Multi-level progressive slots enjoy global popularity because players love sizeable jackpots that hit frequently, Guenter Bluemel says.
IGT’s vice president of international content and advanced research said MLPs are the company’s top-priority products in “more or less all gaming jurisdictions around the world.”
“The beauty of MLPs is that they attract a wide range of the player population.”
Bluemel said IGT has increased its commitment to MLPs by raising its R&D investment in that segment. At October’s Global Gaming Expo, IGT displayed premium titles that included Magic Link, Haywire Link, Jin Hu Gold Tiger, and Prosperity Link; its core titles included Wolf Run Eclipse, Fu Gui Hao Men, and the Fortune 4 Link, which offers four IGT brands.
As the name implies, MLPs have several jackpot levels, with names such as mini, minor, major, mega, and grand. The top prize is a progressive, linked across multiple machines, while lower levels typically are standalone progressives or fixed amounts. Depending on the title, game features may include lock-and-respin, player persistence features, player-selectable multi-denomination, and top jackpot available at any bet level.
Bluemel said MLPs have been around more than 20 years, but their popularity took off more recently, with no end for their growth in sight.
“One of the appealing factors of multi-level progressives is that (the jackpot) is likely to hit frequently,” Bluemel said. Compared with a Wide Area Progressive machine offering seven-figure prizes, “the amount is significantly lower but the frequency of winning is higher, with the players feeling, expecting, and experiencing this.”
He said another factor contributing to MLPs’ popularity is that they typically are “banked” together. That, combined with similar playing mechanics across various titles, gives players a shared experience in which they can celebrate neighbors’ wins as well as their own.
Bluemel said IGT’s research and development for MLPs rests on two “pillars”: innovation of new features and evolution of existing ones.
For example, Prosperity Link combines perceived persistence mechanics with a lock-and-respin feature, a merge which Bluemel called “completely new to the industry.” Haywire Link, another high-profile title, rejuvenates a popular slot game of the past by making it a progressive video reel game. Another highly anticipated release is Wolf Run Eclipse, which Bluemel called “a modernized version of our iconic hit combined with a cash jackpot, multiple free-game progressives, and a reel bonus.” He added that Fu Gui Hao Men illustrates innovation with a unique lock-and-respin feature combined with mystery jackpots and free-game awards.
Bluemel said that in 2020, IGT bolstered efforts to gain feedback on MLP offerings from players and casino operators while a game is being developed.
“We test our titles in casinos in their real-life environment,” he explained. “If, based on the player feedback and our internal assessment, we have the key idea on how to improve the product, we take the game back and fine-tune it.”
The feedback program can lead to expensive changes, such as refining graphics or even reworking the math model. “I do not believe this is a negative,” Bluemel said. “At the end, it’s to the benefit of our players, to the benefit of our customers, so, in summary, to the benefit of IGT as well.
“Listening to players and listening to operators is within our DNA.”
