Retaining designated symbols

A method of operating an electronic gaming machine, the method comprising:

• causing a display, by a display device and for a play of a game, of:
• a retained designated symbol at a first symbol display position, and
• a symbol at a second symbol display position not associated with any retained designated symbols,
• responsive to the symbol displayed at the second symbol display position for the play of the game being the designated symbol:
• for a subsequent play of the game, retaining, by a processor, that designated symbol in association with the second symbol display position,
• for the subsequent play of the game, continuing to retain the retained designated symbol at the first symbol display position, and
• when an opening of an access door of the electronic gaming machine is detected via a security monitoring circuit of the electronic gaming machine following the retention and prior to the subsequent play of the game:
• storing data associated with a state of the electronic gaming machine prior to the detection of the opening of the access door of the electronic gaming machine, the data comprising any retained designated symbols,
• disabling, by the processor, any retention of any additional designated symbols, and
• following a closing of the access door of the electronic gaming machine detected via the security monitoring circuit of the electronic gaming machine:
• loading, by the processor, the stored data associated with the state of the electronic gaming machine prior to the detection of the opening, and
• enabling, by the processor, a retention of any additional designated symbols, and
• responsive to none of a plurality of symbols displayed at any of a plurality of symbol display positions different from the first symbol display position for the play of the game being the designated symbol, for the subsequent play of the game, ceasing to retain the retained designated symbol at the first symbol display position.

A method of operating an electronic gaming machine, the method comprising:

• responsive to consecutive occurrences of a designated symbol retention event associated with consecutive plays of a game:
• retaining, by a processor, an increasing quantity of designated symbols over the consecutive plays of the game, and
• when an opening of an access door of the electronic gaming machine is detected via a security monitoring circuit of the electronic gaming machine following the retention and prior to a first play of the game following the consecutive plays of the game:
• storing data associated with a state of the electronic gaming machine prior to the detection of the opening of the access door of the electronic gaming machine, the data comprising any designated symbols retained over the consecutive plays of the game,
• disabling, by the processor, any retention of any additional designated symbols, and
• following a closing of the access door of the electronic gaming machine detected via the security monitoring circuit of the electronic gaming machine:
• loading, by the processor, the stored data associated with the state of the electronic gaming machine prior to the detection of the opening, and
• enabling, by the processor, a retention of any additional designated symbols, and
• responsive to a lack of an occurrence of the designated symbol retention event associated with a first play of the game following the consecutive plays of the game, ceasing to retain each of the quantity of designated symbols for a second play of the game following the first play of the game.