Executives from the leading game technology companies discuss their groundbreaking innovations, newest games, and strategic partnerships. Here is what they had to say…
Nikki Davis, Director of Marketing & Communications
AGS
Our booth theme for G2E was ‘AGS is Cookin’ because our product lineup across tables, slots, and online interactive is outstanding this year and next. For tables, we have our hit progressive Bonus Spin Xtreme, which is rolling out in poker rooms and has received great feedback from customers. In slots, we launched three new form factors that will be in casinos throughout next year, along with seven new Rakin’ Bacon titles. In the online segment, we’ve completed numerous omnichannel launches this past year, with more planned for next year. At G2E, we also previewed our new Max 8 multi-deck shuffler, which complements our shuffler portfolio alongside the Dex S poker shuffler and the Pax S single-deck packet shuffler.
All encompassing, we have a great group of people, products and customers. It’s a recipe for a full menu of products that customers get to experience at their casinos all next year.
Kurt Gissane, CRO, Gaming
Aristocrat Gaming
We’re excited about a number of things, but Phoenix Link has been one of the most anticipated games and new releases off the back of Dragon Link. We’re also launching our new Baron cabinet, a new for sale cabinet, and the customer reception has been off the charts. Our funnel is building nicely on both the new cabinet and Phoenix Link, so that’s exciting. We’ve also done a number of brand extensions with organic in-house brands like Mo Mummy – we now have Mo Mo Mo Mummy; and also, Bao Zhu, which is one of our great in-house brands. With our NFL franchise – we’re now in season two for NFL – we have three new games plus a multi-denom option on one of our existing games. And then also House of Dragons, a great license with a second season just airing. So again, we have some great licensed brands, in-house brands, Phoenix Link from our studio HRG as an extension from Dragon Link, and our new cabinets.
We’re a true global company now, and you could see that at our G2E booth. We’ve expanded recently into adjacent markets, including the Georgia COAM market where we have the number one product performing in Georgia at the moment; and in Illinois VGT, where we have the number one product. Our tribal partners, especially in Oklahoma and California, have just been phenomenal for us. We are all across the globe, but North America has been such a great engine for us with some great partners on the commercial and the tribal side of the business.
Mike Brennan, Chief Product Officer
Bluberi
We’re excited about our breadth of content. As a growing manufacturer, we were able to showcase much of this progress at G2E. We highlighted products from six different content sources and have been ramping up studios over the past three years. As you know, in this industry, the investment and planning you did two years ago takes about that long to work out. So, we have a great diverse lineup of different studio designs and different game mechanics. We’re very bullish on all of the different mechanics we’re showcasing.
Our robust, growing portfolio is highlighted by Timber Jack Going Wilder, which has just launched in the field to a phenomenal start and is emblematic of who we are. It features a quirky lumberjack character, popular and unique mechanics, and a fantastic art package with engaging animations. It’s endemic of the type of games we’re showcasing. We introduced 13 new games at G2E, a ‘dynamic baker’s dozen’ of product. It doesn’t sound like a lot, but we really believe in hit rate, not quantity. We’re excited and bullish that each of these games has a chance to be something special. That’s our outlook on the content front.
From a hardware innovation standpoint, we have the Beacon+, our new cabinet. It features 360 degrees of floor-to-ceiling lighting, is highly serviceable, and includes features like an onboard progressive controller that saves our customers money, time, and equipment. We’re launching it with various iterations, including the Lighthouse, which has a unique obelisk shape. It’s really about sharing in the winning experience and excitement through sound and light – so, you don’t need anything other than our homegrown quick media controller. We’re taking everyone on our growth journey, being transparent about what we’re doing, and getting people excited to join us as we reach for new heights.
