Inside Asian Gaming

February 2012 | INSIDE ASIAN GAMING 31 Weike playing 35 lines; where the volatility on these games is different to the volatility on other manufacturers’ 50-line games. So on our games some players will play 35 lines but then play a high credit bet per line, so their average credit bet is still quite high. They are making an active decision to play a game that has a different volatility and different set of outcomes to other 50-line games in the market. That wasn’t entirely the intent of the original design, but it turned out to be one component that we will look into further. Doesn’t that also show the sophistication of the players? It does. And I think all design should be driven with the assumption that the player is most sophisticated and knows more about games than the developers do. Tell us more about some of your current successful games. Qin Shi Huang is a 50-line game and one of the first to have the two different styles of play available. That’s been in the market for two years and has found a real niche in some markets—in Singapore in particular. Several games over the next 12 months will build on the success of that. Then there’s Oriental Temptation and Phoenix Dance. These are games with the four rows and five reels so there are a lot of substitutes [symbols] during the free games. They’re different to what you see in other manufacturers’ products, and they’ve been well-received. They are standard free game type of games with volatility through the reel strips. It’s really pleasing to me and the team that these games have had some success already. We’ll build on that. The best product comes when you take that approach. We also have some new progressive link options including mystery link themes. We will add some new and exciting links to those. There are some special features in those links that I’m sure the market will receive well. What about your product in Singapore slot clubs? The Singapore clubs market is small, but Weike is based in Singapore, so we should hope to be a market leader. The tax change in April [the end of a tax rake based on coins in the drop box] was a great opportunity. We were able to provide the clubs with most of our game library immediately. And we were able to give them the games that had been successful elsewhere—whether in the Singapore casinos or in other markets. Given that we got in there early, I think players will become accustomed to our game play, and we are confident we can take them on a path and keep providing them with games they find enjoyable. Presumably the higher tax rate on slot play in the Singapore clubs compared to Singapore casinos imposes certain limitations on the club game maths. The club games have to offer players a lower RTP. We do look closely at the club games to make sure they’re still entertaining even with a lower RTP. I have observed in other markets that some game models work better at lower RTP. I think you will see game models working in the clubs—at that lower RTP—that are different from the game models most popular in the casinos. Howwould you sum up Weike’s overall approach to game design? We’re aware of market conditions and what’s working in Asian markets in particular. We try to complement what’s working with similar product; but with unique differences. Even within a market you need a spread of products. For example, there’s no single level of volatility which will work. There are several. For some markets it’s about players that bet small amounts compared to players who bet larger amounts. Different players have different needs from games when it comes to getting enjoyment from them. Building on success—Weike’s Qin Shi Huang Log onto www.asgam. com for the latest industry intelligence and a subscription to our digital edition—all absolutely free A Sure Bet