FremantleMedia
About FremantleMedia
Fremantlemedia software is just one aspect of the company’s loved and well-known content. The group is behind some of the most popular shows and tv programs in the world, with an impressive global network covering more than 30 countries. Their recent interest in casino games is the result of players seeking more games inspired by tv shows. Whether they produce the games themselves or work closely with third-party software developers, they use proven concepts to create fun games.
FremantleMedia Games Corporate History
Bertelsmann started out as a publishing house in 1835, but after world war ii it began acquiring other companies and expanding its reach into both print and broadcast media. In 1964, it acquired ufa, which was originally founded as universum film (ag) in 1917. Ufa is best known to international audiences for producing the classic science fiction movie «metropolis» in 1926. However, it had already started branching into television programming in the 1950s and was the production company for the price is right, the longest running television game show in history.
Bertelsmann set up a subsidiary in 1984, ufa film-und fernseh gmbh, to enter the private tv market in germany newly created. A series of mergers among media companies throughout the 1990s eventually led to ufa merging with clt in 1997 and clt-ufa international subsequently merging with pearson television to form the rtl group. Pearson had already acquired a company called all american fremantle in 1997, thus acquiring properties such as the price is right and family feud.
In 2001, the content production group of rtl group was launched as fremantlemedia. This subsequently launched various talent and game shows. In 2006, fremantlemedia’s licensing and distribution divisions were merged to form a new entity, fremantlemedia enterprises. In 2010, fremantlemedia acquired game development company ludia, thus entering into direct development competition with its gaming development partners. However, the company still negotiates new deals with major game manufacturers and designers.
Casinos using FremantleMedia
Fremantlemedia is a part of the rtl group, which is a global leader in digital, content and broadcast. They are also a part of the bertelsmann company. With thousands of programming hours per year and a lot of original content, they are behind some of the most unique casino games. The number of fremantlemedia casinos might be relatively small, but they include some of the most respectable gambling groups. 888 casino, 1bet2bet casino and 777 casino are some of the places where people can enjoy their games.
Games
Fremantlemedia has the advantage of owning a lot of original concept, which means it doesn’t have to go anywhere else for inspiration. Many of the games it offers are either inspired by or loosely based on the tv shows and series it produces. Slots are a great way to bring these ideas to life in a fun environment, with simple game mechanics. Players who seek the thrills of slots will be delighted by fremantlemedia’s small but unique collection of popular games. Fans of tv shows are the main beneficiaries of going over the list below and playing these games. They can wager virtual currency until they learn the ropes and switch to real cash.
Blockbusters
This game is based on the hit television show where contestants guessed words based on given letters. The slot game uses a one-of-a-kind hexagonal configuration with 21 tiles across 5 reels. Expanding wild symbols can be found on reels 2, 3, 4, and 5. The bonus game uses a similar concept to the television show by choosing letters which then limit the tile options to win prizes.
Family Fortunes
The family fortunes television show was inspired by the popular american family feud game show. The television show games presented competing families with question from surveys and they had to guess what answers survey respondents gave. The family fortunes slot game is a 5-reel, 3-row, 20 pay line game with two bonus features. The double money free spins game has no preset number of spins, but awards them continually based on a random feature simulating two families providing answers to questions. The big money bonus game simulates a real question-and-answer quiz where each question has six possible answers. It’s just a slot «pick» bonus so you don’t need to worry about guessing right.
Hole in the Wall
Hole in the wall is a game show where two teams of three players compete against each other by jumping through holes in walls. The british version of the show is more difficult, with blindfolded team captains and tougher challenges. The slot game uses a different form of spin animation to emulate the mystery of the television show. The game uses 5 reels, 3 rows, and 20 pay lines. A replay scatter symbol is used to emulate the show’s «replay» shots. Another bonus scatter brings up a break out bonus game where you choose your main prize from one of three walls before playing the second round. You are then prompted to use arrow keys to maneuver an avatar through a hole in a wall, allowing for three attempts.
Play Your Cards Right
This game show from the 1980s challenged contestants to guess whether the next playing card in a series would be higher or lower than the most recently upturned card. They had some options, such as replacing the first card on their turn or freezing at their current position in the series to give the other contestant a chance to lose the game. This slot machine game uses 5 reels and 3 rows of playing card symbols to run a standard spin the reels game. But during the spins random progressive credits are awarded to two special jackpots. The real fun begins when the bonus games are triggered. In both you try to guess whether the next card in a series will be higher or lower.
The best part is that you get to try for both progressive jackpots, even if you only win one of them. Winning the first jackpot terminates the bonus round, but if you don’t win it, you still have a chance to win the second jackpot.
