As console games develop in sophistication, they introduce us to vast landscapes and broader worlds, some of which cover far more ground than any games we have seen. Certain game developers such as Rockstar dominate free-roam, role-play games set in semi-fictional or specific locations. Plenty of their games feature casinos; we will explore a few today.
For those of you who don’t play console games or aren’t aware of the impressive scope of some of the casinos within these role-playing games, you might be pleasantly surprised and even look to give them a go yourself. The titles you can find on sites like ComeOn Casino are the types of casino titles featured in many of these console games.
Red Dead Redemption 2
One of Rockstar’s most successful gaming dynasties, Red Dead Redemption has shifted millions of units across multiple continents. Red Dead Redemption 2 is considered a most excellent installment and one of the greatest games the legendary game design company has ever released.
With a gigantic map across the broad and breathtaking backdrop of the Wild West, the main character Arthur Morgan battles through these harsh rural and economic times, bounty-hunting and hustling his way to a position of wealth.
While the casino should never be viewed as a way to obtain wealth or financial freedom in real life, playing a game of cards for money in Red Dead Redemption 2 lowers the stakes substantially. The game focuses on developing the casino’s layout and the design’s aesthetics, and ensuring the in-game dialogue keeps the player engaged.
You can choose from various table-based card games such as poker and blackjack. While it is only a minor detail within a game that covers such a colossal range of storylines, mini-games and scenarios, the detail used in this game segment is a snapshot of how much design and planning went into the game as a whole.
Therefore, it is no surprise that the game brought in over half a billion dollars in revenue for Rockstar. Moreover, it continues to enjoy widespread popularity five years after its release.
Grand Theft Auto
The first Grand Theft Auto game featuring casinos was Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas, released nearly 20 years ago. Since then, each following installment has had a more expansive and detailed casino gaming selection.
San Andreas featured an island called Las Venturas, heavily modeled on Las Vegas, so the bright lights, dazzling casinos and strips were reminiscent of Sin City. You could roam around the casino and even own one outright – it was a cosmic leap into the crossover possibilities between top video games and casino gaming.
Rockstar is arguably the most incredible game developer of all time. Their output per game is staggering. Although San Andreas was such an enormous success all those years ago, they didn’t rest on their laurels and continued to release chapters of Grand Theft Auto games that expanded the realms of possibility.
The most recent release of Grand Theft Auto (GTA V), in 2013, features their most graphically impressive casino, and you can play it online against other players. It plays a vital role in developing the social aspect of the online game they continue to build with phenomenal success.
One of the main reasons we haven’t seen a new installment for a decade is because the updates and latest online games that Rockstar develops within Grand Theft Auto V are so successful that it is still a giant cash cow for them. However, GTA 6 is in the pipeline and it’ll be interesting to see how far they take the casino design in a brand-new chapter of the dynasty.
Yakuza: Like a Dragon
Another free-roam, role-playing game that has seen plenty of success, Yakuza: Like a Dragon features a secret casino where you can play card games such as blackjack. Although Yakuza doesn’t have the same quality, stature or reputation as the Rockstar games we have mentioned today, it has sold over 250,000 units in Asia and received memorable reviews from critics. With talks of a sequel lined up, we may see casinos play a more significant role in the second chapter.
Conclusion
There aren’t many video games that feature casinos. However, as game designers continue to explore fresh territory and wish to become more ambitious, this could be a trend that starts to gather momentum.
There’s no doubt that games will continue to get more expansive, so don’t be surprised if you see casinos playing a more prominent role in free-roam games such as Grand Theft Auto. In addition, more games will likely use the success of the social aspect of Grand Theft Auto V to generate titles that focus more on casino gaming, or have a broader range of games available.