Rob Visintainer, COO
Eclipse Gaming
Innovation wise, we’re coming out with titles that I don’t think you have seen in the industry previously. A lot of people are jumping on the bandwagon of the triple pot games and perceived persistence. For us, it’s about building on our previous games by enhancing them with features that players are especially drawn to in various regions and at properties where we’ve seen success. We’re amplifying this approach with some of our upcoming games, introducing new free spin bonuses and unique features that haven’t really been done before. These additions keep the core base game familiar while providing an enhanced experience from a free spin perspective. We’re experimenting with features outside the norm to gauge player reactions and elevate our games to a new level as we move forward.
A favorite game of mine is Big Shake 2 – it’s our third generation of the game and has been out for a few months now. We’re seeing really good performance in the properties that we’ve launched it at. It features Jackpot, our new Gopher character, who people are really gravitating to within a game family that’s already been successful out there.
David Lucchese, EVP Sales and Marketing
Everi
David Lucchese: We have reinvigorated our product strategy on the games side. Last year, we introduced five new cabinets, and on the content side, we are more focused than ever on emerging and current trends in play mechanics. You’ll see our lineup emphasize triple-pot games, four-pot games, hold-and-spin features, as well as our signature innovation in game design. We’re taking those play mechanics that are very popular with the player base today, and then adding our unique spin to those.
We’ve also realigned some of our studio development for greater focus. For example, we’ve been a leader in the mechanical stepper segment for years. We’ve re-strategized by consolidating our stepper development into one dedicated studio, allowing us to double down on maintaining our leadership in this area.
On the participation or game operations side, we’re thrilled to have licensed Powerball as a brand. Powerball is featured on our brand-new Dynasty Luna cabinet, which we unveiled at G2E. It’s an amazing presentation and the customer feedback has been outstanding, both at the show and in our pre-G2E meetings. We also offer Powerball on a stepper, providing a variety of options. The team executed amazingly to represent that brand and generate excitement. A great pre-G2E story: one customer saw Powerball in our showroom and said, ‘I want that. I’ll be first to market on that.’ It was fantastic to see that level of enthusiasm and resonance.
The focus has been on great games in our for sale lineup as well as on the gaming operations side, and Cosmic Wheel Link is an example of that. It features excellent graphics and outstanding execution. We’ve also been investing in our studio in Australia for some time, and we’re now seeing the results of that investment. Australia has long been known for innovative games that eventually make their way to the U.S., and now our studio there is delivering fresh content directly to us. For instance, the Fire Lion game we showcased at G2E reflects some of their latest work and received a fantastic response. Additionally, we are always exploring innovative bonus features in our games. For example, we’ve introduced a pachinko-style bonus feature in High Score, so we’re combining familiar base game mechanics with a unique, engaging bonus innovation.
At Everi Digital, we developed the Spark Remote Game Server to deliver our content. Although we started after some of the others did, we’ve gained so much momentum by taking proven content from our land-based side and bringing that over to digital. It’s been a great, proven strategy for us. We’re also driving innovation with digital-born games created within Everi studios. For example, we have a new game called Fishin’ Hole, a fishing-themed, quick instant-win type of game that will resonate with online players and was unveiled at G2E. Another game, Stellar Bounties, is an arcade style space game we’re excited about. Both games have been very well received, showcasing our commitment to delivering great content to that segment of the industry.
Richard Sagman, SVP of Product Management
Everi
I’m really excited about our Class II on-premise mobile games. It’s a great opportunity for tribes to expand their Class II offerings across the resort – in hotel rooms, restaurants, bars, swimming pools, exhibition halls, and anywhere else their players are engaging. Since players are already on property, they can continue to interact with the brand, increasing revenue and deepening engagement.
Another important aspect of Class II on-premise mobile is that it’s not just a mobile app driving revenue; it’s also a powerful marketing tool to bring people back to the property. You can run promotions saying, for instance, ‘Hey, it’s Tuesday at 10 a.m., things are quiet – come down for a limited promotion with double loyalty points for the next two hours.’ So, we’re trying to bring people to property, and then once on the property, the tribes have many ways to engage and monetize their players, and not just on specific products. I don’t see it as an iGaming app simply added to the casino; rather, it’s part of the casino floor. We connect our products to loyalty systems, casino management systems, compliance tools, and digital wallets. It’s all one integrated piece, creating a seamless customer experience.
