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The latest and greatest slots offerings were on full display this week as game makers gathered in Las Vegas for the industry’s largest trade show.
“It’s not new, but you see it happening more and more. They are turning to video games, social games, and the games we play on our phones. It’s about reaching and taking it to the next level, â€said Josh Swissman, founding partner of Las Vegas-based gaming and hospitality consultancy The Strategy Organization.
It’s about giving gamers the most immersive and entertaining experiences possible, as companies hope to tap into what motivates people to stay engaged and spend more money, Swissman said.
With screens bigger and brighter than ever, a growing list of unlockable achievements, and even colorful cartoon characters telling you how much you’ve won, the continued gamification of slots was evident at this Global Gaming Expo. year held inside the Venetian Expo.
Bigger and bigger, bigger and bigger …
Megabucks is getting bigger, literally.
IGT unveiled its new Peak65 cabinet at this week’s show which, as the name suggests, features a 65-inch gradually curved display. The company showed off its massive new cabinet with two of its most iconic games – Megabucks and Wheel of Fortune – on display.
But it wasn’t even the biggest screen at the show this year.
Aristocrat Gaming introduced their all-new Neptune Canopy which not only features multiple curved dual screens, but also a canopy screen that connects to other slotted cabinets.
“The next step in the game is really to be at the forefront of entertainment,†said Jon Hanlin, senior vice president of business strategy and business analysis for Aristocrat.
Play the classics
Gaming machines keep changing, but the classic franchises that have dominated the space for decades are not going anywhere.
For game companies, putting their iconic franchises on their new cabinets isn’t just about trying to get the most attention. This familiarity with the brand allows companies to come up with new cabinets or even slightly new mechanics without overwhelming the customer.
Phil O’Shaughnessy, vice president of global communications for IGT, said that’s why there have been over 300 different iterations of the popular Wheel of Fortune slot machine over the franchise’s 25 years of operation. .
“When you license the world’s most iconic theme on your last intro, it’s a winning combination every time,†O’Shaughnessy said.
Companies like Scientific Games have taken similar approaches, with this manufacturer putting iconic brands like Willy Wonka, Monopoly, and Wizard of Oz on brand new cabinets like the Kaskada Jewel.
“It’s not necessarily these new and wild frontiers that other vendors are looking at. This is how we leverage these amazing franchises that we have, â€said Matt Wilson, CEO of the Games Division for Scientific Games.
Do it retro
While most of the slots on the G2E floor looked like something out of an arcade hall, one handle looked like something straight out of a 1980s casino floor.
And that was by design.
Companies such as Everi with its “Player Classic Signature”, “Blazing 7s” from Scientific Games and Diamond RS from IGT all had brand new reel slots.
Retro-styled slots give new life to these older but still popular cabinets by bringing them into the digital age, including the addition of digital screens and the integration of cashless gaming compatibility .
Bradley Rose, senior vice president of game development for Everi, said it was all about making very small changes, “staying true to what the player likes.”
“Don’t change what works, but improve it,†he said.
Contact Colton Lochhead at [email protected]. To follow @ColtonLochhead on Twitter.
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