Over the past two weeks Courtney and I have shared quite a bit of what we saw during the Global Gaming Expo 2026 in Las Vegas. With the conference now firmly in the rearview mirror, here are a few final thoughts from what I saw, and what you can expect as a player.
The New Games Are in Some Cases Already Here
G2E is often a place where new content is designed to get people excited for what’s ahead, but in many cases aren’t ready to go yet. There were examples of this this year.
Konami showcased their new All Aboard for the first time last year, but it was at this year’s event they were confirming it’s almost here (although there were delays that were beyond their initial estimation that was part of it). IGT showcased a Queen themed slot that was confirmed to be an early prototype.
Historically G2E was showcasing a lot of what’s to come over the next 12 months, and the IGA conference, which occurs in the spring, was generally showcasing what was out or about to come out. This year, we heard a lot more from game makers that games were available for casino floors, or about to be available.
Incredible Technologies showcased a booth where all but one game was available at the time of the conference. IGT had games that were out on the floor as part of the booth, along with examples of games that were coming up. Eclipse Gaming and Konami had games that were imminent alongside those that were available. Interblock’s AMUSE line expansions were just about ready to go (similar to what they showed at IGA this year).
Bluberi’s Mix-a-Lot, initially previewed last year and on display at their booth this year, was being installed at Park MGM during our stay. And Courtney saw the new Spooky Link versions being showcased while in town for the conference (we have it back home as well, having had one of the earliest installs at our local smokefree casino).
It’s a nice change to see games that are basically there, as there can be dramatic shifts sometimes in games previewed at the conference vs. what ultimately came out. The Squid Game slot showcased at G2E a few years ago looked very different in structure from the one that ultimately debuted on casino floors, to cite one vivid example.
I’m More Excited About What’s Coming Up
I remember leaving Las Vegas last year a bit let down. While there’s certainly some things that get me more excited than others, I was not shown too many things that got me looking forward to what was ahead. I don’t feel that way this time.
While I shared that familiarity was a common theme this year, the use of familiarity alongside interesting genuinely fun twists is a potent strategy, because it lets the familiar be the entry point to the new, and the end result was generally satisfying to experience.
The slots experience has become sufficiently complex that players need an entry point to understand what’s going on. Some of my favorite slots historically have had complex mechanics that many players didn’t get, and that’s because it tried to do all the new things at once. ‘’
Now, those new concepts are layered onto something familiar, and the players only really have to focus on getting to know that new wrinkle. That’s a winning formula.
Video Content On Its Way
Finally, a programming note for those of you who primarily read the site here. We’ve been investing a lot of energy building up our video content on our social media pages, and are now posting content daily from a number of the same contributors you see here, including Brian Christopher, Courtney and myself.
In that spirit, like last year, additional content from G2E will show up in the coming weeks and months on our Facebook and Instagram profiles in the form of shorts. If you like to get into the games a bit more or have a visual taste, those shorts will be for you!
