In a corner of IGT’s stand at Global Gaming Expo (G2E), visitors got a look at the Queen Video Slots that debuted on Tuesday, as the company’s chief executive believes consumers demand for nostalgia will translate into a successful new product.
“There’s so much nostalgia going on in the world today,” IGT CEO Hector Fernandez told CDC Gaming in an interview. “My 19-year-old daughter watches the same TV shows that my wife and I watched at her age. It’s bananas.” Fernandez said his daughter was watching “Survivor” and “Gilmore Girls.”
The title of the new slots is the result of a collaboration with Ceremony of Roses, a global subsidiary of Sony Music Entertainment and licensor of the rock band Queen. Aimed at developing an immersive concert-like experience, the game draws on the legacy of the iconic band.
The new game features four content-rich bonuses, six eye-catching jackpots, 10 chart-topping Queen hits including “We are the Champions,” “Bohemian Rhapsody,” “Don’t Stop Me Now,” and an eclectic mix of photos and videos of all four original band members.
“There is nostalgia that you can bring to the table that the consumer is really resonating with at the moment,” said Fernandez. “I think Queen is the perfect license to bring that to life.”
Fernandez explained that IGT had some success when it signed a Whitney Houston license to develop a slot machine, but the company looked at Queen not only as a band, but also the iconic element of the brand.
“We felt like we learned a lot through the Whitney Houston journey,” Fernandez told CDC Gaming. “We really felt like we could bring this band to life. It’s early stage. It’s an entertaining game.”
