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Interactive THE FUTURE CONSUMER


Is the industry developing games at present that will appeal to future players?


We definitely are. Our games are designed for longevity and we have slots that were developed years ago that are still incredibly popular today - Avalon is the perfect example of this. Avalon launched on the download casino platform in 2006, followed closely by an instant-play Flash version. We then released a mobile version in 2010, followed by a multi-player game in 2013. Even though the slot was launched eight years ago, it continues to be a top-performing game in terms of traffic, number of spins and net wins. In February 2014, we released Avalon II, and we have no doubt that this masterpiece will be a pop- ular game for a very long time, just like its prede- cessor.


Not forgetting, our branded content titles such as Terminator 2, Jurassic Park and The Dark Knight are timeless classics. We sign licensing deals with brands that are iconic, as these games will appeal to players for years to come.


What trends are developing with players as they use content on different devices - are they expect- ing the same experience across different plat- forms? Should you strive to deliver a homoge- neous experience on mobile, tablet, desktop and in-location - or should there be clear distinctions between the experiences?


When comparing usage on mobile and tablet devices to that of PC users, the average session time on a mobile device is noticeably shorter than the average session time on a PC – but that is to be expected. Mobile and tablet devices are princi- pally being used when people are on the go - short bursts of usage - whereas PC users are at home and have the ability to play for a longer period.


Yes, absolutely, the player wants a seamless experience, and they want to be able to play their favourite game on whatever device they are using. But the game should be presented so that it best uses the features of the device it is being played on. That means the game needs to conform to the screen size, resolution and the operating system of their device.


A homogeneous experience is the ideal scenario and that’s what we’re striving for. Our intention remains that we want to offer a player the exact same experience for registration, banking, bal- ances and play, no matter the device.


What are your most valuable tools in enhancing the user experience and how are you utilising them to best effect?


Our experience and knowledge. We have a talent pool of over 1,500 people around the world losing sleep on developing content. Our team invests a lot of time in understanding how players interact with games, what bonus features work best, which themes are most popular, which colours and soundtracks are appealing, and all of these


7 6


Regulation is the future of the industry; it is inexorable, and the industry must learn to


embrace this. In anticipation of increased regulation, we’ve shaped and developed our


business with this in mind, and that allows us to enter


regulated markets with ease.


factors are taken into consideration when devel- oping gaming content to ensure the user experi- ence is second to none.


Is bespoke/unique content going to become more important as operators seek to define their USPs to players? And will IP become even more impor- tant in distinguishing games in the future?


We have developed a number of bespoke games for operators, such as I’m A Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here for 32Red, which launched last November ahead of the 2013 television series. To a degree, bespoke and unique gaming content will become more important, but having the best quality games is far more essential.


Yes, IP has always been integral to the eGaming


industry, and it will become even more important as the industry grows and becomes more compet- itive. We fully recognise this and that’s why Microgaming has an extensive portfolio of patents relating to our games and technology.


How important are the regulatory changes taking place in the UK right now in terms of competition, consolidation and future growth?


Regulation is the future of the industry; it is inex- orable, and the industry must learn to embrace this. In anticipation of increased regulation, we’ve shaped and developed our business with this in mind, and that allows us to enter regulated mar- kets with ease. We are applying for the necessary licenses in the UK and looking forward to being awarded these in due course.


The regulatory changes taking effect in the UK are significant for all involved, but it’s too early to comment on how this will affect competition, growth and consolidation - time will tell.


If you had infinite resources available to you - what would you be pouring those resources into right now? Manpower, new technologies, security, new markets…?


Fortunately, Microgaming has significant resources available to tackle the many challenges involved with this hugely competitive and global industry. If we had infinite resources I don’t think we would ever put all our eggs in one basket and have sole focus on one area of the business; man- power, new technologies, security, product devel- opment, new markets and regulatory changes all go hand in hand.


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