We spoke to Gray Wagner, CEO of Mirror Image Gaming, about the current rise of “burst games”. He explained what this thrilling genre has in common with video games, how physics and gravity play a part in their gameplay, and how the Fortune Engine platform helped overcome the technological challenges of designing these exciting new forms of entertainment.
1. The industry is starting to hear the term “burst games” more frequently. How would you define this emerging vertical, and where does it sit within the wider casino ecosystem?
Burst games are a hugely exciting new category of casino content built around short, high-engagement gameplay sessions. 
Rather than relying on extended spin cycles or layered bonus rounds, burst games introduce entirely new worlds, characters, and gameplay experiences that feel closer to PC or mobile gaming than traditional slot machines.
What’s really impressive about them is that their mechanics are driven by physics, creating dynamic, visually engaging gameplay moments.
Many of Mirror Image Gaming’s burst games feature characters who adventure through the worlds we have created, collecting prizes and multipliers along the way.
“Landing zones” are important areas for players to aim for, because these unlock new character progressions, multipliers, plots, and storylines.
Instead of chasing a traditional slot bonus feature, players must look for opportunities for the main character to enter new parts of the map in search of loot and prizes.
Ultimately, burst games are designed for a new generation of players. They resonate particularly strongly with audiences who grew up playing flash games, mobile titles, or console games.
In many ways, burst games represent the merging of two worlds – traditional iGaming and modern interactive gaming – because they bring the pacing and excitement of video games into the casino environment.
2. Drop the Boss had a hugely successful launch last year. How does this title showcase the core principles of a burst game?
Drop the Boss is built around a relatively simple but highly engaging mechanic.
The main character jumps out of an aeroplane and falls into the playing field, collecting coins while avoiding storm clouds that halve your tumble win, while searching for high-paying multiplier landing zones at the bottom of the map.
The core burst mechanic is gravity and physics, which drive the movement and unpredictability of each round.
Much of the game’s appeal also comes from character humour. Players aren’t just spinning reels – they’re creating memorable and entertaining moments during gameplay.
Another key factor is our math model. We are introducing completely new worlds and gameplay concepts to players through burst games, and that always carries some risk.
So the math model needed to allow players to explore and experience the game. That’s why we designed a low- to medium-volatility model that gives them time to understand the mechanics and enjoy the world we created.
3. What player behaviours or industry trends inspired the development of burst games in the first place?
The development of burst games has largely come from industry leaders gaining a deeper understanding of modern player behaviour.
Operators like Stake.com were among the first to introduce dedicated sections for these types of games, demonstrating a strong awareness of how player interests are evolving.
Their strategic ownership of platforms like Kick, combined with strong affiliate relationships, gives them unique insight into younger digital audiences and the types of entertainment experiences they engage in, which ultimately led Stake.com to build the first ‘burst game’ category in their casino lobby.
Slots remain incredibly popular, but the market clearly has room to grow, and there is a significant amount of untapped entertainment potential within new gameplay formats.
The Mirror Image Gaming team has long shared the vision of bringing burst games to life. We believed it was possible to create casino experiences that felt more like interactive video games, but there were technical challenges to solve.
These included building strong mathematical models and the development lifecycles necessary to create these new mechanics.
With the development of the Fortune Engine platform, creating math models has become significantly more efficient.
It allows us to design and balance entirely new gameplay mechanics, including gravity-based movement, vertical and horizontal physics interactions, and other dynamic systems that wouldn’t traditionally exist in slot games.
As we continue to develop with this technology, we expect to uncover many more possibilities for burst game mechanics and experiences.
4. From a design standpoint, what mechanics define a successful burst game, and how are those reflected in your recently launched and upcoming titles?
The magic formula for what makes a great burst game is still something the industry is exploring, but we believe it sits somewhere between culturally relevant characters, strong shock or surprise moments, and well-designed mathematical models.
That shock factor can come from many places – striking or even controversial art, memorable characters, sound design, or emotional moments that players experience while watching the gameplay unfold.
You’ll hear us talk about math models again and again, because they are absolutely central to burst game design. Unlike slot machines, where players are somewhat accustomed to periods of dead spins on higher volatility games, burst games haven’t yet built that same level of rapport with players.
As a result, we’ve seen firsthand how unforgiving players can be if the main character repeatedly gets pulled into the aeroplane jet engine over and over again. While players may accept that type of outcome in a traditional slot environment, it doesn’t necessarily translate well to a burst game.
Because of that, our goal when designing burst game math models is to ensure players receive good lengths of entertainment for a relatively small investment.
At the end of the day, we are part of the entertainment industry. A player might spend 20 euros, pounds, or dollars to go to the cinema to see a movie, or they might choose to spend the same 20 on a game like Drop the Boss.
We aim to ensure players feel they receive a fair amount of entertainment for that spend.
5. How do burst games complement traditional slot content within an operator’s lobby?
Burst games aren’t intended to replace slots. Instead, we want them to add another layer of diversity to the casino lobby.
Slots remain one of the most established and successful forms of casino entertainment. However, players increasingly enjoy having different styles of gameplay available within the same platform.
Burst games provide an alternative experience that can attract players who prefer shorter, more interactive sessions. For operators, this helps create a more varied content offering that appeals to different player behaviours and play styles.
In many cases, operators find that burst games sit alongside slots as a complementary category that keeps players engaged across different moments of play.
6. For operators exploring the burst games category, what performance indicators should they look for when evaluating titles such as Drop the Boss?
We released Drop the Boss via Stake Engine in June 2025, and it continues to perform very well for us.
The game has developed a strong cult following on Stake.com, and one of the most encouraging indicators has been the number of players who keep returning. Seeing consistent repeat play months after launch tells us that the experience we created is resonating with players.
Player retention and repeat engagement are key indicators because they’re a strong signal that the concept, gameplay loop, and math model are working together effectively.
Another interesting signal comes from streaming platforms. Watching how new burst games perform on streams gives a very honest view of how audiences are reacting in real time.
When streamers and their communities engage with a game’s mechanics, humour, and gameplay moments, it’s a good indicator that the experience is landing with players.
Ultimately, the goal is to create games that are easy to pick up but rewarding to revisit.
7. Looking ahead, do you see burst games becoming a permanent fixture in casino lobbies?
Absolutely.
The industry has always evolved alongside player expectations, and today’s players are used to highly interactive digital entertainment experiences.
Burst games meet those expectations while still operating within the familiar structure of casino gaming, keeping players engaged and entertained without requiring them to embrace a totally new concept from scratch.
We expect this category to expand significantly as studios continue experimenting with new mechanics and gameplay formats. Burst games will sit alongside slots, crash games, and instant games as one of the core content verticals within casino platforms.
Mirror Image Gaming will release the best and brightest of these games, so our future is set to burst with this exciting new type of player entertainment.
