When we consider retro games, most of us instantly think of arcade cabinets and early home consoles with chunky joystick controllers. The first commercial video game was released by Nutting Associates in 1971, titled Computer Space, and was swiftly followed by Atari’s incredibly popular Pong arcade game. Of course, anyone with a vague interest in gaming knows about Pong, which sits comfortably alongside other epic retro titles such as Space Invaders (1978) and Donkey Kong (1981).
These titles and many more have remained crucial pillars within the gaming industry for decades – and for good reason – but there’s one genre that has been around for much longer than all of these titles. Interestingly, this genre continues to flourish to this day and is arguably even more popular than home console or PC video games. The genre is, of course, fruit machines.
Otherwise known as slots, these games have existed since 1881 when New York company Sittman and Pitt developed the original gambling machine. The contraption had 5 drums and 50 playing cards that rotated when the lever was pulled. It soon became a staple in bars around North America, where players inserted nickels for the chance to play, line up the right cards and possibly win free drinks or cigars. Building upon this idea, Charles Augustus Fey created a slot machine in 1887 featuring three reels covered in hearts, diamonds, spades, horseshoes, and liberty bells.
For almost a century, this machine, affectionately named The Liberty Bell, and a similar contraption called The Operator Bell appeared in bars, tobacconists, shops, and salons all around the US. It wasn’t until 1964 that an electromechanical version of these machines was invented by Bally, and the first video slot didn’t appear until 1976. Unsurprisingly, this latter machine was invented by Las Vegas company Fortune Coin (later acquired by IGT) and swiftly became a favorite on The Strip.
Fruit Machines to Online Slots
Still, while fruit machines were incredibly popular in Vegas, the rest of the world was more focused on arcade and home console gaming. Even establishments like restaurants and shops that had previously hosted slot machines began installing arcade cabinets, pulling players away from the slots. This remained the case for many decades until 1996 when the internet and the first online casino finally arrived. That’s when everything changed and slots finally got the attention they deserved.
Over the last two decades, Casino inspired by their mechanical ancestors and the sites that host them have evolved. Similarly to how retro games brought people together, online slot machines created a loyal community and, in turn, a flourishing iGaming industry. According to Statista, the global online gambling market is currently worth approximately $47 billion, which is expected to rise to almost $60 billion by 2020. This is incredibly impressive when we consider the fact console gaming is estimated to generate just $33.5 billion globally in 2017.
Of course, there are newer slot games releases that barely resemble their predecessors at all. Contemporary software developers have created a number of other free spins no deposit 2022 online slot games based on modern movies, musicians and even the video games that once overshadowed them. Recently, developers have even started releasing virtual reality slot titles and we’re sure that the technology and games will continue to advance.
It seems as though nothing will ever be able to outshine fruit machines again, which is great news for the creators and fans. So, next time you’re discussing retro games, take a moment to consider slot machines, as, without them, we wouldn’t have the incredible iGaming industry that we experience today.
