It’s amazing to think that online gambling started in earnest more than 30 years ago. In the beginning, the online gambling focus fell on sports betting. When top sports betting operators decided they wanted to offer a little online gambling variety, online casino games were added just before the end of the 20th century.
In the very beginning of online casino gambling, there were three primary software developers that were creating rather crude-looking fruit slots and table games. Those three operators were Microgaming, Playtech, and Net Entertainment (later rebranded to NetEnt). It’s noteworthy that some 25 or more later, today, these are the three largest online casino software developers in the world.
Early on, Microgaming was generally considered the “top dog” among the three. They built their reputation with an amazing focus on creating branded video slots that were in demand. They created branded games like The Dark Knight Rises, Laura Croft’s Tomb Raider, The Terminators 1 & 2, Psycho, and more recently Bridesmaids. Soon, Playtech joined the branded slot fray with its focus on DC and Marvel Comics video slots. What about NetEnt?
NetEnt and Its Branded Slots
It’s interesting to note that the principals at NetEnt took their time getting to the branded video slot party. It turns out they were building something much bigger. They were building an enormous online casino software development conglomerate that now rules the world’s online casino community. The company has a modern software platform and a vast library of online casino games that are second to none.
The approach management at NetEnt has employed over the last 10 years has indicated the company’s focus on appealing to all aspects of popular culture. While Microgaming has been focusing on action movie branded games and Playtech promoting superheroes, it has been NetEnt that has been targeting branded slots across the board of what is popular in society.
Want proof? Take a look at these lists of branded slots that fall into popular categories of pop culture. In fact, you can play some of these slots for free in the lobby section of nodepositbonus.cc
The Music Genre
- Guns N’ Roses – Hard-rock band 1985 to current featuring Axel Rose
- Jimi Hendrix – late great guitar player from the 1960s
- Motörhead – English heavy metal band from 1975 to 2015
- Ozzy Osbourne – Black Sabbath frontman and heavy metal solo artist 1967 to current
The Movie Genre
- The Invisible Man – 1940 thriller featuring Vincent Price
- Jumanji – 1995 fantasy/adventure featuring the late and great Robin Williams
- Conan – Conan the Barbarian, 1982 hero movie featuring Arnold Schwarzenegger
- Dracula – horror film loosely based on the 2000 version of the vampire
- Creature From the Black Lagoon – 1954 American black-and-white 3D monster horror film
The TV Show Genre
- Gordon Ramsey Hell’s Kitchen – cooking competition series running from 2005 to current with the fiery Gordon Ramsey as the mentor and judge
- Knight Rider – private investigator series running from 1982 to 1986 featuring David Hasselhoff as Michael Knight and the amazing KITT (1982 Pontiac Firebird Trans Am)
- Vikings – historical drama series running from 2013 to 2020 inspired by the sagas of Ragnar Lodbrok (one of the best-known legendary Norse heroes)
- Narcos – Docu-series running from 2015 to 2017 focuses on the biographical history of Columbian drug cartels and their leaders
Other Pop Culture Slots
- Street Fighter II (video gaming) – popular 1987 carcade game was converted to a video game version by 1991, features fighting matchups between selected warriors (solo and dual player)
- Scudamore’s Super Stakes (sports) – Peter Scudamore was a famous Britisk-born steeplechase jockey who won championship titles in the 1980s and 1990s
NetEnt’s Current and Future Impact on the Online Casino Industry
NetEnt’s rise to the top was anything but meteoric. The company’s management has always charted a very careful path toward the future with the interest of casino players always at the forefront.
While Microgaming and Playtech are certainly viable competitors within the online casino gambling community, they often stay with traditional game concepts and themes. Meanwhile, NetEnt is always reaching toward the future through innovation. The impact it has had on a new generation of online casino players goes questioned.
The company’s most recent releases are all clearly targeting younger adults who enjoy a higher level of game participation. They are tapping into this growing market with outstanding video/audio features, innovative game matrixes, and interactive bonus games that pull players into the heart of the action.
It’s also noteworthy that the company is currently developing VR reality casinos and branded video slots that are sure to keep recreational and experienced slot players always coming back for more.