Inside Thunderkick – An Interview With Jan Lunde
Dancing skulls, exploding birds and strange little men in need of a trim. As far as slots go, they don’t get much more unique or cutting-edge than these – all realised by Thunderkick, one of the coolest game providers around.
Established in 2012, this relatively new slot creator has gone from strength to strength, developing a reputation for innovation and aesthetics not often seen in the slot world. Open one of their 16 titles and not only will you be playing for hugely impressive wins, but there’s a good chance you’ll be in the company of some intriguing characters along the way.
So, what exactly goes through the minds of these creative magicians when coming up with such charming slots? We chased down Jan Lunde, Commercial Director of Thunderkick, to find out what makes ‘The Kick’ tick.
Coffee And A Phone Cable
Your games are notoriously quirky. How important is humour in the Thunderkick ethos?
Very important, but we don’t hire clowns for it! Humour is a positive sign, a healthy one at that, of the condition of the company. Imagine a family dinner without humour. I certainly can’t imagine Thunderkick without it. A sense of humour indicates a sense of freedom, and we have lots of artistic freedom.
Your website states that you want to contribute to a change in the gaming industry. What did you feel needed to be changed?
We want to influence progress more than change. The industry is already in a good place, going in the right direction. However, we like to focus even more on the player and the game. The online slot market is filled with new games and some of them are great, but many lack a genuine passion behind it. We like to bring our real interest in the games to the players. That is exactly why all of us at Thunderkick get involved in the development of the games in some way, as we all want to share our passion and enthusiasm, and hope that this shines through.
What does the future look like for online slots?
Great question, but I don’t know! We do have some ideas of course. I believe that we are entering into the most exciting era of online casino since the pioneers first started converting land-based slots to the internet, back in the 1990s. The next decade will most likely see real examples of how we can take advantage of the internet, big data and real-time to make the entire online gaming experience even more exciting and engaging. Who knows, maybe Thunderkick will be big contributors.
You guys are relative new kids on the block. What are some of the challenges you’ve faced when establishing yourselves?
The main challenge we face in our industry was solved on day one. The founders knew each other and developed a small but complete game supplier company between them. To get an entire team in place, with all the various skill sets, is definitely the most challenging part of starting up as a slot supplier – as you can’t simply just get this outstanding team from the local recruitment agency. Of course we have faced other challenges, and a lot of sacrifices have been made by the founders over the last 4 years in order to make Thunderkick what it is today, and that is why I am honoured and proud to be part of the team.
What’s your personal favourite Thunderkick slot, and why?
What a question! It’s like being asked to choose your favourite child; I love them all. However, if forced to pick, I’d choose two – Fruit Warp and Spectra. I love Fruit Warp as it clearly shows how questioning everything can actually work. The game keeps growing in popularity and we believe that the reason for this is because more players are overcoming the initial feeling of uncertainty when they spin the fruits for the first time. Also, the bonus game is one of my favourites as the potential wins are staggering.
I also love Spectra because it stays true to the basic concept of a slot machine, but with the extra ingredients of the fantastic music and graphics, combining to create a great vibe. When I start playing Spectra, it’s hard to stop chasing that wild-filled screen.
However, having said that, if you ask me again tomorrow I’ll probably pick Zoom and Esqueleto Explosivo.
How many slots do you plan on releasing over the coming year?
We are in discussions at the moment, so have not made any final decisions. However, for 2017 we are aiming for about 6-10, depending on capacity of course.
Which part of the slot creation process excites you the most?
The longer I am in this industry, the more excited I feel about slots and how to make them. It combines psychology along with your own individual preferences when coming up with the graphics, music and element of risk. Making a great slot is similar to making a great song, but we have known harmony and notes in music for centuries, for slots it is more complicated as we have to start gleaning out all the rules and guidelines. The most exciting part for me therefore, is the effort we put into blending all different aspects of the game to suit our imagined player type, creating the right game for the right player.
Your slot themes are pretty unique. Where does the inspiration come from?
You tell me! I am always impressed with the imagination and references in the games. The guys are true artists, so I guess it comes from a mix of personal experiences in their lives. One example is when one of our developers had a coffee and saw a few birds on a telephone cable…obviously he saw slot reels and a year later Birds on a Wire was born.
During your time in the industry, have there been any surprises?
Yes – how complex and fun it is. In my first year I didn’t think much of games where you simply pick and click, however, I notice that is always very common with people new to the industry. Now I enjoy both being part of producing them as well as playing them myself!
Any teasers that you can give Thunderkick fans to look forward to in the near future?
Yes, we are looking forward to the release of a new feature that we call Sleeping Wilds, which will be part of our new game, Turning Totems, due for release on 30th November. Beyond that we have lots of entertaining things coming up for 2017.
