Relax Gaming

In a recent interview with Demo Slot, Leah Neutel, Head of Malmö studio at Relax Gaming, reflects on the science of unpredictability: behind the scenes of Money Train 5.

Read the interview as posted by Demo Slot below.

1. Money Train 5 is arguably Relax Gaming’s most anticipated release in years. Where did the creative process begin, and how do you approach the blank page when developing a sequel with this level of expectation attached to it?

When creating a sequel to our biggest series, we always start by looking at what we can improve from the previous game. That could mean changing or upgrading features, introducing something new or simply making the overall experience more seamless. Lots of small improvements can make a huge difference to the player's experience. With Money Train 5, we’ve added a new mechanic to the game and the challenge was keeping everything players recognise and love about the series while giving them something genuinely new.

2. The series has always thrived on the feeling that a bonus round could suddenly transform into something extraordinary. This is something every slot creator wants to achieve, that Relax has genuinely gotten right in past iterations of Money Train. How do you keep that up and improve in Money Train 5?

Those explosive moments are really what set Money Train apart from the rest. We go through hundreds of iterations of the math and take feedback from as many people as possible to understand how the game actually feels to play. With the new mechanic in Money Train 5, that testing became even more important. We test, adjust and test again until we're collectively happy that we've captured those huge moments while still keeping the gameplay balanced and engaging.

3. With a franchise as established as Money Train, how do you decide which elements are essential to its identity and which parts can be challenged, reworked or left behind?

The environments are usually where we have the most freedom to change things, while the core characters and features help maintain the Money Train identity. We keep the familiar gang but introduce new characters and ideas that complement the new theme and mechanics. Coming up with those elements individually is the easy part – getting everything to work together while still feeling unmistakably like Money Train is where the real challenge begins!

4. What did the development and iteration process look like behind the scenes? Were there any ideas that changed dramatically between the earliest prototype and the final version of the game?

Yes, definitely! Some of the ways the bonuses behaved changed quite dramatically between the first versions and the final game. We actually had an entire bonus that was eventually removed and replaced because it simply didn't fit with the overall vision. That's all part of the development process! Sometimes you have to be willing to drop something even after putting a lot of work into it. But who knows, maybe that idea will find its way into another game in the future!

5. How important was player feedback from Money Train 4 and the wider series when shaping the new title, and did players respond to any previous features in ways that surprised the development team?

Player feedback is extremely important when creating the next instalment. Thankfully, with four previous Money Train games, we have a huge amount of player feedback and data to help us understand what works. We look at where we think we can make the biggest improvements to gameplay, create multiple versions of those ideas and then put them back in front of the wider product team for review. That combination of player data and internal testing really helps shape the final game.

6. Playtesting must be especially important for a game built around escalation, interaction and unexpected moments. What are you looking for during those sessions, and how do you know when you've found the right balance and the game is ready to ship?

Playtesting is hugely important because we're looking for those moments where the player can feel the potential in every spin. Money Train needs to feel explosive and capable of delivering those massive, potentially life-changing moments, while still providing enough wins and interaction in between to keep the player engaged. A lot of that comes down to trial and error – constantly testing the features and results until we feel we've found the right balance.

7. What has been the most difficult creative or technical challenge the team had to overcome, and which aspect of Money Train 5 are you personally proudest of?

One of the biggest challenges was making sure the moving reels and environments genuinely gave the player a feeling of progression, while combining that with the increasingly explosive moments in the later stages of the game. It sounds relatively simple, but it took a lot of careful planning from the whole team. We didn't want to overdo those moments, but we also couldn't underplay them and lose the player between stages. Getting that progression and pacing right is probably what I'm most proud of.

8. Finally, what are your overall expectations for Money Train 5, and where does it stack up against its predecessors?

We're very excited. Money Train 5 has been in development for quite some time and we're confident the new mechanic will appeal to loyal Money Train players while giving them something genuinely different. The team in Malmö has put a huge amount of love and dedication into the game, and there's already a lot of excitement around the release. Naturally, we're hoping it can go on to perform as well as its predecessors and we genuinely believe we've created something capable of doing that.