Trying something different as a small studio.
Instead of the usual slot themes (gods, animals, pure greed), we built a game around “looksmaxing”, the character actually progresses and gets better looking the more you play.
It’s called GlowUp.
Weird concept on paper, but people are getting weirdly attached to the character. Some treat it more like a progression system than a normal game.
Curious what other indie devs think about leaning this hard into a niche theme.
There's a hidden bonus in our game.
You can't buy it. You can't hit it on mystery spins.
A player said to me: "A lot of stake only slots are built to do bonus buys or mystery spins". I've learned.
In Smokin' Zonko hidden is base game and ante only.
Good luck finding it 👌
There's a hidden bonus in our game.
You can't buy it. You can't hit it on mystery spins.
A player said to me: "A lot of stake only slots are built to do bonus buys or mystery spins". I've learned.
In Smokin' Zonko hidden is base game and ante only.
Good luck finding it 👌
Smokin' Zonko has been live on @Stake for 10 hours.
In that time you've taken us for more than $1,000.
Honestly? Best possible launch day. A game nobody wins on is a game nobody comes back to, so we'll take the hit and call it marketing.
Enjoy it while it lasts :)
Smokin' Zonko has been live on @Stake for 10 hours.
In that time you've taken us for more than $1,000.
Honestly? Best possible launch day. A game nobody wins on is a game nobody comes back to, so we'll take the hit and call it marketing.
Enjoy it while it lasts :)
Smokin' Zonko 🚬 Is officially out!
Discover this new world around Japan with unique mechanics :)
20000x Max Win 🔥
➜ https://t.co/orW3QagkW9
➜ https://t.co/yj1O6CA88r
Live now on @Stake & @StakeUsa
Powered by @enginedotio
Smokin' Zonko 🚬 Is officially out!
Discover this new world around Japan with unique mechanics :)
20000x Max Win 🔥
➜ https://t.co/orW3QagkW9
➜ https://t.co/yj1O6CA88r
Live now on @Stake & @StakeUsa
Powered by @enginedotio
Looking back at GlowUp after a few weeks live, the biggest surprise wasn’t the numbers.
It was how quickly some players started treating the character like a personal project.
They don’t just chase the win.
They chase the next version of him.
That attachment is something most slots never create.
Still finding it interesting to watch.
Sometimes I wonder if we made GlowUp too personal.
Most games let you stay distant. You spin, you win or lose, you move on.
This one makes people project onto the character.
They start caring about how he looks after a good run.
I didn’t expect a slot to create that kind of attachment.
Still deciding if that’s a good thing or a dangerous one.
Trying something different as a small studio.
Instead of the usual slot themes (gods, animals, pure greed), we built a game around “looksmaxing”, the character actually progresses and gets better looking the more you play.
It’s called GlowUp.
Weird concept on paper, but people are getting weirdly attached to the character. Some treat it more like a progression system than a normal game.
Curious what other indie devs think about leaning this hard into a niche theme.
Most slot studios design the game first and slap a theme on top.
We did the opposite with GlowUp.
We started with the feeling of actually leveling up in real life, then built the mechanics around that emotion.
That’s why the character progression isn’t just cosmetic. It changes how the whole session feels.
Still not sure if that was smart or just weird.
But it’s ours.
One thing I didn’t expect with GlowUp is how quiet some of the sessions get.
People don’t spam emojis or yell in the chat.
They just keep spinning, watching the character change, waiting for the next level.
It feels less like a normal slot and more like a slow progression.
Weirdly calming for a gambling game.
Anyone else play it that way?