What will Microgaming's Deadmau5 video slot look like?

Online gamblers who also happen to be Deadmau5 fans have been waiting since January for more news on the proposed video slot branded after their favourite musician.

Microgaming announced at the start of the year plans to release a number of branded slots including one designed around Deadmau5 and his music. Deadmau5 has even gotten on board by contributing some of the music for the game's soundtrack.

In a press release issued earlier in 2020, Microgaming made it clear that the Deadmau5 game was inspired by the musician's latest tour, Cube V3; a tour that was temporarily suspended as a result of the coronavirus crisis. It is not clear how much of the music from the tour - if any - is included in the video slot's soundtrack. But we do know that Deadmau5 played a big role in developing that soundtrack.

More about Deadmau5

Deadmau5 is a well-known musician, DJ, and electronic music producer hailing from Canada. He is originally from Niagara Falls, Ontario and began his music career in the mid-2000's. Born Joel Thomas Zimmerman, he took the stage name Deadmau5 from a nickname he was given as a teenager. He has since developed the name into an entire brand with its own iconic logo that temporarily landed him in hot water with Disney.

The two amicably resolved their differences in 2015. But just as he was closing the door on the Disney scuffle, Deadmau5 got into a legal dispute with the owner of a business that sells cat-themed accessories and clothing. He had attempted to trademark the name of his cat only to find out that the other business had done so years earlier. The two went to litigation but eventually settled in 2017.

These two issues demonstrate just how protective Deadmau5 is of his brand. That being the case, it is exciting to see that he has lent his brand and expertise to Microgaming for the purposes of developing a new video slot. We would expect the game to remain true to the Deadmau5 brand through and through.

What that means practically is anyone's guess. But if you are a big fan of Deadmau5's music, you are likely to enjoy the soundtrack. We suspect that the games presentation will also be heavily integrated with how Deadmau5 stages his shows. To say that his shows are legendary are like saying the sky is blue.

Deadmau5's shows are known for being extremely tech driven and big on the wow factor. He combines his electronic music with giant video screens, plenty of computers, a slew of animations and special effects, and a whole lot more. They are unlike anything else on the concert scene.

Why team with Deadmau5

People who either know nothing about Deadmau5 or do not care for his music might wonder why Microgaming would team up with him for a video slot. After all, Microgaming is one of the foremost names in online gambling. It's not like they need help from Deadmau5's brand to sell a new slot. So what's the deal?

One of the ways Microgaming has remained relevant since the mid-1990s is to tie its brand to culture. By embracing pop-culture trends, they continually produce lines of games that appeal to gamblers of all ages and interests. That really is the big picture.

The thing about video slots is that they are all basically the same. They are all built around the exact same principles. Yes, there are variations like different numbers of reels, different ways to utilise wild and scatter symbols, etc. There are even differences in the bonus games different slots offer. But you can only get so far with those kinds of things.

In order to attract attention for a new title, you have to give players a something more. Microgaming and its competitors learned years ago that theming was a way to give players more without undermining the basics of video slot play. Come up with a great theme, develop a story line to go with it, and you can gain an audience.

Deadmau5 is a great fit for a game developer trying to reach a younger audience. Older gamblers are fine with games themed after popular topics from the 1980s through the early 2000s. But those earlier themes are lost on the younger generation. Their culture is different. The things that interest them do not interest their parents and grandparents.

Use your imagination

Microgaming says it plans to release the Deadmau5 video slot during the third quarter of 2020. We just entered the third quarter at the start of July, so release is on the horizon. Unfortunately, Microgaming has done a very good job of not revealing any details about this game. No one really knows what it is going to look like. However, you are free to use your imagination.

We expect that all of the game's symbols will in some way be related to a Deadmau5 concert. You might have tickets, concert goers, and instruments as symbols. It is highly likely that the Deadmau5 logo will be either the wild or scatter symbol. Were also guessing that it will somehow be incorporated into bonus play.

Speaking of bonus play, it wouldn't be out of the question for the video slot to have a free spins bonus. Some developers have been shying away from free spins games over the last year or so, but free spins are still a big draw. Microgaming might add them to the Deadmau5 game for that reason alone.

We also imagine the game will in some way be tied to a progressive jackpot. If Microgaming links it to the Mega Moolah jackpot, that would be something. We suspect that the game will attract a fairly large audience among younger players. The larger the audience, the more it would contribute to the Mega Moolah jackpots.

As for the game's backdrop, it is going to have to pay homage to Cube V3 in some way. Perhaps the reels will be incorporated into a giant cube similar to what Deadmau5 is using on stage for this tour. At any rate, expect a sight and sound feast when you step up to play the Deadmau5 video slot.

Brought to You by Eurostar Studios

For the record, the Deadmau5 video slot is not being produced by in-house game developers at Microgaming. Microgaming has given responsibility for the project to Eurostar Studios, one of the many independent games studios they partner with.

Eurostar Studios is a relatively new studio, having been formed by a team of professionals with years of combined experience in game development. The company's chief game design expert, Jerry Seelig, has designed more than 1000 games to date. He owns more than 120 licensed brands for both games and apps.

The Eurostar team markets themselves as storytellers. In other words, they do not just create entertaining games with decent graphics and adequate soundtracks. Every game they produce is designed to tell a story. It is a lot like the difference between Disney-owned theme parks and everyone else.

Disney is, first and foremost, a company that tell stories. Everything in their theme parks are built on stories. Every attraction, restaurant, hotel, etc. - they all begin with a story and go from there. Eurostar Studios does the same thing with its games. They start with a story they can design around.

What is the story behind the Deadmau5 video slot? We don't know. Only Microgaming, Eurostar Studios, and Deadmau5 himself know that. But we are going to find out soon enough. We are also going to discover whether or not Eurostar stays true to its belief in sophisticated simplicity.

If there is one thing that we know to be true about video slots it is that they have become increasingly more complicated as time has passed. Game developers looking for an edge have continued developing complex storylines along with bonus play that often requires a program to keep up. So much complexity can be distracting.

It will be refreshing if Deadmau5 turns out to be sophisticated and simple and yet extremely entertaining. That is the centrepiece of Eurostar Studios' reputation; we'll see if they can pull it off.

Reaching a younger audience

Microgaming is clearly reaching for a younger audience with the Deadmau5 video slot. They understand that a younger audience will be critical to their success for decades to come. As such, they are meeting that audience where they are. Deadmau5 is an excellent partner to help move the company and its products forward with a new demographic.

If you are a fan of Deadmau5 and his music, you don't have much longer to wait. Microgaming's Deadmau5 video slot should be out sometime in the coming weeks. Keep a sharp eye out for it at your favourite Microgaming-licensed online casino. And when it is finally released, show your support for Deadmau5 by spinning the reels.

In the meantime, Microgaming has already released a bunch of other new titles for 2020. This year is going to be a busy year for them. With more than 100 new titles on the table, there will be something for everyone before the year is out.