Phil O’Shaughnessy, VP Global
Communications, Events & Sustainability
IGT
At G2E, we were thrilled to feature a dedicated Wheel of Fortune zone right in the IGT booth, showcasing 11 new Wheel of Fortune premium themes. Additionally, we are expanding the Wheel of Fortune family, now offering it in video poker, VLT, and as an electronic table game with a massive 12-foot, 7-inch wheel. Additionally, we introduced the next generation of our Whitney Houston game. The first game has been a runaway hit, performing very well on the charts. At G2E, we debuted Whitney Houston: I Wanna Dance with Somebody Slots. It’s a beautiful game on the Peak65 cabinet and received a very favorable response from operators all across the U.S. and Canada. We are thrilled to be building the premium category with these wonderful licensed themes.
Little Green Men Return is a personal favorite of mine. You might remember Little Green Men – one of our beloved classic brands. We’ve brought it back with a fresh look on beautiful new hardware, and I have to say, it’s a blast. I highly encourage you to check out Little Green Men Return.
Jake Kalpakian, CEO
Jackpot Digital
We continue to evolve our product, and we’re seeing increasing excitement and adoption. We view Jackpot Blitz as a smart table – not just a poker table – where we can keep adding customization, games, and features. We believe this is not only the future, but also the present. There’s a lot of excitement about the product and all it can do.
We just announced our first partnership with a Canadian provincial lottery corporation, and we believe we’ll have several more soon. In the U.S., we’re in the eighth or ninth inning of securing commercial licenses, and we expect to establish numerous government licenses and partnerships across Canada. By the end of the next 12 months, we anticipate having a significant footprint for our product throughout North America.
The tribal business will continue to grow significantly into 2025, and we expect to see the first deployments on the commercial side by 2025 or even sooner. We believe we have the four key sectors covered – cruise ships, Canadian provincial lottery corporations, commercial casinos, and, of course, tribal. It’s a product with universal appeal – people like it, and its time has come. Ironically, COVID was challenging for our company because our business was primarily on cruise ships, but it also reshaped the poker landscape in the brick-and-mortar world. Labor shortages and inflationary pressures have reduced casino profit margins on poker, but with this product, it’s a whole new ball game. Casinos can now make money on poker. They can even make money just on running tournaments, which were previously loss leaders. The landscape has changed because of COVID. It was a very big negative, but in life, when life gives you lemons, make lemonade.
Tashina Lazcano, Director of Marketing & Communications
Konami Gaming
At G2E, we were thrilled about the variety of content we showcased across the Dimension line, as well as the exceptional systems innovations on our Synkros side. On the games side, the creative entertainment we’re bringing to the Dimension line is truly exceptional, including a lot of original mechanics and original art – case in point is Bingo Frenzy Stampede. This game made its world debut at G2E and at the Venetian, combining a credit collection feature with a five-in-a-row bingo mechanic, which gives players a chance to shout “bingo” again and again during the credit collection feature as they rack up those prizes. The feedback from casino operators has been fantastic and we’re excited to bring it to more properties.
Another standout game is K-Pow! Pig. Not only is this game featured on our land-based slots, but it’s also coming online for both social and wager gaming, offering an omnichannel delivery opportunity for operators who can do that. We also have a really unique game called What the Duck, inspired by the common autocorrect foul, which features a central wild symbol and a variety of wacky bonus events, along with fun character animations. So, we’re really going outside of the box with our game creations to bring even more value across the Dimension line.
On the Synkros systems side, we debuted our Synkros Drink System at G2E, which was created from the ground up based on feedback from operators about what they would want to see in a digital drink ordering system. We also showcased our Synk Vision biometric player tracking technology. Although it’s not available in the U.S. yet, we’re conducting trials in Asia and demonstrated it on slot machines and select table games at the show. So, we’re really pushing the envelope with our casino systems innovations. Additionally, our iGaming team was at G2E, highlighting K-Pow! Pig and dozens of other online games now available for online social and for wager casinos.
