What Pokies overtook last year's hits in popularity

What Pokies overtook last year's hits in popularity

What do you mean "overtaken"

By "overtook" we mean comparing the current slots of the month with the "hits of last year" in terms of key indicators of engagement:

• Sessions per User (SPU): starts per player.
• Median Session Length (MSL): median session time.
• RR7/ RR14 returns after 7/14 days.
• CTR\_ home/Featuring: percentage of presence on the master and transitions.
• Installs/Active Users: for applications with AU traffic.

Title
is considered "overtaken" if its Current Popularity Index (CPI) is consistently above the median of last year's hits in the comparable segment.

Comparison method

1. Last year's hits base:

• Titles with AUS popularity ≥75 percentile for ≥2 consecutive months last year.
2. Current month slice:
• All titles that have passed quality filters (≥1 000 unique players, ≥5 000 sessions).
3. Current Population Index:
• CPI = 0. 30·SPU + 0. 25·MSL + 0. 20·RR7 + 0. 15·CTR\_home + 0. 10·Installs\_growth
• - normalized by month.
4. Overtaking threshold:
• CPI of the new slot ≥ the median CPI of last year's hits + 10% margin.

Reasons why new titles overtake "old" hits

New generation mechanics: cascades + progress multipliers, Hold & Win with persistent symbols, hybrid models (Megaways + bonus buy).
Volatility balance: New games are more likely to adjust to "short sessions" and AU-bankrupt 20-50 AUD.
Mobile comfort: Improved UX versions, fewer friezes and faster loading.
Topical themes: Outback, Irish, Egyptian and Asian motifs in seasonal campaigns.
Fair bonus price: CBC (cost-to-bonus) is closer to buy × or lower, which players perceive as "honest math."

Types of games that overtook last year's leaders

1. Tamble arcades with multiplier: keep players due to chains and progression.
2. Hold & Win with unlocks: short but rich bonuses, frequent returns.
3. Cluster/Megaways with a smooth base: fewer "empty" spins, higher MSL and SPU.
4. Evergreens 2. 0: updated versions of old hits with modified RTP/mechanics.
5. AU-friendly themes: kangaroo, gold, bush, oceanic motifs - enhance CTR\_ home and app installation.

How to display in the Hottest Pokies of the Month section

The card of each slot that overtook last year's leaders should contain:
• CPI score (percentile by month).
• SPU, MSL, RR7 are key markers of engagement.
• Comparison with last year's hit (SPU growth/session length/returns).
• Mechanical profile (H&W, cascades, cluster, etc.).
• Thematic focus (Outback, Asia, Egypt).
• Recomend. bankroll (× rates) for AU.

Filters: mechanics, bet, new vs updated hit, AU-friendly theme.

For the AU player: quick scan

Look for titles with CPI above the median of last year and SPU ≥ 3-4.
If the slot RR7> 25%, it really holds interest longer.
Look at CBC vs buy ×: if close - fair play.
Test mobile experience: TTI ≤ 12 seconds, stability ≥98%.

For the editors: how not to make a mistake with "overtaking"

Update the database of last year's hits quarterly (a selection of "gold standards").
Publish the comparison in relative metrics, not just CPI.
Exclude one-time bursts (viral banner/campaign).
Support the "updated hit" tag for remasters and versions of "Deluxe/Mega."
Giving the player context: "this slot holds longer/returns more often/pick more than last year's hit."

Conclusion

The slots that "overtake last year's hits" are not just new releases, but games where SPU, MSL and RR7 are above the median of last year's leaders, and CPI is stable. They displace old hits due to new generation mechanics, fair bonus price, mobile comfort and AU-friendly themes. They form the basis of the section "Hottest Pokies of the Month - TOP Slots in Australia Right Now."