SAN DIEGO – It’s pretty common to hear that “millennials are driving the emergence of numerous skill-based games,” and that these games are aimed at “driving a new group of young consumers” into the traditional casinos. Maybe surprisingly, that’s not the philosophy at Next Gaming.
They are targeting a whole different group, one that you may have noticed are already in today’s casinos: Baby Boomers and older Gen Xers. They think that some of their kids will also get on board. According to CEO Mike Darley, “we are focused on creating games that appeal to a wide demographic.” He notes that most of the Next Gaming team comes from the casino world, not from new-age video game development. “We understand what it takes to make it on the casino floor. Our team has had their hands inside of slot machines for years. We know, for example, how to make sure a cabinet’s sharp edges don’t scratch the hands of attendants and mechanics.”
Most importantly he says, “we understand what it takes to drive handle pull, win per unit and average bets. That’s our language.”
So why is he optimistic when the performance of most skill-based games is weak today? “Our entry into the video arcade genre was a strategic effort to appeal to the identified trends for the gaming audience. The goal with our skill-based titles like “Asteroids,” “Tempest,” “Arkanoid” and “Bust-A-Move,” was to capture the true essence of these iconic games while making the visual experience contemporary verses the pixilated presentation of the original games.” In other words, you’ll see familiar games but displayed in high-def with stellar sound and better controls.
Darley gushes, “We really re-imagined the games and essentially created a retro-mod game that delivers the feel of the Golden Age of Arcade Games.”
Others have tried using famous brands, like Atari, but failed. The IGT version of “Centipede,” for example, didn’t seem to gain much traction on the casino floors. Darley says the problem with that, and other similar attempts, was that while “Centipede” is a great game, combining it with a slot machine was not. It just didn’t provide an entertaining experience for either the slot player or the video arcade fan.
He noted at last season’s G2E, “players at our booth were asking if they were in the bonus round when they were actually playing the main game.” At NIGA 2019, Next Gaming will be launching Atari’s iconic “Missile Command.” They did preview a mock-up of the title at G2E, but now the game is very close to release. Final Nevada approvals are pending field trials currently underway at two Caesar’s properties in Las Vegas.
Their “Missile Command” will immediately take you back to the arcade experience of dropping quarters while trying the defend the “cities” against multiple-warhead missiles trying to destroy you. Remember that agonizing sound when you are preparing to fire and hear the warning that your missiles are low? How about that blinking flying-triangle (whatever it is) that weaves and dodges on its way to wiping out your last city?
You may also recall just a little anxiety when playing. They are just video games, but they can still get stressful. That’s one of the reasons that Next Gaming added a “pause” button. It gives you a bit of time to dry your sweaty hands or talk to the cocktail waitress without having a bomber or flying saucer wiping out your entire neighborhood. The same applies to their “Asteroids” with that ever-increasing drum beat and the dangerous flying saucers with their equally annoying sounds. The pause button is a welcome upgrade that Atari forgot in the arcade version.
Darley quickly answers every operator’s first question: will a “Missile Command” or “Asteroid” pro beat these games?
Regulators require that all skill-based games have the element of chance. He notes, “Any business needs to have a level of profitably that makes sense. That means when playing one of our games, you are rewarded for a level of skill that can be attributed to an improved return percentage, but there is also a component of luck (randomness) which maintains that balance. That blend translates into an entertainment experience that is truly unique.”
Our impression of talking with Darley, and from playing the prototypes, is that in the short term, a weak player can win more than the aforementioned “pro” or not (it’s just luck). However, with multiple trials (say a billion), the skilled player would probably come out ahead of the weaker contestant. That’s a proven formula that’s worked well on video poker for decades. Anyone can get better results than a VP pro like Bob Dancer in the short term, but not if you play long enough. And hopefully, if you play long enough, your VP skills will improve. That’s the same reason almost every Baby Boomer kept pumping quarters into Atari or Taito arcade games years ago.
One other factor in past successes was that there was also an “ego component” in video game play. Who didn’t want to have their initials on display for all to see at the mall? Next Gaming separates the leaderboard (yes, that’s still here) from the RNG results. The right side displays the leader board for bragging rights, but on the left is the all-important “money side” of the game.
While Next Gaming seems confident that they’ll be successful at these enhanced, but classic, skill-based games; they are covering their bet with a line of traditional video reels on the same cabinet. Darley says he wants their boxes to stay on floors, and therefore “they’ll work with both skill and video slot formats” giving operators choice and flexibility.
Next Gaming will be showing their full line of skill-based games and video reels “Sunken Fortunes,” “Celtic Gold,” “Katana Warrior,” “Warrior Empress” and “Mayan Thunder” in Booth 2623 at NIGA San Diego. Their display is close to the middle of the north wall (the right side from the entrance) of the main hall. If past patterns hold, you’ll easily find any of the skill-based provider’s booths by listening to the screams and yells of excitement that seem the loudest at these locations. Next Gaming is hopeful to translate that fun to multiple placements and new profitability on casino floors in the near future.
