Electronic gaming device and system with animated zone movement for balanced bonus symbol selections across instances

A computer-implemented method of electronic gaming, the method performed by a gaming system including at least one processor and at least one memory in communication with the at least one processor, the computer-implemented method comprising:

• defining, for an electronic game, a symbol matrix including a plurality of symbol positions configured to be populated with a respective symbol selected from a plurality of candidate symbols present within one or more reel strips associated with the electronic game;
• initiating, for a first instance of the electronic game and in response to a trigger condition being satisfied in accordance with a selection made based on a random number generator outcome, an expandable zone within the symbol matrix, the expandable zone having a size overlapping an initial subset of the plurality of symbol positions for the first instance;
• controlling movement of the expandable zone within the symbol matrix to visually collect, via the expandable zone, one or more configurable symbols present within the symbol matrix in the first instance, the one or more configurable symbols being located in one or more symbol positions of the symbol matrix other than the initial subset of the plurality of symbol positions for the first instance;
• tracking stop position data of the expandable zone corresponding to a stop position of the expandable zone for the first instance, the stop position representing a position of the expandable zone within the symbol matrix once all of the one or more configurable symbols for the first instance have been collected;
• and
• based on the stop position data, electronically changing the one or more reel strips for a second instance of the electronic game, the second instance being subsequent to the first instance.

At least one non-transitory computer-readable storage media having instructions embodied thereon, wherein when executed by at least one processor in communication with at least one memory, the instructions cause the at least one processor to:

• define, for an electronic game, a symbol matrix including a plurality of symbol positions configured to be populated with a respective symbol selected from a plurality of candidate symbols present within one or more reel strips associated with the electronic game;
• initiate, for a first instance of the electronic game and in response to a trigger condition being satisfied in accordance with a selection made based on a random number generator outcome, an expandable zone within the symbol matrix, the expandable zone having a size overlapping an initial subset of the plurality of symbol positions for the first instance;
• control movement of the expandable zone within the symbol matrix to visually collect, via the expandable zone, one or more configurable symbols present within the symbol matrix in the first instance, the one or more configurable symbols being located in one or more symbol positions of the symbol matrix other than the initial subset of the plurality of symbol positions for the first instance;
• track stop position data of the expandable zone corresponding to a stop position of the expandable zone for the first instance, the stop position representing a position of the expandable zone within the symbol matrix once all of the one or more configurable symbols for the first instance have been collected;
• and
• based on the stop position data, electronically change the one or more reel strips for a second instance of the electronic game, the second instance being subsequent to the first instance.