Viktor Johansson, Slot Game Creator at Thunderkick, explores the artistry of storytelling through casino games, following the launch of the latest evolution of its iconic franchise: Pink Elephants Trinity.
Why the story behind the slot matters
Casino games are an underutilised canvas for storytelling. The development process from concept to execution allows for an exploration of ideas, and each game presents a unique and significant opportunity to turn a simple slot into a symbolic, sensory journey.
During my time away from the industry, I found myself contemplating why I do what I do and what I want others to experience from the worlds I build. Ultimately, I’m searching for a specific quality within content, a feeling or soul, and I’m not satisfied until that essence reveals itself in a game.
That feeling doesn’t come from me alone. It comes from the entire Thunderkick team. Our internal culture and shared philosophy are spotlighted in every release. From a product perspective, we are artists creating from within ourselves, and our games thus become mirrors. The result is a sense of progression in Pink Elephants Trinity that reflects not only my personal development, but Thunderkick’s evolution as an independent creative studio.
In my view, every aspect of a game, from visuals and soundscapes to pacing, has purpose. Good storytelling is about understanding these archetypes, frequencies, and vibrations. Although we all experience the world differently, these deeper patterns can be tuned into by us all, immersing each individual into the journey.
The Pink Elephants story is rooted in psychedelia. The first game introduced the Pink Elephant, immediately prompting more questions. How did it become pink? What does this represent? It is this feeling of an alternate state, facilitated by the light-charged peanut, which shifts reality and makes the original so appealing. Pink Elephants 2 transitioned the focus from light to sound. Here we changed the scatter to a Tibetan gong, which became the reference point for the audio experience.
Pink Elephants Trinity was about going one step further to create total synaesthesia, exploring the idea of hearing light and seeing sound, and creating a convergence point between the two. Visually, the colour spectrum and separation were a method of expressing the interplay between light, sound frequencies, and vibration, reminiscent of Pink Floyd’s iconic Dark Side of the Moon prism.
More broadly, the ideology behind the world was the creation of a setting free of barriers, allowing the self to experience the none-dual connection in a moment of escape.
Rethinking the creative process
In an industry so heavily dominated by numbers, I prefer to find out what feels important, not necessarily just what looks important. Often, this is emotion, meaning, alignment. Yes, it’s a gamble when pouring so much energy into a concept, but the success of the previous two iterations showed us that players respond to authenticity.
There is a balance to be struck between creative freedom and commercial viability, but my job is to wear the hat of the player. I ask myself, what would I expect or enjoy as a player? This is what the core concept is built around. Then it’s about believing in the process – there is little room for compromise.
Once the entire team is invested in the vision, you are free to ideate and explore the creative concept as deeply as possible, and this feeling of patience is explored in Pink Elephants Trinity. In a hyper-paced industry defined by products that extract maximum value in minimal time, we wanted to slow things down.
This game rewards time when played as intended. Sure, we included ante bets and bonus buys to meet market demands, but the story revolves around persistence unlocking possibilities.
The design is reminiscent of old-school casino games. I look back on that era with fondness, for the creative stories told over time, before everything became so rushed. Pink Elephants Trinity pays tribute to that period and hopefully recaptures some of that nostalgia.
Making experiences memorable
The end goal is an unforgettable experience, one that transcends traditional casino entertainment and enters into genuine storytelling. When players load up Pink Elephants Trinity, I want them to feel what I felt when creating the universe: as though they’re stepping through a portal into another dimension and reality, a world they can relax into that offers a sense of mystery and exploration.
There should be a sense of anticipation, with no spoilers as to what the end game might entail. When I watch a movie, I don’t want to know how it ends. I want to experience every twist and turn. The same is true here. Each bonus round level unveils a new shamanic spirit animal and a deeper feeling of progression, which all lead to the ascension event: the end game.
Pink Elephants Trinity is a ceremonial journey, one that I hope is truly memorable. If I were to reflect in 10 years, I’d want it to be remembered as a culturally resonant story, one that perhaps inspired Thunderkick’s future releases and maybe influenced the marketplace as a whole. And maybe, along the way, it will inspire players to explore cultures, ideas or rituals they otherwise wouldn’t have.
After all, slots don’t have to be just slots. They can explore something bigger, something more important, something deeper than day-to-day life. They can tell stories worth remembering.
