How The Graphics Of Slots Have Evolved Over Time

Slots have undergone quite the transformation since their beginnings towards the end of the 19th Century. Back then these games were incredibly simple, with prizes being restricted to a free drink or cigar. Of course this was in the age before mass electricity, and thus there was no screen to look at whatsoever – learn more here.

This began to change, however, as slots got more and more popular. The reels were getting exponentially more exciting to look at, and then during the 80s video slots burst onto the scene, immediately changing the game for the better. Online slots were the next big step, something that forced the graphics of slots to evolve even more. Let’s take a better look at how the graphics of slots have evolved over time. 

The Humble Beginnings

Graphics weren’t really a thing back when slots first came about, however it didn’t take long for people to start making aesthetic alterations to the reels and such. Despite the lack of video slots, machines in the 60s were already made to look dazzling, with a variety of buttons in different colours adding to the aesthetic. 

Video slots came about during the 80s, and this was the first time that it could be truly said that slots have graphics. At first they were incredibly pixelated, but as time draw on things got more and more sophisticated. 

Online Slot Explosion 

Slot graphics really started evolving with the introduction of online slots, however, a platform that made it a lot easier for developers to work on their games, as it only required software. It took a while for the graphics to get to a good standard, however by the year 2008 online slots were beginning to look like the real deal. 

Introduction of 3D Graphics 

One of the biggest breakthroughs in relation to the aesthetics of online slots was the introduction of 3D graphics. The 2D aesthetic made games look rather archaic, and it didn’t take long for developers to realise a wish that was on the very top of their agenda – online slots in marvellous 3D. 

Trailblazers include the developers NetEnt and Yggdrasil, however by now in 2019 it is fairly uncommon to see a slot without 3D graphics. 

The Present Day 

As you might expect, the present day represents a huge technological jump since the first days of video slots. Graphics are pretty much always in 3D now, for instance, and there are many games that look pristinely clear. 

There are a lot of slots nowadays that take a film for inspiration, and when you play these the graphics are almost as good as the films themselves. If there is one thing we can fault about the online slots of 2019 it certainly isn’t the aesthetic. 

What’s Next? 

What’s next? You ask. Well, one thing that will certainly happen is that graphics are set to get more and more realistic. This is mainly down to the online casino virtual reality push – for it to be the real deal the graphics also have to be on point.