Robocop
This slot is based on the popular 1980s movies of the same name, and features comic book quality illustrations, a movie-inspired soundtrack complete with police sirens, zaps, and automatic gun fire, to give you a blast from the past (or future). In the films, a murdered police officer is donated to a special project that revives his body and adds computer technology to his brain. However, the corporation building the new robocop is unaware that he is sentient and fully aware. He even remembers bits and pieces of his past life.
Robocop himself occasionally turns some of the tiles into wild symbols for you in the slot game. A random jackpot is increased by tiles that charge it up. The «attack on ocr» bonus game is an interactive shoot-em’ up game where you win prizes for hitting your targets. The game lasts for as long as you can stay alive.
Space Invaders
The original space invaders arcade game was a force to be reckoned with in its day. People played it everywhere, and it was even ported onto personal computers quite profitably. The slot machine game pays homage to the original concept with multiple bonus games, some of which allow you to shoot at the alien spaceships just like in the arcade game. Skill-based bonus rounds are still quite rare on slot machine games. Developers have to keep the games from paying too much money to players, otherwise casinos won’t use them. One compromise is to limit the amount of the prize money that can be won in a given bonus round. This is done in many fremantlemedia games by using an in-session progressive jackpot that is built up as you spin the reels but cleared once the bonus game is finished. Although the game is obviously targeting older players who remember the arcade game, it has something to offer younger players as well.
Stargate SG-1
Stargate sg-1 was one of the most popular science fiction shows of all time, running for ten years and spawning two live action spinoffs and one animated show. The stargate sg-1 slot game captures the essence of the tv show, with zooming perspectives, a stargate frame, transparent tiles and a wormhole animation that takes you into and brings you back from the free spins bonus game. The multiple wild symbols add an extra layer of excitement to the game, as you never quite know if you’ll spin up a regular wild, an expanding wild, or a multiplier bonus.
Take Me Out Date Night
The uk television show take me out date night is based on an australian dating game show. In the show, one man is pitted against thirty women in a showdown of looks, interests, and desire. If there is no chemistry between a man and a woman, the man is shooed away to the mournful tune of celine dion’s «all by myself». If a couple is united at the end of the show, they are scheduled for a date on the imaginary island of fernando’s (actually local establishments dressed up for the show).
This slot game from fremantlemedia is sure to bring back memories, with manly and feminine silhouettes standing next to the typical slot machine low value symbols («a», «k», «q», «j», and «10»). If you’re lucky enough to spin up three or more of the love lyft symbols you are taken to the bonus round where you can use your talent, friends, or family to woo the girls. But be warned: the bonus game ends when the first girl turns off her light. But at least you’ll have celine dion to comfort you in your loss.
The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly
He made it look so easy in the sergio leone movie from 1966 that served as inspiration for this game. With clear delineations between good and bad guys (and some in-betweens), the film was a perfect source of ideas for a western-themed slot machine game. And what are we usually looking for when we play these games? That’s right: gold. Fremantle media included some clever (or maybe unintentional) nods to the wild, wild west with their in-tile animations. The game features gradually increasing in-session jackpots, and some special symbols only appear on certain reels. Bonus games include a pick feature where you win multipliers from tuco’s target range, and a graveyard shootout where you win a jackpot bonus based on whether you hit the good guy, the bad guy, or the ugly guy.
Trivial Pursuit
When there’s plenty of beer but not enough scrabble pieces in canada, people invent games based on trivia. This is what happened in 1979 when two journalists invented trivial pursuit. The game made millions for anyone smart enough to invest in it, spawned many derivative editions and rival games, and even became a television show. Fremantlemedia took the television concept and turned it into a slot machine game. Just like in the board game, players collect tokens from six categories of knowledge. The game simulates a real trivia game in the bonus rounds, where players’ random choices reveal how much money they can win for correctly answering (figuratively speaking) trivia questions.
X-Factor
No one knew what a phenomenon the x factor television show would become when simon cowell launched it. Television talent shows have been around since the 1950s, but x factor brought something new to the concept, forcing other talent shows to up their game. The show has inspired several slot machines by the same name. Each takes something different from the judge-and-audience voting competition, but they all revive that spark of creativity in each of us. You almost want to get up on stage and start dancing and singing along with the contestants, many of whom went on to win recording contracts even though they didn’t win the show. The game’s iconography is simple yet a fitting tribute to a television show that uses lights, sound, and fast-paced transitions to keep audiences in the studio and at home captivated and rooting for their favorite performers. You’ll be rooting for your favorite bonus round.
I was pleasantly surprised to find that the fremantle slots are very good. Production is professional enough to break out of the «just another tie-in» space, and these games are bound to have wide appeal — especially among fans of the show. One question is whether we will be seeing an x-factor, or maybe «how clean is your house?» slot coming through soon!
