INSIGHT TENTPOLE GAMES - BOOK OF RA while also offering variety and difference.
I also believe that there is a critical number of games that make sense within a multi-game pack. In Germany, we saw an escalation of the number of games included within each compilation, which rose quickly from around 20 games to more than one hundred. It’s a problem that’s even more prevalent in the online sector.
With a multitude of games launched every week online, players attempt to keep up with the latest releases. However, the only way to find out if a game appeals to them is to spend money and unfortunately there’s a high probability they’ll be disappointed. We see this over and over. Players test and sample new games, only to return to their tried and trusted favourites.
Te volume of games being produced doesn’t correlate with the fact that players are inherently conservative in nature. Te revenue share model means that online operators are able to continually add new games to their sites, at the price of a small percentage of the total revenue they generate. Players on the other hand must make a wise decision how to spend their money to trial all these games. Operators do not always favour a player segmentation offering to a slots hypermarket offering and there's much room for improvement in achieving an ideal customer journey.
Why have so many classic land-based titles transferred successfully into online and mobile hits?
I think it’s a clear reflection of the way people like to play across land-based and online. I continue to be astonished that in the UK, the games played in our Admiral locations are also part of the top performing titles online.
Games played in casinos, betting shops, pubs and arcades like Sizzling Hot and Rainbow Riches perform just as strongly online. Tese are evergreen games which have been endlessly iterated upon and still continue to entertain players.
Te Book Of Ra is 15 years old. Dolphins Pearl and Lucky Lady’s Charm are a few years older than Book of Ra. Each has received multiple makeovers, graphical improvements and deluxe versions, creating a whole family of products from these themes. Once you have a hit game it’s important to both protect and capitalise on that brand.
None of the games we’ve mentioned as classic brands are IP products. Do you think this is significant?
In regard to IP products, you have to differentiate by market. Tere’s clearly a justification in tourist markets such as Las Vegas or Monte-Carlo to favour licensed games, but for local markets there’s little reason to provide this type of product, especially if it’s on a revenue share basis. In a tourist market, providing a game with instant walk-up appeal is very important. It’s not the game that attracts this type of player, it’s the theme. However, it’s rare in Europe to see this type of player. If you consider the games we’ve mentioned, Cleopatra, Book Of Ra, Buffalo, Rainbow Riches, Sizzling Hot, Bar-X, Random Runner none of these classic games are licensed products. Tere are exceptions to this rule, but these are based upon boardgames or game shows like Wheel Of
The fact that you can play Book Of Ra anywhere, in an arcade, casino, betting shop or via mobile and desktop has created a
crossover experience for players who trust the game explicitly. They look for the brand and enjoy it across multiple channels. In this respect it’s extremely important that Greentube gives this player an experience as close as
possible to that provided through the land-based gaming machine.
Fortune, Monopoly and Deal Or No Deal. What’s important is not just the theme with these games, it’s the underlying mechanic. Te maths is vitally important. No theme or licence can package a poor mechanic and make it a successful game.
How important was Book Of Ra in the success and establishment of Greentube?
It was crucial. Book Of Ra was the first game to launch in Germany that drew the attention of land-based players to the online medium – and it went literally through the roof. Unlike the slow-burn of its land-based slots launch, Book Of Ra’s launch across desktop followed by mobile platforms was an immediate success. I can still remember the launch of the game in
December 2012 complemented by an intense marketing push because it was so strong. Performance was driven by the recognition of the game in land-based locations, so the impact of Book Of Ra arriving on digital platforms was massive.
Do you attribute the continued appeal of Book Of Ra on mobile and online to this recognition from land-based?
Te Book Of Ra player is often the same young male customer that places a bet in a betting shop and is just as confident wagering and playing slots from his mobile device. Te fact that you can play Book Of Ra anywhere, in an arcade, casino, betting shop or via mobile and desktop has created a crossover experience for players who trust the game explicitly. Tey look for the brand and enjoy it across multiple channels wherever and whenever they find it most convenient 24/7. In this respect it’s extremely important that Greentube gives this player an experience as close as possible to that provided through the land-based gaming machine.
Whatever channel the player chooses, we knew that we had to pay the utmost attention to creating a seamless experience for the customer. Initially, we started with Flash, but as trends shifted, we continued with the development of HTML5. Everyone talks about the challenges of transitioning a game to the multiple online and mobile platforms, but for a game such as Book Of Ra, which has existed across many generations of land- based platforms, we also needed to ensure the player experience was consistent with the machine-based gameplay. Tere were distinct differences between the classic Coolfire platform, the legacy slot platform upon which Book Of Ra originally launched, and the latest NOVOMATIC PC powered gaming machines. Everything from graphical limitations to sound design and game speed had to be considered in making sure that Book Of Ra players could enjoy the same experience online and via mobile. I believe Greentube did an incredible job in taking the essence of the game and ensuring it matched the expectations of the players.
How much license do you take in terms of iterating upon the Book Of Ra formula?
It was important to consider from the start the existing player-base and deliver the same, or at least as close to, Book Of Ra experience as possible from land-based. However, it’s not a question about being
P28 NEWSWIRE / INTERACTIVE / MARKET DATA
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