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AI And Gen Z – Roundtable With Vsevolod Lapin, Deputy CEO At Playson And Douglas Hand, Art Director At RubyPlay


AI And Gen Z – Roundtable With Vsevolod Lapin, Deputy CEO At Playson And Douglas Hand, Art Director At RubyPlay
AI And Gen Z – Roundtable With Vsevolod Lapin, Deputy CEO At Playson And Douglas Hand, Art Director At RubyPlay

As AI continues to shape the future of gaming, slot developers are leveraging advanced technologies to create more personalised, immersive experiences that resonate with younger players.


By analysing player preferences and behaviours, AI is driving deeper engagement and helping operators cater to the fast-evolving tastes of Gen Z.


We spoke to Vsevolod Lapin, Deputy CEO at Playson and Douglas Hand, Art Director at RubyPlay about how AI is transforming the slot experience, the emerging trends that are captivating younger gamers, and the potential for AI to unlock new opportunities in slot gameplay and beyond.


1. How do you see AI fundamentally transforming slot games? Could AI eventually offer new approaches to player experience to better engage Gen Z?


Lapin: AI has the power to inject new life into the iGaming industry by offering deeper insights and new perspectives on player preferences and behaviours.


This granular understanding will enable developers to create more personalised and engaging experiences, particularly as newer generations with different tastes emerge. At Playson, AI allows us to speed up the process of introducing the best products and solutions to players, with more confidence that they will have the impact we hope for.


Additionally, the integration of AI allows for optimised design, which can introduce adaptive

narratives, rewards or features that evolve based on player interactions. This has the power to create a more enjoyable game session for players. By leveraging the capabilities of this technology, we can be more successful at maintaining interest and attention.


Hand: In my opinion, no one has really solved the issue of engagement and retention of younger players in slot games yet. Over the years I have seen some interesting attempts with VR and traditional game genres, but they were often not practical or scalable and didn’t really seem to capture what resonates with younger players.


Additionally, Gen Z don’t view slot games as ethical or as a valuable investment of their limited time and finances. As an entertainment proposition, there are just too many other competitors for their attention like social media, streaming services and traditional video games.


Predictive AI has the highest potential to help us solve this problem as it can analyse player behaviour and adjust their gameplay experience in real-time, providing them a more personalised and enjoyable experience that feels fair.


2. With AI-driven systems designed to enhance player engagement, how do you balance maintaining the unpredictability of slot games while still tailoring experiences to individual players?


Lapin: While fresh and surprising experiences can serve to boost engagement, we aim to use AI to create a trusted space for our players and unpredictability is not something we strive for.


AI does give us more space to understand potential behaviours of players and with that in mind, gives the opportunity to develop. Data-driven insights allow us to identify trends and introduce personalised elements, such as tailored bonus features and jackpots, but these always ensure a level playing field for all players. It is a fine balance between continuing the thrill of the game and identifying features we know will resonate.


Hand: The unpredictability of slots is what makes them exciting and fun. I believe this should be emphasised through the use of dynamic visuals. Predictive AI can analyse the timing and frequency of in-game events, as well as a player’s behaviour preceding and following these events to determine when and how to adjust graphics, effects and audio in future.


This prevents the gameplay experience from feeling too repetitive or frustrating and offers a more personalised and enjoyable experience. While AI might adjust how a game looks or feels, it doesn’t touch the fundamental aspect of chance that makes slot games exciting.


3. What are some trends you’re seeing in how AI can help slot games appeal to younger generations, particularly Gen Z gamers?


Lapin: AI accelerates our ability to analyse vast amounts of player data, allowing our game

developers to identify emerging trends and preferences among different audience demographics.


This empowers us to rapidly adjust games to keep them relevant and appealing. For example, we can adapt the user interface to make it more relevant to the user experience Gen Z are seeking.


We know that Gen Z enjoy gamification elements such as progressive jackpots, and features such as Short Races, which have quick paths to rewards. They have a shorter attention span than older players and AI can help us leverage these insights to ensure our games appeal to this behaviour and offer expediated routes to rewards.


Hand: I know that some companies are looking at introducing AI to perceived-skill based mechanics like bonus mini games. AI can adapt the difficulty of these mini-games to match the player’s skill level, providing a personalised challenge that keeps players engaged without making it feel unfair.


Skill based progression is a core component of many RPG and puzzle games which are hugely popular with Gen Z. It makes sense that something like this should be integrated into slot games and I think that is a good direction to pursue


4. Customisation and personalisation are key for younger players who want unique, individual experiences. How do you see AI enabling deeper levels of customisation in slot games?


Lapin: AI ultimately speeds up the process of innovation and personalisation, enabling studios to be more spontaneous and creative. It provides invaluable support in segmenting years of player data and understanding evolving preferences.


This can then be used to drive effective feature promotions and customisation options. One example is we might find Gen Z players enjoy certain sound effects, themes or symbols through analysing this data.


Younger players value uniqueness and lose interest easily, so AI can facilitate the creation of highly personalised gaming experiences by suggesting game adjustments based on individual player behaviour and preferences.


Hand: AI could enable players to create personalised avatars or game profiles that reflect their unique identities. Players could choose their avatar’s appearance, traits, and even backstory, integrating themselves into the narrative of the game.


AI could then adjust the slot game’s content, offering in-game scenarios or bonuses that align with the player’s avatar journey.


5. How can AI help game developers/providers stay ahead of gaming trends that are particularly popular with Gen Z, such as streaming, influencer culture, and esports? Are there any insights or data indicating whether these innovations are making the gameplay more exciting and engaging?


Lapin: Our developers can utilise data from various sources, such as streaming platforms, to identify emerging trends and preferences. For example, releases from our Hold and Win series, such as Coin Strike, Thunder Coins and Energy Coins are proven to be highly popular with streamers. We are able to analyse their performance to determine what is so appealing and enjoyable about these titles.


This information helps the team to understand what makes games popular and how to incorporate these appealing elements into future creations. AI can also help us develop games that boost engagement and integrate seamlessly with social and streaming platforms to enhance interaction the game’s visibility.


Hand: I know it might be strange hearing this from an Art Director, but I believe that success comes down to high quality data analysis. I personally conduct a lot of research into the performance of our games, competitor’s games, the feedback from players and streamers and the feedback we receive from operators.


Additionally, I look at trends in adjacent markets like mobile games, AAA games, tv and film. There is a lot of evidence from these other entertainment mediums that shows personalisation, social interaction and competitive elements improve retention and higher levels of engagement. I’m certain that I could do this 1000x faster and more effectively with a dedicated AI tool!

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