Tom Jingoli Executive VP & COO Konami Gaming
How did Konami first become involved in developing HRM machines?
We began to look seriously at HHR in early 2019. With the anticipated expansion in this area of gaming, we knew it could present an excellent opportunity to broaden Konami’s product reach and offering. But as with any expansion opportunity, Konami did not take the decision lightly. We did our due diligence, and determined a course we could confidently fulfil. Our partnership with Churchill Downs Incorporated was an important part of that planning and solidified our direction.
As to the R&D investment, we expanded our team to include leaders and experts with demonstrated knowledge on central servers and the nature of the sector, which provided a high degree of speed and confidence to Konami’s HHR market entry. Again, Churchill Downs played an important role in shaping the content to meet expectations, needs, and considerations of the HHR floor. Tis had a strong positive impact on the process.
In March 2021, Churchill Downs announced that it would introduce Konami’s HRMs in Kentucky. Could you tell us more about this agreement and what it might mean for Konami going forwards in the Historical Racing Machines market?
With its high degree of commitment to gaming entertainment quality, diversity, and innovation, Churchill Downs Incorporated made an excellent collaborative partner to help introduce Konami’s first historical horse racing machines to players. We worked closely and came to an agreement for Konami to deliver a competitive mix of game series and cabinet hardware for venues such as Derby City Gaming, Oak Grove Racing, Gaming & Hotel, and Newport Racing & Gaming, with continuing expansion opportunities. We also worked closely with Ainsworth, whose proprietary Historical Horse Racing System is exclusive across Churchill HHR facilities. Te team at Ainsworth has been extremely helpful in connecting communication from Konami’s EGMS to their server. Tis year we successfully launched Konami’s first HHR products at these locations, and we’re looking forward to additional growth opportunities with CDI’s HRM facilities.
Churchill Downs made an
excellent collaborative partner to help introduce Konami’s first
historical horse racing machines to players. We worked closely and came to an agreement for
Konami to deliver a competitive mix of game series and cabinet hardware for venues such as Derby City Gaming, Oak Grove Racing, Gaming & Hotel, and Newport Racing & Gaming.
Steven Cushing, Senior Product Manager, Konami Gaming - Could you talk us through some of your HRM products and perhaps some of the innovative features behind them?
Konami has an incredibly expansive library from which to choose content for conversion to HHR. China Shores Great Stacks, Mayan Chief Great Stacks, Star Watch Magma, and
Star Watch Fire are among the first game titles we targeted for introduction into HHR. Tese feature popular game play events such as free games, jackpots, wheel spins, and symbol collection features with favourite Konami Gaming characters, scenes, and symbols.
Konami is also bringing its latest top hardware to the sector, including its DIMENSION 49—ranked the industry’s #1 Top Indexing Cabinet – Portrait, according to Eilers & Krejcik Gaming. Its large portrait display and 27-inch topper really stands out on the floor. Content such as China Shores Great Stacks, with its popular 2X pay free games, and our highly-successful Diamond Trails series, with progressives and the chance to win four jackpots at the same time, really catch player attention.
Showcasing three stacked monitors, DIMENSION 27also offers ample real estate to present HHR titles in a dynamic way. Our interactive button deck with dual classic bash buttons cater to both new and classic players. Titles such as Cobra Hearts and the Ba FangJin Bao series have been successful throughout the country, with features like
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