We have some sad news to report from the casino floors of Las Vegas. The Star Wars original trilogy-themed slot machines, which were some of the inaugural machines to feature commercially licensed titles from Lucasfilm, have been discontinued in Sin City. Gaming fans that will have spent many hours at the slot machines of these Star Wars and Marvel-themed titles will be heartbroken to find that the machines have been removed from circulation.
The decision to pull the plug on the original trilogy slots has even bemused experts online that review the latest slot titles. A spokesperson for Penny Slot Machines called the move ‘very odd.’
‘The Star Wars slot was incredibly popular, often with lines [of people] waiting to play them,’ said the spokesperson. The spokesperson went on to moot reasons as to why the decision was made to discontinue the machines in Vegas, questioning whether ‘they [Disney] were charging the casinos too much money to have them installed,’ resulting in the games being moved to other casinos in Asia that are ‘prepared to pay more to have the most advanced technology on the slot floor.’
Almost certainly, Disney’s purchase of the Star Wars franchise from Lucasfilm for $4 billion back in 2012 has led to this decision. It is widely known that Disney has always maintained a firm stance against casinos and iGaming. Over the years, the brand has steadfastly rejected requests from commercial cruise liners to operate slot machines based on any of their animated games or movies. In Florida, Disney has vehemently fought ambitions to build new casinos in the Sunshine State, which is regarded unofficially as the nation’s most family-friendly region.
A spokesperson from Disney confirmed that the company’s recent decision to drop all acquired brands from casino floors had been common knowledge internally. The spokesperson confirmed that Marvel ‘discontinued plans to initiate or renew slot machine licensing arrangements’ as part of its new deal with Disney. They added that Lucasfilm ‘would follow suit,’ but admitted it could take ‘several years for [Star Wars] branded slot machines to disappear altogether.’
What’s great about the Star Wars trilogy video slots is that it combined elements from all three original movies in the genre: A New Hope, The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi. To activate all three games on the reels at once, players are required to wager three times the minimum bet (30 credits). Several in-game features are randomly triggered, including the Ewok Adventure bonus and the Rapid Reload round. Players can even step into the role of an X-wing starfighter and battle to destroy the Death Star in the Battle of Yavin bonus round. All in all, it’s an excellent homage to the original trilogy of Star Wars films and will be sorely missed by the Star Wars fraternity.
Fortunately, there remains a strong choice of slot titles in operation both in land-based casinos and online for sci-fi and Marvel buffs. Space Invaders has always had a classic sci-fi feel to it. You’ll witness a small group of aliens attempt to take over a modest American town, with hugely engaging animations to boot based on planets, alien life forms and Area 51. Marvel comics and movies have long served as an inspiration for slot titles too, and online casinos operated by Playtech software benefit from a portfolio of games modelled on the Marvel universe. From The Incredible Hulk: Ultimate Revenge to X-Men, these games are accurately based on the famous superheroes, with heart-pounding progressive jackpots also built into the mix.
At least Star Wars fans have had a period of years to be able to play the original trilogy slot. There is a string of Star Wars video games that were canned before they even made it to our screens. Imperial Commando was mooted as the follow-up to Republic Commando, the first game that allowed fans to battle in the Clone Wars as part of the Delta Squad. However, this title only ever made it to the concept phase. The one that got away was Battlefront 3, which was highly anticipated among Battlefront 2 fanatics, of which there remains many. Battlefront 3 was intended as a prequel to the original Battlefront, but its release was eventually cancelled by Electronic Arts (EA). Reports suggest it could still be on the cards, but no firm release date has yet been decided.
Amidst this digital landscape, the Mostbet Download app emerges as a notable contender, providing a seamless experience for users looking to engage in a diverse range of casino games from the comfort of their own homes. This platform stands out not only for its wide selection of games but also for its user-friendly interface, making it an attractive option for those mourning the discontinuation of their favorite Star Wars slot machines.
Fortunately, Star Wars films have not suffered since Disney’s acquisition of Lucasfilm. There were fears that their desire to put a family-friendly spin on each new release would water down the excitement. Nevertheless, the box office successes of Rogue One and The Last Jedi should ease those concerns.