Acting as different arms in the entertainment industry, video and casino games naturally share many elements. In the past, this has often taken a more referential route, but modern video and casino games are intertwining on a much more integrated level. We thought it would be interesting to take a look at how we arrived here, and maybe predict what we might see more of in future.

To get a look at how online casino games are currently operating, review sites that provide information on NetEnt jackpots (NetEnt being a big name in casino software) are a good place to start. Note how the modern redesign appears quite similar to the user-friendliness of digital storefronts like Steam, and this is just the beginning.

There you can see the emphasis which these games place on big winnings, showing where the games can be found, and exactly what can be won should a player take home the grand prize.

With these games operating through slot type architecture, this brings to mind one obvious feature of many modern games. We speak, of course, about the loot box.

"Overwatch-200319-003" (Public Domain) by instacodez

Found in a huge quantity of the biggest games of the world, some of the titans here include DOTA 2, Overwatch, CS:GO, and LoL.

As for how these became so popular in the first place, this ties into the idea of long-term game viability. Modern games have undeniably become more expensive to make, at least on the AAA scale, so developers and publishers want to get all they can from every release. Previously, this took the form of traditional expansions, while today, it commonly appears as post-launch patches and updates.

By offering a slow trickle of content over time players are kept engaged and the legacy of a game can continue to grow. Gameplay content on this front is difficult to create and is more time-consuming. Such elements must be available for everyone as evenly as possible to avoid splitting the player base, but the same is not true for cosmetic items.

Cheaper to create than maps or real gameplay elements, cosmetics items like skins and hats give players a way to customize how the world sees them, and how they represent themselves. As non-crucial from a gameplay perspective, it made perfect sense to add these as a reward, rather than blanket giveaway.

"Overwatch-090518-002" (Public Domain) by instacodez

This ties back into the idea of casino games and their jackpots. By offering a slot-like system with loot boxes, each player could have their own idea of what constituted a jackpot. Building on the excitement of winning big, this is a concept which led itself perfectly to the realities of modern gaming.

Looking at both of these industries together, it’s surprising in retrospect to find just how long these took to borrow from each other. With online casinos taking a more visual approach to games like through Steam and console dashboards, and video games adopting loot box systems, this is a development a long time in the making.

As for the future, that depends on recent legal rulings. While casinos operate by strict codes of ethics and are required to protect their users, traditional video games are not bound by the same set of rules. What this means for the future of loot boxes remains to be seen, but don’t be surprised to see major developers chasing proper gambling licenses sometime in the very near future.