What is Pop Nihilism? – A Hot New Trend in iGaming

I spend a huge portion of my day reading. Most of what I read pertains to research on what is happening in cryptocurrency and iGaming. This helps me to keep up with all the latest trends happening so that I can share these things with you. Recently, while I was reading an article about new trends in games, I came across a phrase I was previously unfamiliar with. The term “pop nihilism” immediately caught my attention. 

Instantly, questions flooded my mind: ‘What exactly does this term signify? What does a pop nihilistic concept entail?‘ And so obviously, that led me down the rabbit hole to doing more research and wanting to write this article to share with you. 

This article is going to do all of the following:

• Explain what pop nihilism is.
• Unearth instances where pop nihilism makes its mark and explore its influence on iGaming.
• Present you with a selection of cutting-edge games with pop nihilistic themes, along with information on where you can play them.

So join me as we learn more about this new trend in gaming – pop nihilism.

What is Pop Nihilism?

Rick and Morty is a popular TV show with nihilistic themes. Providers have produced online slots featuring the characters of the show.

The folks at Horizon Media describe pop nihilism as “an enticing, dark-humor-driven coping mechanism.” In their article on top trends of 2023, they state that 40% of US adults find apocalypse-themed entertainment extra entertaining. They chalk this up to a number of factors impacting the national and global climates, including inflation and environmental anxiety. 

While many may seek refuge from these fatalistic harms, others are leaning into it as a sense of relief. You can compare it to a situation where you’ve run into something and hurt yourself but can’t help but laugh because it feels better than crying. In fact, their study showed that 58% of US adults believe that with all the stress in the world, the best way to cope is to laugh it off with dark humor. And as things progressively continue to get worse, we should expect to see this trend grow around us.

Where Can We See Pop Nihilism’s Impact?

Nihilism is all around us in today’s entertainment.

We can already see pop nihilism in a lot of aspects of our everyday forms of entertainment. From movies to books to video games, there are nihilistic themes all around us. Let’s look at some of the most popular examples.

• Movies: One prime example of pop nihilism can be found in the iconic film “Fight Club.” The movie explores the emptiness of consumer culture and the protagonist’s quest to find meaning through rebellion and chaos.
• TV: The Netflix TV series “BoJack Horseman” also takes a deep dive into pop nihilism. This animated show follows the life of BoJack, a washed-up actor. BoJack’s cynical outlook and self-destructive behavior epitomize the pop nihilistic spirit.
• Video Games:  “Grand Theft Auto V” serves as another intriguing example of pop nihilism. This open-world game not only invites players to indulge in criminal activities but also satirizes contemporary society with a darkly comedic tone. 
• Books: Chuck Palahniuk’s novel “American Psycho” — need I say more? The book follows the life of Patrick Bateman, a wealthy New York City investment banker who leads a double life as a serial killer. Through Bateman’s perspective, the novel delves into themes of materialism, moral decay, and the hollowness of yuppie culture in the 1980s.

Top Pop Nihilism Games 2023

So, of course, I got curious about pop nihilism’s impact on casino games, specifically online slots. So, I started digging around at some of the top Bitcoin casinos I play at and found some interesting slots with nihilistic themes. Let’s take a look at some of the top online slots where we can indulge our own nihilistic tendencies. 

Cat Clans 2: Mad Cats by Snowborn Games

The new sequel to Cat Clans has a much darker theme than the original. Gone are the medieval-inspired cat characters, and in their place, we find dieselpunk cats along the reels. The game has a 5×3 layout with 20 paylines. The base game features wild multipliers, mystery symbol replacements, and instant cash prizes. You can win up to 5 free spins in the bonus round. During the bonus game, the spin tally resets for every wild symbol that lands on the reels. 

