Inside Asian Gaming

December 2010 | INSIDE ASIAN GAMING 25 T here’s a saying that practice makes perfect. But in the case of gaming equipment manufacturer Aruze, founded in Japan, it’s more a case of perfect makes perfect. Steve Walther, Vice President Marketing, Aruze Gaming America Inc, explains how the company is continuing the Japanese tradition for excellence in product research, development and delivery. Inside Asian Gaming : What’s new from Aruze at G2E this year? Steve Walther : We have 50% more product this year than we did last year, and an almost 100% new line up of games. Despite the range of our game library we’re very focused. We could come out with 300 titles and know that only 20 are going to work. Instead, we release 15 titles and know all 15 are going towork.We’re very deliberate about the titles we release, and the quality of the work. Our chairman [Kazuo Okada] has no compromises in terms of what product goes out the front door. Even if we’ve sunk a significant amount of money into it he’s very happy to stop the development of a project until it reaches the quality where he’s proud of putting Aruze’s logo on the product. There are still some old favourites like Jackpot Battle Royal™ [a G-LINK® linked game] and Lucky Sic Bo™ [multi-terminal game] etc, but predominantlywe have a new line up of games. Our G-DELUXE multiple bonus games that your readers may have seen with Bow Wow Bucks™ and Vampire and Beauty™ last year is rocking right now in the market. We have new products like Oiran™ telling the story of the elite of Japan’s geisha.We also have Chinese Queen™, which is based on the story of Yang Guifei. She was a woman who was wooed by an emperor of China and became an imperial consort. So we’re telling more stories through our games and we’re getting more intricate with our top boxes and our engaging interactive displays. We’re bringing the game closer to what people want to see. At the very front of our exhibit area is our Paradise Fishing™ product, which I believe is the pinnacle of entertainment because not only does it bring the exciting graphics, the sounds of the communal, competitive gaming that’s associated with link-style gaming in today’s market, but also we added a feature there called Reel Feel™ Gaming Technology. When you hold on to the reel that’s built right into the slot machine, you can actually move the worm up and down on the screen and when the fish strikes the reel, it [the reel] actually vibrates and shakes and you can actually feel the ‘fish’ being pulled in. By adding that touch effect were you trying to create a home gaming-type experience? It’s about adding that additional opportunity of touch to the game. You’ve got the sounds, you’ve got the visuals, you’ve got the music, you’ve got the thrill of the game, and now you’re literally putting something in the palm of a player’s hand to give them that extra gaming experience. How important is it that your games really stand out on the floor? You can’t walk by the corner where this year [at G2E] we have Paradise Fishing without stopping and taking a look. The detail on the graphics is such that fish that are swimming around at the front of the display then go to the ‘back’ of the ‘tank’. It’s a very realistic experience and a very fun one too. You’ve seen the effect of putting the action into the players’ hands with the ‘bash button’ on Lucky Sic Bo. You’re now seeing it with Shoot toWin Craps™ out now in Macau. Aruze Gaming Only the Best Aruze Gaming accepts no compromises in game and product development Catch the bug—Paradise Fishing™, with its innovative Reel Feel™ Gaming Technology Shoot to Win Craps™—picking up on the success of Lucky Sic Bo™ and its feeling of player control