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WWE is a company that likes to make money. There’s nothing wrong with that statement- all businesses exist to make money, and WWE is very good at it. From its paid-for trips to Saudi Arabia to its world-conquering marketing division, the world’s biggest wrestling company has almost turned brand partnerships into an art form. Look hard enough, and you’ll be able to find the WWE logo slapped onto almost any kind of product you can buy. From drinks cups to dungarees and baby rompers to board games, WWE is happy to sell you anything and everything.
In the past couple of years, we've seen WWE start working with casino companies. Such a move was probably overdue. Big-name casino operator companies are always on the lookout for the next big hit to feature on their top slots and casino sites, and they often work with big entertainment brands as part of that process. Many of your favourite television shows and movies have officially-licensed slots and casino games. Some of your favourite sports teams and celebrities have also signed on the dotted line with casino companies. Perhaps the biggest question about WWE's dalliance with the medium isn't why it happened but why it took them so long to hop aboard the gravy train.
The first officially licenced WWE slots game, “WWE Legends Link & Win,” was developed by All42 Studios and released to casino sites in September 2021. That’s more than a year ago, but we’ve checked out the reviews and rankings at Sister Site, which compares casino sister sites and their features, and we can see it still ranks well among players despite the fact that a year is an eternity in the fast-paced world of online casinos. The slots game went big on nostalgia, featuring big names from the company's past, like Steve Austin and Randy Savage, rather than members of the present-day WWE roster. There was even a mini career mode within the game, delivering a potential return of x5000 against a player's stake for becoming the WWE Champion. It remains available to players today, although its combination of high volatility and relatively low return-to-player rate of 94.25% might be a little too sharp for cautious players.
With the first game getting old, WWE and All41Studios have decided that the time is right for a sequel. As of November 2022, the second official WWE online slots game is online, and if it isn't available at a casino near you already, it's likely to turn up at one soon. It's called "WWE Clash of the Wilds," and it officially launched on November 2nd. Despite the similar name, “WWE Clash of the Wilds” has nothing to do with “WWE Clash at the Castle,” which is a shame as that pay-per-view took place in the UK. The UK is likely to be one of the biggest markets - if not the biggest - for the new game. Playing online slots is entirely legal in the United Kingdom so long as players stick to licenced websites. Players - or rather, potential players - in the United States of America are reminded that playing online slots remains illegal virtually everywhere.
Whereas the previous game focused on nostalgia, “Clash of the Wilds” is all about the biggest names in the WWE today. The “cover stars” for the game - by which we mean those who appear on its loading graphic and thumbnail, as the game doesn’t exist in physical form - are Roman Reigns and Charlotte Flair. The inclusion of Charlotte Flair reflects her continued importance to WWE despite her prolonged absence from the active roster. The return-to-player rate is down by the tiniest amount compared to the previous game, coming in at 94.2% rather than 94.25%, but “Clash of the Wilds” is less volatile than “Legends Link & Win.” That should (theoretically, at least) make it easier for players to manage their bankroll while playing the game.
"WWE Clash of the Wilds" comes loaded with all the over-the-top content you'd expect from a WWE-themed game. There are video clips to watch, big stars like John Cena and Bianca Belair on the reels, and a soundtrack of specially-recorded commentary. A new addition to the game (compared to the one that came before it) is the "Ladder Match" feature, which offers a maximum reward of x10,000 against a player's stake for anybody who's able to climb every rung of the ladder and retrieve the championship. The real stars of the bonus features, though, are the wild symbols. Each time they land, they come with one of four different modifiers that could have a significant impact on gameplay. The most useful of them is the stacked wild as if it lands on the fifth reel, it automatically triggers the "Ladder Match Free Spins" feature regardless of which symbols may or may not be on the other reels.
Does the slot have any shortcomings? Yes, there are a few. The "Ladder Match" feature has been included at the expense of the "Link & Win" feature that was at the heart of the original and is generally seen as one of the reasons why the original went down so well with players. There's also a strange lack of involvement from other familiar wrestlers. Aside from Reigns, Cena, Belair and Flair, no other current WWE stars have been included in the game. That's quite the slap in the face to the likes of Becky Lynch and Seth Rollins, and it's odd to see no Brock Lesnar. That could be an image rights issue, but we can only speculate about that.
For those who are interested in the new slots game - which we remind you shouldn't include anybody in the United States of America - it's out at online casinos now. If you're not into iGaming and you're waiting for the next big wrestling video game, we're expecting a release date to be announced for "AEW: Fight Forever" any day now and for the game itself to be available for purchase before the end of the year. Watch this space.
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