This game’s concept is a cat variation of the popular Mad Max series. The film series hits a lot of aspects of pop nihilism, including the setting of a dystopian world and an anti-hero protagonist. Its dystopian backdrop reflects a nihilistic view of civilization’s collapse, emphasizing the fragility of societal structures. Meanwhile, the central character, Max Rockatansky, played by Mel Gibson and later by Tom Hardy, is an anti-hero driven by survival in this chaotic world. His character epitomizes the nihilistic philosophy of looking out for oneself above all else. 

There’s massive win potential in the free spins bonus round in Cat Clans 2!

Maybe it’s my own nihilistic nature, but I prefer this sequel over the original Cat Clans online slot. In my free spins game, I landed four wild symbols, which gave me over 20 free spins to play with. From this, I ended up with a massive win of over $3,800. This more than made up for the expensive purchase I made utilizing the game’s bonus buy feature. 

You can find these Mad Cats at any of the following Bitcoin casinos.

• BitStarz
• FortuneJack
• Vave

Cash Truck 2 by Quickspin

Quickspin also released a sequel to one of their popular games with a nihilistic theme – introducing us to Cash Truck 2. This new slot takes everything we loved about the original Cash Truck slot and amps it up. The base game features a 6×3 layout and 4,096 paylines to win along, but these can increase to a 6×6 layout and up to 117,649 paylines in the bonus game. The main draw for most players is the Truck Raider bonus game, where you’ll work to collect as many multipliers as possible to earn the biggest wins available. 

Like the original, this game’s setting is a dystopian, Cyberpunk-themed future. Many of the characters featured in Cash Truck 2 display a key trait in pop nihilism: a loss of identity. Augmentations and cybernetic enhancements blur the lines between human and machine, raising questions about what it means to be human. Other symbols and the game’s overall theme also show us the erosion of morality. The characters in Cash Truck 2 are driven by self-interest, and any and all ethical considerations have taken a back seat. This reflects the nihilistic idea that traditional moral values have lost their significance.

Collect multipliers to unlock the game’s biggest wins!

Cash Truck 2 also has a bonus buy feature that you might find worth the investment. I didn’t hit a lot of multipliers, but I did still get my multiplier high enough to score a massive win of $3,100. However, the bonus buy in this game is much more expensive than Cat Clans 2, so be smart when evaluating if it is worth the purchase price. Remember, you are not always guaranteed a big win in every bonus round.

Join the Cash Truck 2 heist at the following crypto casino sites.

• KatsuBet
• BitKingz
• JustBit

Guns, Love, & Therapy by TrueLab Games

A dystopian-themed slot about LGBTQ pride? Sure, why not? Guns, Love, & Therapy is a new slot out from TrueLab Games with a 6×7 layout and 117,649 paylines. This game has two bonus games you can choose from when triggered. The first is the Conversion Spins bonus round, where you can win up to 30 free spins with up to 6 wild symbols and multipliers per spin. The second is the Lock & Load Bonus Round, where you’ll get up to 20 free spins, and the reels will be filled with sticky wilds and multipliers. 

What I found most interesting about this online slot is that the developers have taken the time to create an actual backstory. Listen up: “In a world ravaged by war, a new order rises from the ashes. A cult of hardline conservatives, led by the sinister Rev Mercury, now reigns supreme. In this wild, dangerous land, homosexuality is punishable by death. But two rebels refuse to be silenced. Big D Straddler and Midnight Cowboy are gay lovers bound by a love that cannot be broken. Together, they will fight for their lives, for their love, and for their freedom.”

Get bigger wins in the free spins bonus game with multiplier wilds.

This story has one of the most nihilistic themes you’ll find: totalitarian rule. The totalitarian regime of Rev Mecury represents the kind of authoritarian control that is often critiqued in pop nihilism. The suppression of individual freedoms and the harsh punishment for homosexuality reflect a bleak and oppressive society. But, while pop nihilism often emphasizes the futility of resistance in the face of overwhelming power, this game’s story introduces elements of rebellion through its characters. Their refusal to conform and their fight for love and freedom align with the theme of individuals challenging oppressive systems, even in a seemingly hopeless world.

