HABANERO
Habanero’s Before Time Runs Out
Arcangelo Lonoce, Head of Business Development Europe for Habanero, talks to Gaming International Online about the company’s recent hit game
Gaming International Online: What makes Before Time Runs Out recognisable as a Habanero game? What makes your games stand out to players? Arcangelo Lonoce: Like every Habanero game, Before Time Runs Out showcases stunning graphics, immersive sound effects and flawless mathematics. We’ve also added a new Duel Feature, where the title’s main character, a handsome prince, faces-off against an enemy Vizier, with players collecting eye-popping prizes when the hero wins six battles.
Before Time Runs Out is part of a recent string of scintillating Habanero releases that also includes the retro Return to the Feature, which rolls back the years with a Walkman, hi-tops and 1980s-inspired graphics while introducing a brand new concept in being able to flash-back to your winning features!
GIO: In your experience is a life-changing jackpot more appealing to players, or many smaller and more frequent jackpots? AL: Of course, a win of £10million is not the same as one of, say, £50,000. However, once a player understands the logic of a game, then smaller wins of a greater frequency are likely to be a more effective way of retaining them. Regulation also plays a significant role, as in most regulated markets, network jackpots are ring-fenced within the country’s border, meaning that the fabled millionaire pots advertised globally cannot be achieved. And that’s before you come to the fact that players enjoy slots primarily because of entertainment – rather than the prospect of winning large sums. It’s not the same as the lottery, because the quality of the game itself is the most important factor of all.
GIO: What demographic are Habanero titles generally aimed at? AL: We do not design our games with a specific demographic in mind. That’s because, as a global
supplier with our eyes set on every regulated market out there, we don’t like to limit ourselves. Having said that, we often make demographic considerations with regard to age. For example, it is unlikely that we’d make a slot for a 20-year-old, simply because the average slots player is significantly older than that. It goes without saying that we are particularly sensitive in avoiding themes that might appeal to minors.
GIO: The theme is quite universal - and international; what markets is Before Time Runs Out created for? Do you change its volatility for each region where necessary? AL: There is no specific market which it is aimed at. In line with the rest of our acclaimed content offering, the game is international, and designed to be universally enjoyed by adults. It is, therefore, a game that’s intended to generate cross-cultural appeal – fitting in with our deserved reputation as a global supplier. We do not target specific markets when we release games. 5 Mariachis, for example, was not designed for the Mexican market – rather, it was simply inspired by it to create a game with global appeal.
GIO: What does your recent Malta licence win mean for distributing games like this? Will you be developing more universally-themed games as a result of being able to reach more markets? AL: Acquiring an MGA licence allows us to distribute games even further afield, opening the door to commercial avenues we previously could not access, such as Malta-based Scandinavian operators and German- facing entities, as well as a very wide range of other companies with multiple geographical targets. Habanero has lifted the bar in the way games are presented, which gives us a real edge in certain parts of the world, and it’s fantastic to see how far our offering has come in a relatively short space of time.
6 JUNE 2021 GIO
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