COVER STORY
GameCo evolves, gaming benefits
Innovators GameCo have achieved a lot in just 12 months – as their showing at G2E proved. Skill gaming has come a long way in that time, as CEO Blaine Graboyes reflects here…
A
t G2E 2017, three topics dominated the energy and discussion - sports betting, esports programs, and skill- based games. The common threads amongst all three speak to the
increasing focus of casino operators to reach a younger audience, attract “net new” casino gamers, and generate incremental revenue for casinos. While last year, these topics were gaining consideration, this year they have moved to the forefront reflecting their critical role in the future of the gaming industry.
As casino operators work to create dedicated
areas to appeal to and engage a new audience of “Gamers” and tech-savvy patrons, operators are looking for a newer range of products to complement these efforts. Casinos need to strategically merchandise and program their gaming floor to leverage both their current customers as well as the new demographic to which they’re looking to appeal.
Seeing a combination of newcomer startups
and established gaming manufacturers exhibiting a variety of skill-based games and video game gambling products was an exciting development for the industry. At GameCo, we presented multiple new game titles, including “Steve Aoki’s Neon Dream” and “Terminator 2: Judgment Day.” These games represent our “Gen 2” experiences that leverage the feedback and learnings we’ve collected as the first company to launch skill-based games under contemporary regulations.
We also debuted our “Bartop VGM” which brings casual and sports games directly to the social environment of bars, pubs, and lounges. This new product was a direct result of customer feedback at G2E 2016 when casinos asked us for a multigame bartop version of our upright VGM.
36 NOVEMBER 2017 Finally, GameCo also showcased a prototype
version of our Multiplayer Challenge Mode, turning our single player, Class III games into a multiplayer competitive experience on casino floors. Oncer again, this is a direct result of feedback from both players and casinos as we continue to deploy VGMs nationwide and internationally.
Diversity Gamblit continued to bring new products to
market as well with the launch of their PAC- MAN™ table game, expanding on their “Model-G” multiplayer products currently operating in casinos. Seeing classic games now “gamblified” for the casino shows the potential for attracting new customers that grew up playing these games.
Gamblit also showed the latest iteration of their “TriStation” which has recently gone live in Nevada casinos and brings a range of skill- based games to the casino, including popular mobile games that players may already be familiar with on their smartphones and tablets.
It’s going to require a diversity of product offerings to allow casinos to configure their gaming floors and to appeal to the wide range of “Gamers” of all ages.
It is particularly exciting to see new
manufacturers entering the skill-based gaming market. As this segment continues to evolve, it makes sense for companies to build products for the current and future opportunity that is becoming increasingly defined.
Synergy Blue presented a few games ranging
from casual genres, such as Match3 and word games, to genres such as racing and first-person shooter games typically played on PCs and
consoles. Similar to the slot market, it’s essential for casinos to have multiple manufacturers providing products and for consumers to be able to “bounce” between different content.
Companies such as Next Gaming and Competition Interactive also shared updated and new versions of their potential products, each with a unique approach. Next Gaming is looking to capitalize on the nostalgia of classic games that many of us (myself included) grew up playing on our Atari 2600 and in arcades (I spent my weekends at the Neshaminy Mall in Pennsylvania and summers at Playcade on the Boardwalk in Atlantic City pumping quarters into such games). And Competition Interactive brought back an updated version of their “Running Rich” racing game on a hardware platform that is very appealing and speaks to their roots in architecture and design. Bringing a gaming experience similar to “Mario Cart” and multiple betting approaches for both players and spectators, it was another example of innovation in the casino industry.
It was also exciting to see major slot
manufacturers such as Konami Gaming and IGT showing skill-based games, acknowledging that these new products are now a legitimate component of the overall product mix for the gaming floor. In fact, Konami Gaming was awarded Best Slot Product at the 17th Annual Gaming & Technology Awards at the Global Gaming Business (GGB) Gaming & Technology Awards for “Beat Square”. The rhythm game was an entirely new concept for skill-based and I can personally say it was really fun to play! And IGT showed a few new skill-based games that brought interesting crossover from the casino to mobile with the ability to “transfer” your game between land-based on digital platforms.
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