You can saddle up alongside Big D Straddler and Midnight Cowboy at these online casinos.

• mBit Casino
• Stake
• Rocketpot

RollZone by Felix Gaming

I hope you packed your hazmat suit because you have just entered the Rollzone! This online slot features a setting where a nuclear holocaust has occurred amongst its 4×4 layout. This is also a pay anywhere slot, meaning you can score wins all over the reels without the restrictions of paylines. The base game features symbol replacements and multipliers. In the bonus game, you will start with up to 5 free spins. You can then earn additional free spins by landing more gunmen symbols within the radiation zones. 

The concept of a nuclear holocaust signifies an ultimate catastrophe, resulting in widespread destruction and loss of life. This catastrophic event reflects the overarching sense of despair and hopelessness often found in pop nihilism. The sickly green color palette reinforces the idea of a world poisoned by its own actions. The necessity for characters to wear hazmat suits and gas masks highlights the pervasive danger and toxicity of the environment. It portrays a world where even the very air and surroundings are hostile. This constant state of protection underscores the idea that life is fragile and that survival itself is a grim endeavor.

You’ll easily trigger the free spins bonus multiple times in RollZone.

For me, the bonus game in Rollzone was hit or miss. In my first bonus round, I had a total of 8 free spins and only won $6 from my initial $4 wager. However, in my second bonus game, I only had 3 free spins and won $71. Just know that you will find it easy to trigger both the free spins and the multipliers in Rollzone. 

You can enter the Rollzone at any of these great BTC casinos.

• Bspin.io
• Bets.io
• King Billy Casino

Propaganda by ELK Studios

In a time where we are plagued with “fake news” and disinformation campaigns, it should be no surprise to see the aptly named Propaganda on our list for nihilist-themed slots. This online slot has a 6×6 layout and is a cluster pays slot, meaning you will need 5+ matching symbols grouped together for a win. The base game features avalanche wins, multiplier wilds, and a wild streak feature that will turn random paytable symbols into wild symbols. Landing 3 or more scatter symbols will reward you with 7 free drops. The bonus game features a multiplier and the chance to win additional free drops. 

The notion of a society where people must hide their happiness from overlords suggests a world characterized by oppression and authoritarian control. This theme aligns with pop nihilism, where narratives often explore the stifling of individuality, emotions, and authentic expression by oppressive forces. But the concept of a “revolution of love” is intriguing within the context of pop nihilism. While pop nihilism often conveys a sense of hopelessness and meaninglessness, the idea of a revolution driven by love introduces an element of resistance and idealism. It challenges the status quo and signifies a desire for positive change, even in the face of despair.

You’ll start with 7 free drops in the bonus round.

Out of all the games on this list, this game was perhaps the most nihilistic feeling to me while I played. I put the spins on auto-play, and with each drop, it felt like you were listening to the march of soldiers. In the background, you can see (and almost feel) the masked characters staring back at you. And the music and sound effects playing throughout the game bring a genuine sense of dread. I always find bonus games harder to trigger in cluster pay slots, and this was no exception. And once it was triggered, the wins were not much more impressive, even with the ever-progressive multiplier. 

You can start the love revolution at any of these top Bitcoin casino sites. 

• QuickWin
• Jackbit
• BC.Game

Final Thoughts

These games, in their own unique ways, capture the essence of pop nihilism — dystopia, the erosion of morality, rebellion in the face of overwhelming power, and the pervasive sense of despair. Whether you’re drawn to the bleak landscapes or find hope in the resistance of characters against the odds, pop nihilism offers an intriguing lens through which to explore the human condition.

What do you think of the concept of pop nihilism? Do you also see the growing trend permeating iGaming and other forms of entertainment? Or perhaps you know of another game with similar themes that I’ve left off my list? Let me know in the comments below. And don’t forget to bookmark the BCK news page to stay up to date on all the new games and current trends in iGaming.