the horizon. As technology advances, pokies will offer a variety of exciting features that will create a world-class gaming experience. Let’s look at some of those innovations.

• AI-Driven Gaming – With the rise of artificial intelligence, it’s a matter of time before AI-driven gaming becomes a reality. AI-driven pokies will provide a variety of intuitive features, including the ability to create customised experiences based on player habits, creative bonuses that adjust for each player’s style, interactive gaming models, and more.
• Virtual Reality – Imagine virtually walking through a casino and playing. Virtual reality will eventually advance to the point where, instead of playing casino games on a computer or mobile screen, you can walk through and interact with virtual representations of games and even with other human players.
• Augmented Reality – With the popularity of games like Pokemon Go, online pokies are prime to receive an AR upgrade, offering interactive elements into your physical surroundings. These features will provide a unique experience to pokies that encourages engagement and longer gameplay.
• Blockchain Integration – While many online casinos already offer access to crypto payments and provably fair gaming, advancements in crypto technology will positively impact pokie development.

For example, we may soon start seeing NFT-based pokies that allow you to own unique digital assets offered in the game. Additionally, we will likely see a rise in blockchain-driven pokie game development that leads to new features, including cross-blockchain compatibility, while providing anonymous, decentralised gaming.

• Skill-Based Pokies – A growing segment in casino gaming, skill-based pokies incorporate skill-based elements for players who prefer strategy-based gaming. This hybrid-style gaming allows players to positively impact RTP while providing engaging elements like puzzle solving to create an immersive experience.
• Exclusive Celebrity Content – Celebrity partnerships are likely to evolve over the years, and some providers may start offering unique celebrity content to their games. We’re not just talking about a celebrity lending their likeness and voice to a game, but unique content.

For example, imagine if Taylor Swift or the DMA’s released a song exclusively available in an online pokie. Imagine interactive episodes of your favourite TV shows or additional hit movie content only available as part of a pokie’s bonus game. The possibilities are endless.

Future innovation in pokies technology will primarily be driven by online gaming providers. While brick-and-mortar casinos will provide exciting gaming experiences, online casinos give developers much more freedom in creating innovative features and games.

Take Your Seat and Explore the Best Online Pokies

In this trip through the history of online pokies, you’ve learned about the evolution of slot machines. From non-paying mechanical starts in the late 19^th century to modern online pokies, you’ve learned about the amazing features and games available in brick-and-mortar and online casinos in Australia.

If you want to learn more about some of the best online pokies at online casinos in Australia, please visit BestAussiePokies.com. There you’ll discover popular online pokies, and even pokies you can play for free.

Pokies are as diverse as the people that play them. One thing that all players have in common is the desire to play fun and innovative games with the potential for big wins. As pokies continue to evolve, players will reap the benefits of new game developments and, if they’re lucky, walk away with a life-changing big win.