weeks, not years, in which to establish itself. And if it is successful, it will be mercilessly imitated or has to become part of one or more megatrend mechanics.
I would say there are over 100 imitations of Book Of Ra in the market today. Most are pale imitations and it can go as far as infringing on the original game’s IP. Some of these imitations benefitted from circumstances in Germany where Greentube left the market at the end of 2017 due to regulatory changes. Book Of Ra had been the number one game in the market for a number of years with market leading operators like GVC, but when Germany’s Supreme Court decided that online gaming was illegal, we suddenly had to pull the plug to protect our land- based gaming interests. Tis created a huge vacuum that was eagerly filled by several imitations of Book Of Ra.
Are games given the time they need to establish themselves in the current climate?
During the development of Book Of Ra there was a gut feeling that it could become an outstanding game as it was ahead of its time, and when playing the game it was unique in its gameplay and feel and completely different from other games in the market at that time. However, it took time and lots of slot machine placements for players to
There are examples of
megatrends in game mechanics, such as Book games, Tumbling reels games, Jackpot games,
Megaways games, but they’re increasingly becoming crowded spaces and one of the main
limitations is that each new game has a matter of weeks, not years, in which to establish itself. And if it is successful, it will be
mercilessly imitated or has to become part of one or more megatrend mechanics.
recognise it. If you look at the markets in Europe, the release of games and acceptance of new concepts remains very conservative because of the compliance, fragmentation and regulatory complexity of land-based markets. It can still take up to six months to receive licence approvals, which means that the turnover of games is not the same as it is in online. Land- based slots stand a much greater chance of exposure, whether that’s in casinos, arcades or single sites. You also know customers have enough time to play the games and appreciate the mechanics.
Does NOVOMATIC having its own locations make a big difference in giving games the time they need?
Yes, I’d say this was the case in Eastern Europe where there’s a high density of Admiral gaming locations, but this was not the case in other markets such as the UK , Spain, Italy or Germany, where most of the Book Of Ra games have been operated by third-party venues. Most of the early installations we conducted in Germany at that time followed a rental model, and if the games were not immediately successful and competitive in terms of performance they would have been removed from site.
NOVOMATIC is renowned as a multi- game specialist, how important is it to include a standout game such as Book Of Ra within the games compilation?
It's crucial. Having the most popular and successful titles within each multi-game compendium ensures its success. Just as you visit the supermarket for the essentials and the rest of the goods you buy both supplement and complement those key purchases, multi-games operate in the same way. You need to strike a balance too. Most people don’t want to eat hamburger or a schnitzel every day, despite it being your favourite food, and so the games contained within the multi- game package need to be complementary,
NEWSWIRE / INTERACTIVE / MARKET DATA P27
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