The Most Popular Gambling-themed Multiplayer Games
Gambling-themed games and gambling mechanics are becoming ever-more popular across traditional gaming spaces, most notably in multiplayer gaming. Gambling sections and options are often added to popular multiplayer games to boost the excitement for players and to allow them to engage in gambling while socially engaging with their friends in-game.
The modern gaming landscape has many examples of multiplayer games that are courting the addition of gambling mechanics or gambling themes. These games can provide an increase in the excitement and engagement they get from their players by adding mechanics based on luck, wagering and skill. There are many popular multiplayer games that are following this trend of utilising mechanics borrowed from the gambling industry. This article will go over, in no particular order, a number of the most popular games that have gambling themes or mechanics.
What is it about gambling themes that players love?
Before we get to our list, we want to touch on why exactly these mechanics and themes resonate so well with players. Most players seem to derive their enjoyment from these themes and mechanics being able to hit a trifecta of chance, social interaction and skill. This makes sense, as according to the best HK gambling sites as ranked by online-gambling.com, those three qualities are all prominent across the best sites. Gambling themes also tap into an excitement for the unknown that many gamers possess, which is also a common theme across better gambling platforms.
Grand Theft Auto Online
Grand Theft Auto Online (GTA Online), Rockstar Games' seminal title has been going strong for over a decade now, and the action that players find in this open-world facsimile of Los Angeles isn't limited to fast cars, racing and heists. There is a huge range of activities that players can participate in, and among that range is the in-game casino. The Diamond Casino & Resort as it is known in-game, has a number of features that you would expect at a real casino, including a huge bonus wheel and simple table games like Roulette, Blackjack and Poker. Players can gamble together with in-game currency and win prizes by spinning the wheel.
By having a gambling-themed area that is separate from the hurly-burly and faster-paced excitement of the wider game world, Rockstar is encouraging players to take a break and focus on relaxing and socialising with their fellow players. This is a clever tactic that allows players to engage in fun gambling activities while remaining engaged in the game world.
Counter-Strike 2
Counter-Strike 2 (CS2) is entirely a first-person shooter, it's true, but the game has a meta element that is entirely gambling-related. CS2 has a thriving third-party weapon skin gambling economy. There are many websites and platforms that offer a host of different gambling activities where players can use their in-game skins as collateral or play for the chance to win rare skins.
While you might say that these meta-gambling activities are outside of the scope of the game itself and should disqualify it from this list, we disagree. CS2 has loot box mechanics that allow players the chance to acquire rare skins in-game, and it is this mechanic that allows the larger meta of third-party skin-gambling platforms. Quite apart from the third-party gambling platforms, it should no longer be a contentious statement to point out that loot box mechanics are based more or less directly on the same mechanics as slot machines are.
World of Warcraft
World of Warcraft (WoW) is very disparate from the first two games on this list but still is able to incorporate similar gambling mechanics. WoW has a thriving player-run in-game economy and there are many options for players to use their in-game currencies to gamble on things. From direct dice games between players to player-run lotteries, there are many different options for gambling that WoW players can engage in.
Similarly to GTA Online, these mechanics serve as a way for players to pass their time socially in the game world while doing something more relaxing than the standard activities that they might engage with.
Gwent: The Witcher Card Game
Gwent is one of a rare breed of games, being that it started its life as a minigame within the critically acclaimed Witcher 3 before going on to be birthed anew as a standalone card game. While it has no mechanics that are directly gambling-related, the game itself involves themes that are very similar to many card-based gambling games.
Players face each other one-on-one in showdowns that test their strategy and skill and which are heavily tempered by luck. For expert players bluffing and predicting what opponents will do next is a big part of the gameplay loop. This means that while Gwent isn't gambling, it tickles many of the same parts of the brain that gambling card games do.
PokerStars VR
PokerStars VR is an actual, factual gambling game. It offers players the opportunity to step into a virtual poker room and interact with other players while playing classic poker games. With highly customisable avatars and gameplay that relies on the interactions between other players, this is an excellent example of what multiplayer gambling-themed games can be.
Conclusion
Gambling themes and mechanics exist in some of the most successful and popular games that modern gaming has to offer. Different games use these mechanics and themes in different ways, from GTA Online and WoW using them as ways to keep players engaged in the game world while relaxing, to CS 2 having a meta-game outside of the actual game entirely devoted to gambling with in-game items.
Regardless of how gambling mechanics and themes are implemented, they are all included for the same reason. To better capture the attention and imaginations of players, and to increase their engagement with the game worlds. It seems likely that modern gaming will continue to utilise gambling mechanics and themes while they continue to enthral players.