Mike Darley’s more than four decades of leadership positions within the gaming industry, the last dozen years as CEO of Next Gaming LLC, have prepared him well for the inevitability of change being the only constant.
Next Gaming’s mission thrives upon Darley’s adaptability, perseverance, and entrepreneurial acumen, qualities which he shares with Terry Caudill, who founded and licensed the company in 2006 to focus on the future of slot innovation.
Next Gaming, known for its skill-based games, is expanding into iGaming with new titles, forming new partnerships, and introducing its skill-based games to Canada with multiple opportunities there.
While emphasizing that “we are ‘the last man standing’ in skill-based games because we believe in them,” Darley has a more diverse strategy for the present and future.
“We are continuing our quest to have additional games in our portfolio and to place the skill-based games where they will be popular with a variety of players,” he said. “At the same time, we want to create a very strong online presence to complement the skill-based games that we have in casinos.”
The strategy includes a continuation of Next Gaming’s omnichannel approach with casino placements and online offerings. The prime example is the mobile game BUST-A-MOVE Battle by Taito, the first in a series of BAM games featuring Bub and Bob.
It will soon be available on the Skillz platform where players compete head-to-head for real-money wagering. It is the first game in their BUST-A-MOVE portfolio with mechanics and skill-based challenges that are true to the original arcade experience. Additional popular games from both Taito and Atari will follow.
Darley is the first to acknowledge that Next Gaming has not perfected skill-based games, explaining “The acceptance of skill-based games waned, but I contend that there are jurisdictions where they would be a perfect fit but have not yet experienced”.
Next Gaming’s partnership with Pervasive Gaming LLC, a game design and slot manufacturing company, brings new opportunities with a great portfolio of games according to Darley.
“We are going to offer their games on the Next Gaming ICE platform in Nevada,” he said. “Pervasive also has some very exciting games in Nebraska, Montana, Texas, Georgia, Louisiana Charitable, California, and now in Nevada with us.
“The partnership is bi-directional because there is demand not only for skill-based games in the markets they are in, but some of our traditional video reel games as well.”
FrankenCash2 will be the first title released in Nevada under the Next Gaming and Pervasive Gaming partnership. Three others will follow including Storm Relic, Endless Summer Nights, and Bar 51.
“The goal is to have a portfolio of games that we will present to casinos in association with Pervasive,” Darley said.
Conversations took place during G2E between Next Gaming and various Canadian enterprises that operate brick-and-mortar casinos, in addition to online casino slots and table games. Darley revealed that their interest in skill-based games was, not surprisingly, an effort to attract a younger audience and that the opportunity to partner with them is strong.
Next Gaming has made iGaming experiences a key strategic priority, achieved through its collaboration with Skillz.
“The focus is to create an omnichannel approach where the game can be played online and/or in a casino,” Darley related. “We have reached that level with BUST-A-MOVE Battle through our partnership with Skillz.
“Our strategy with Skillz is to create a BUST-A-MOVE brand, including not only BAM Battle, but also BAM Blast and BAM Adventure.”
Next Gaming’s Nevada gaming license and ownership of two properties, Binion’s Gambling Hall and Four Queens Hotel & Casino, provides the opportunity for valuable player feedback according to Darley.
“Among the things we learned from players is that some of the skill-based games were a little more challenging than they expected,” he explained. “We concluded that guests do not have to be significantly challenged to understand the game and to play it. One of the keys to our success will be to make the games a little more player friendly.”
Darley also believes that table games devotees who do not normally gravitate to traditional slots will play skill-based games because they are interactive.
“That is precisely why they play table games,” he said. “They have some determination of the outcome. I also believe that slot players who are seeking a different experience will be attracted to skill-based games as well.”
Analysis from an age-based demographic, as explained by Darley, proves that Next Gaming’s entry into the skill-based gaming market with known brands from Atari and Taito was unique. It was done purposefully because the competition had games but not the branded games that Next Gaming has.
“We believe in those brands because they are strong and recognizable,” he said. “The younger demographic who play Atari and Taito games will gravitate to them. We see the faces of participants of all ages light up when they play our games.”
Next Gaming is also working with Probability Gaming, a software development company which is one of the industry’s largest independent providers of casino games, including online poker, bingo, baccarat, blackjack, and social casino games.
The complement of games Next Gaming plans to release with Probability Gaming include 8 Lucky Dragons, Celtic Gold, Warrior Empress, Katana Warrior, Terracotta Warrior, and the newest, SugarBox.
SugarBox as well as FrankenCash2 are being released on Next Gaming’s new 43-inch and 49-inch vertical cabinets.
In a partnership with Jackpot Designs (Celtic Gold, Mayan Thunder, Sunken Treasure, and soon to be released, 8 Lucky Dragons), Darley said that among them, Celtic Gold and 8 Lucky Dragons have already been placed in Binion’s and the Four Queens.
“The skill-based game genre is growing,” he observed. “BUST-A-MOVE Battle is just our first venture into online with Skillz. We will soon be porting our other games with Taito, including Space Invaders and Arkanoid, into the Skillz platform. Also, Atari games in a similar presentation, the first Missile Command, will follow.”
Darley says that creating a large portfolio of different games is the Next Gaming focus. Different games that appeal to players “through associations with great people that can design and help us put those games on our platform in Nevada and the other jurisdictions we are licensed in”.
