It’s a wrap! Three days of expo floor exploration sped by and has already come to an end. Like each year, I end up seeing threads that seem to surface throughout the various booths, even if different manufacturers have unique perspectives and direction. So, like recent years, here’s some of the larger threads that I saw in this year’s Global Gaming Expo booth tours.
What’s Old is New Again
Many of the companies we visited this week are picking up old themes that had been previously been left behind and are resurfacing them this year.
Light & Wonder showcased a Lucky Lemmings follow-up, easily 20 years after the original. They also seem to be giving Jackpot Party more love, with another game popping up after a three-reel game that launched in the last year. We also saw long-awaited follow-ups to many of the still-popular Lock It Link game series such as Piggy Bankin’ (with two on showcase) as well as Cats Hats & Bats.
IGT had Mystical Unicorn’s next version on display, another long loved game that hadn’t seen anything new. They also showcased, as part of their new unification with Everi, Smokin’ Hot Stuff Wicked Wheel’s next iteration, a game that as part of the Wicked Wheel series has seen a number of updates, but has not had a true linear successor (although they came close with the Fire & Ice variations a few years back).
When it comes to the smaller manufacturers, Bluberi had their Sir Mix-a-Lot follow-up, and Konami went a totally different direction, bringing out their Bomberman character from their video game era and bringing it to the world of slots, a strategy that has helped them stand out over the years.
And Ainsworth, who has long been successful with their high-denomination games, has updated high limit favorite The Enforcer to bring it into the next generation.
I like this strategy – building off of popular games is certainly less risky than starting from scratch, but it also is great to see old favorites making their return.
New Cabinets Often Launch with Games We’ll Want to Play
One of the reasons you tend to see familiar brands pop up like clockwork is that the slot makers periodically release new cabinets to update the technology that powers their games. Casinos and players alike are likely to give new games a try when they see something they previously played and liked in a new form.
Light & Wonder has been doing this pretty expertly in recent years – the latest cabinet they announced for this year had a list of well known brands with new variations, such as Ultimate Fire Link Cash Falls Explosion and Dancing Drums Revolution. We saw a new version of the San Fa game series at Ainsworth on their new cabinet, and of course the latest cabinet from IGT showcased top-tier Wheel of Fortune content.
Bonuses Are Getting Longer, and in Some Cases, Avoiding Catastrophe
One of my real-world experiences this week was trying a new IGT game at a $1 per spin bet and getting a bonus… only to get 12 cents. We hear from other players who get frustrated by this too, and have shared the “be careful what you wish for” aspect one one manufacturer’s efforts to correct this with the Bonus Guarantee.
This year we saw two trends around bonuses. One is that the length of a bonus is getting longer again, after a period of time where bonuses were seemingly getting faster. This is great for players who use the bonuses as a chance to ease off the spin button and let the game do some entertaining for awhile.
But the other is that game makers continue to think about how to juggle the scenarios to avoid skunking players on the bonus, but while at the same time not creating scenarios that feel forced – for instance, scripted or predetermined bonuses that feel a bit like they’re leading you to a result as opposed to a more natural feeling journey.
We often get players wondering about predetermined bonuses vs. those that leverage the random number generator or allow players to have free pick scenarios. In the end, the slot will achieve its payback percentage, whether the bonus is scripted or not. What tends to be more important is scenarios that are fun to play, and game makers will move away from scenarios that players aren’t enjoying.
The Evolving Security Scenario at the Conference
For those looking for details about Aristocrat, unfortunately their booth was not accessible for review during the show. Security was tighter there than last year at the booth, and limited to sales appointments only, so we weren’t able to browse the booth and check out what they had.
A number of booths had either private areas, or fully closed off entrances, to manage traffic flow and ensure those who were there to review cabinets and games for purchase were able to do so without crushing crowds. A number of game makers had events before/after show hours to offer some dedicated time for slot influencers and media.
While it was unfortunate we didn’t get to see what one of the industry leading game makers were up to this year, we’re sure they’ve got some tricks of their sleeve, given their growing market share.
But we do want to acknowledge all of the companies who made time for us this year, including Light & Wonder as well as their social division SciPlay, IGT (including their new family from Everi and their iGaming division IGT PlayDigital), Konami, AGS, Ainsworth, 4thePlayer, Interblock, Incredible Technologies, Playtech, Eclipse, Aurify and 916 Gaming.
We filmed content with many of these companies, which will be showcased on our Facebook and Instagram profiles in the coming days and weeks, so stay tuned to check out what we captured!
Thank You for Reading
Flip The Switch launched just before G2E two years ago, and it was genuinely humbling to hear from so many people working in the industry who value what we do just as much as players reading the site to be a savvier player.
It really makes what we do that much more worth it, and a lot of fun in the process, so we appreciate you following along, and continuing to support what we’re doing here at the site. We’re excited to continue evolving and offer even more helpful content from here.
