Inside Asian Gaming

INSIDE ASIAN GAMING | January 2014 30 Four Great Chinese Beauties, Big Dragon Lounge and West Journey Treasure Hunt, all developed in collaboration with High 5 Games. To build on this the company has opened an R&D facility in Beijing that will be supplying a steady flow of new stand-alones, six of which were shown at last year’s G2E Asia prior to their release in the fall. They include Money Idol—a five-reel, 20-line game with a Multi-Layer Display-enabled 3D interface and wild reels in the free games bonus to heighten the volatility factor—and Silk Seduction, an even more volatile offering that features 60 betting lines and a special “1,024 Ways to Win” feature that is triggered by bet size. IGT also has been competing with increasing success in the linked progressives market that is coming to dominate Macau’s slot floors. Game Changer, as the network is called, has begun to develop a following by virtue of a portfolio of proven titles and the addition of new ones such as Money Idol, Silk Seduction, Pearl Dragon and Great Zodiac Race. As with Golden Chip, the lure of mystery bonusing has been a focus for the developers at IGT. In Game Changer it’s blended with a four-level progressive that directly engages players by letting them choose symbols to reveal points that could bump them up to bigger prizes. Adding to the experience is a widescreen cabinet with a spacious playing area, enhanced sound effects and an optional high- definition monitor. The company continues to explore the virtual space as well and recently expanded its interactive portfolio with three new branded games developed through an existing licensing agreement with US toy manufacturer Hasbro. These include the company’s first simultaneous online and mobile launch, Battleship, based on the popular board game. “Dungeons and Dragons” provides the theme for the second release, Dungeons and Dragons Treasures of Icewind Dale, which is the third title developed around the fantasy role- playing game. Rounding out the trio is Cluedo Classic, based on the popular crime-solving game and scheduled to go live online in March. Michael Jensen, executive director of Business Development-Casino Marketing for MGMMacau, flanked here by Mr Lam and Ms Wu—“To keep ahead in the competition,” Mr Jensen said, “you need to be doing something different.” TECH TALK