COVER STORY
The post-pandemic bottom line:
think big, start small, move fast
Abhinay Bhagavatula, Quixant’s Chief Technology Officer, explores keys opportunities to prepare for success in a post-COVID world
T
he COVID 19 pandemic has massively impacted us all both personally and professionally. The gaming industry has been affected in a significant way, and within a matter of weeks of the breakout, the industry went from record-breaking growth to
complete shutdown. It’s fair to say that the industry has never faced a bigger challenge. But as we bid farewell to 2020, and look optimistically to
2021, and beyond, there’s finally light at the end of the very long COVID-related tunnel. A return to social and economic normalcy depends on the successful rollout of an effective coronavirus vaccine; a prospect that at last feels attainable. The gaming industry has proven time and time again to be
resilient and adaptable, with our communities being versatile, and willing, and able to rally together to come out stronger at the other side. I’m certain the same will be true over the coming months as the industry looks to the future and gradually reopens for business across the globe. Life has changed considerably in the past year and with
continued efforts to contain the virus, change is likely to persist. Like everyone, we just want this to be over and know it’s now only a matter of time. At Quixant, we’re excited for the year ahead as we prepare to deliver plans to support the developing needs of this great industry as it comes back to life.
Collaboration and Innovation
As we analyse markets across the globe, some are operating close to pre-COVID levels, whilst many are required to be partially or fully closed. One thing that is consistent across the board is that when open, casinos and gaming venues have taken the utmost care to keep players and staff safe and protected, operating innovatively and creatively, swiftly introducing plans such as social-distancing measures, revised floor plans, new contactless technologies, and cashless payments. Since March 2020 when the first lockdowns were enforced, the North American gaming revenues, for example, have since shown encouraging growth, with almost 85% of slots now
32 FEBRUARY 2021
operational. As we look to a more positive future, with more and more venues welcoming their customers back, I believe that collaboration across the entire supply chain of game manufacture and production is key. Now is the time to look at how shared best practices across suppliers, partners and manufacturers can deliver the best gaming experiences for the returning customer. Open, trusting, and collaborative relationships are what will drive the best outcomes for everyone. Combining the best technical solutions, with collaborative and streamlined supply chains and innovative financial solutions will best serve the needs of the market in the next three to six months and beyond. At Quixant we are working across our customer base to make our joint supply chains as effective that they possibly can be, we and are also looking at creative commercial options that enable customers to get to market faster and more cost- effectively so that everyone wins. The bottom-line? Think big, start small, move fast!
New Challenges
While many industries have been impacted by the economic slowdown, it’s also led to the growth of some. The requirements of remote working have increased demand in the desktop, networking, and server segments, with the Integrated Circuit (IC) market experiencing huge demand and disruption, which in turn has created supply chain challenges for the gaming industry.
The most notable impact has been AMD’s decision to exit the gaming market, who, along with Intel have been technology leaders in the space for many years. Their sudden departure will have a longer-term impact on the gaming sector; as our industry focuses on reopening and driving demand, game manufacturers now additionally need to explore alternative options to migrate their platforms to. AMD’s decision will likely encourage new and innovative thinkers to enter the industry and offer new solutions, with the objective to continually deliver consumer experience excellence. Quixant believes that this challenge offers a wonderful
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
