Interview JOE SIGRIST - IGT
maths models that would fit the profile of a player of the game - that’s the most critical element of any title.”
G2E is a fantastic showcase for IGT and the company strives to deliver the best products possible for the event. However, Mr. Sigrist likes to challenge his team that bit more, choosing to deliver two titles for The Ellen DeGeneres Show, rather than produce just a single title for launch at the event. “It is a testament to the game design team that we’ve been able to not only bring these games to G2E, but take orders at the show and ship directly after the event,” states Mr. Sigrist. “The games will be hitting casino floors in November.”
Launched at the show to almost equal fanfare was the new S3000 cabinet, a refreshing take on the classic S2000, which is a stalwart of practically every slot floor on the planet. Approaching such a design ‘hero’ is often more difficult that building from scratch. “A develop- ment such as the S3000 took a different approach and one we liken to a car,” explains Mr. Sigrist. “We can drive a car at 25mph and that’s is akin to playing our classic games, which we’ve migrated intact to the new platform. Players of the S2000 games will recognise the speed and pacing of the games they love; the symbols and sounds have all been made to fit this vision of the new cabinet. We can also drive the car at 50mph for a game such as Double Diamond, with new bonuses that give players something completely different. We believe
“We need to make games that are more direct and more attractive in terms of the line
count. The mechanic of how you win needs to be more
straightforward, especially in the gambler type games.”
these additions will appeal not only to legacy players, but also to video reels players wanting to play this new cabinet. We’ll be shipping these games in November, giving operators the option to drive these games at any speed that suits their floor.”
One of the trends that IGT is tracking is the belief that the industry needs to create simpler games. According to Mr. Sigrist, too many players these days are asking: ‘Why did I win? How did I win?’ Simple single line and three/five line games deliver exactly upon that agenda, while at the same time adding lots of dynamism to the bonuses. “We need to make games that are more direct and more attractive in terms of the line count,” states Mr. Sigrist. “The mechanic of how you win needs to be more straightforward, especially in the gambler type games we produce. We need to make them visually
more compelling while at the same time ensuring that they are simpler to understand.”
The S3000 redefines an existing category and offers a different value proposition for the operator. IGT believes S2000 players will migrate across and be excited to play this new cabinet and new bonuses. This cabinet and games will also appeal to a cross-over audience, as video reels players are attracted to the combined values of the S3000. This ability to reach new audiences, new demographics across all types of mediums is key to understanding the future path IGT is treading today.
“Our goal is to be able to select a game, regardless of its first use, and take that it across all channels, social, real- wager, online, mobile and tablet,” outlines Mr. Sigrist. “We have shown that games can be successful across land-side, real wager and Double Down. We are also driving game development starting from Double Down with an eye to taking that game ultimately to casino floors - we are really pushing the envelope on that. You can also make a game much more quickly on social platforms and gain immediate feedback before taking that game to land-side. We will be making some of the most successful games on DoubleDown available online, across social and EGMs. We will also be seeing more and more brand new unique Wheel of Fortune games, which will be the perfect example of how we take a brand across all channels.”
4 3
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68