Oct 24, 2025
Casino Blog

Top Game Developers Driving the Feature Buy Trend

The ability to purchase bonus rounds has reshaped the online slots industry. Offering instant access to nail-biting excitement and potentially massive prizes, this option has evolved from a niche feature into a staple among top developers.

If you’re a fan of jumping right into the action for a modest fee, you’re about to learn how feature buys first appeared and which developers have joined the crowd by offering them in their latest titles.

Big Time Gaming

Big Time Gaming (BTG) has been an industry trendsetter since launching its Megaways engine in 2016. The feature, which was quickly licensed to many other studios, has become a staple in a wide range of titles and a popular mechanic among gamers.

Proving that success doesn’t prevent innovation, BTG became the first developer to refine and perfect the bonus buy option. Introducing it in its White Rabbit Megaways game, the option to skip the tedious wait for scatter symbols and delve directly into a bonus round quickly caught the attention of those seeking greater thrills.

Part of the success of launching yet another innovative feature was due to the seamless way the studio incorporated the mechanic naturally into regular play.

By offering it as a standalone option with no pressure to engage unless you’re willing to pay a higher price, BTG ensured games could still be played organically by casual players while granting those who enjoy higher-volatility gameplay immediate access to bonus rounds.

BTG’s daring innovation quickly gained popularity, inspiring more developers to adopt the mechanic.

Pragmatic Play

Pragmatic Play has built a strong reputation in the iGaming industry for delivering slots with vivid themes, smooth gameplay, and rewarding features.

Its Bonus Buy slots continue that tradition, combining the studio’s trademark excitement with the instant gratification of buying straight into bonus rounds.

It has incorporated bonus buy capabilities in titles such as The Dog House Megaways and Sweet Bonanza. With one-click buy options, you’ll enter the bonus round as soon as you make your purchase. This instant access makes Pragmatic Play’s games inviting to any adrenaline-seeking player.

The simplicity of the feature buy bonus in this developer’s games has inspired other studios, like Quickspin, to mimic quick and easy access to bonus buys. However, Pragmatic remains the pioneer of simple feature buy mechanics.

Relax Gaming

Offering relaxing games (no pun intended) and games that will have your heart racing, Relax Gaming is a prime example of a studio that has perfectly adapted BTG’s bonus buy feature to its own style. The studio has moved beyond the regular feature purchase of BTG and the simplicity of Pragmatic Play to offer something unique and intriguing.

Instead of allowing one-click bonus purchases in games like Money Train 3 and Temple Tumble 2, Relax Gaming provides multiple options and purchase tiers to players who purchase a bonus that lets them indulge in thrills based on their risk appetite and budget.

From standard versions to super purchases, this tiered option for bonus buys is attractive to both casual players who are looking for a simple, cost-effective bonus and hardcore gamblers who love the ultimate risk.

What makes this unique approach to offering bonus buys work smoothly is the intricate mechanics the studio always uses in its titles, alongside cinematic visuals that make each experience more immersive and enjoyable.

Just as Pragmatic Play’s simplistic bonus buys have inspired other developers to take a more minimalistic route when offering bonus buys, Relax Gaming has also set the benchmark for others, such as Hacksaw Gaming, who offer multiple purchase options.

Nolimit City

Similar to Relax Gaming, Nolimit City has taken the regular feature buy option and enhanced it to offer more thrills and opportunities. This, mixed with the edgy themes the developer is known for, makes games such as Mental and Tombstone RIP even more enjoyable and engaging.

Bonus buy features in many Nolimit City games include multiple purchase levels with added twists. Rather than offering differing costs for varying access to bonuses in terms of free spins, Nolimit City titles offer additional options that make higher-priced bonus buys worthwhile.

These options include additional wilds inserted on reels, multipliers applied to wins, and even sticky wilds that could lead to large potential wins. This bold approach leads to higher-tiered purchases offering significantly enhanced chances to win.

This approach to bonus buys has been adopted by several other studios. The most notable is ELK Studios via its X-iter System, which offers up to 5 bonus buy options in its titles, each featuring a unique gameplay element for added excitement.

Notable Mention: Wazdan

Another key innovator in the industry is Wazdan. Known for offering unique titles with adjustable volatility, the studio brings the same customization to its bonus buy mechanic. As such, players are free to tailor their bonus experience to exactly what they’re looking for.

This ability to control volatility, not only in regular gameplay but also in bonus rounds, is unique to Wazdan games, with no other major developers offering it. However, due to its popularity among players seeking to personalize their gambling experience, it is likely that other studios will soon take note of this excellent feature and implement it in their own titles.

Conclusion

Online slot games have undergone numerous changes over the years. From the introduction of new mechanics like Megaways to the refinement of systems like progressive jackpots, each development has made titles more interactive, engaging, and enjoyable. There are even sites like BonusBuys.com which focus exclusively on the feature buy option.

With bonus buys rapidly becoming something many players are expecting in online slots, it’s no surprise that various top developers are adapting this unique gameplay feature to their own brand and style. For players, this means greater customization and opportunity each time they purchase a feature bonus.

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