Brett Colbert, Director of Product Management
Light & Wonder
We’re investing in internal brands, licensed brands, and new mechanics. A major highlight for us is Cosmic Upright, which was our main focus at G2E and our big hardware launch. This stunning new cabinet builds on our original Cosmic, released about a year and a half ago, and features beautiful edge lighting, an integrated topper, a 4K monitor, a brand-new floating button deck, and most importantly, an entire new suite of games. On our gaming operations premium side, we’ve introduced Dancing Drums Link, an all-new triple-pot version of Dancing Drums. We also have Invaders Attack on the Planet Moolah and Ultimate Fire Link Triple Nova. With the for-sale lineup, we’ve launched five new games – a new version of Huff N’ Puff, Hot Hot Blazing Lock, Super Big Hot Flaming Pots, Gold Fish Feeding Time, and a brand-new version of Dancing Drums Tower. So, there is a lot of exciting content on the Cosmic Upright.
We have a new cabinet with our Landmark 7000 Transparent with Digital Wheel, also in our premium space. Ultimate Fire Link is going to be one of our launch titles there, and we have a brand-new version of a Cash Falls variant called Quick Hit Cash Falls. So, there are really great things coming on the hardware side.
We’ve also debuted Dracula, which is a follow-up to our very successful Frankenstein. We have an all new version of Wizard of Oz with Wizard Oz – I’ll Get You My Pretty, a beautiful perceived persistent with dark graphics, based on the Wicked Witch of the West.
And then the big reveal on our wide area progressive side is Huff N’ Even More Puff Grand, where we’ve added a third wheel that introduced the Palace Feature. So, we have a really strong lineup across our for sale, premium and gaming ops. And now we have Huff N’ Puffs on all of our cabinets and all of our commercial models – for sale, premium and WAP, and then all the steppers, video, dual screen and Cosmic.
Kathleen McLaughlin, VP Marketing and Corporate Accounts, North America
Novomatic Americas
We’ve put a strong focus on a U.S.-developed package and product for our new game, Piggy Prizes. It features a distinctly U.S. gaming mechanic, and the artwork is very much in sync with current market trends. We have more U.S.-based content debuting at ICE, and if you saw our booth at G2E, you would have noticed a U.S. street inspired feel. And it’s really important for us, with our new CEO and our new focus, to say we are street smart and street focused, but also U.S.-based, and development focused. We still have the great games that we have history with from Europe, but we’ve really made some strides in putting together some great U.S. packaging and games.
We also have some brand new, oversized, wonderful VIP cabinets. We do fantastic cabinets and chairs, so we launched an entire product line of that at G2E as well. Our street games are some of the best performing VGT games, and that is a big focus of ours because we continue to lead the market and do some really wonderful things there. Our leadership was just in Oklahoma, so we’re working with a lot of tribes on that too. It’s pretty exciting.
Richar Fitoussi, President
Reveal Roulette
The good news is that after nearly eight years of litigation, we won in court this August, with a ruling of no patent-infringement, which was a very positive development. I believe 2025 is going to be a great year for Reveal Roulette. We updated the game by now having the top portion of the tile tilt back to reveal the engraved number on the bottom portion. We’ve also added a side bet. I’ve been receiving a lot of positive feedback. The game is available exclusively for the California market, and we are already in 15 casinos across the state. Next year, we’re hopeful to add another five to seven casinos. Overall, 2025 is shaping up to be a very promising year.
Derik Mooberry, CEO
Zitro USA
This year at G2E, we moved into a larger booth with more machines and a more prominent location. This change aligned with the statement we wanted to make as a company – that we’re growing, our brand is expanding, and more people around the world know who we are. It was time for us to be in a prominent location.
In terms of products, this was probably our most exciting G2E ever. From an evolution standpoint, customers came in on the first day and immediately noticed Zitro’s progressive transformation – we keep raising the bar in terms of our identity, innovation, and game content. Everyone commented on how much progress we are making. The focal point and true highlight was the launch of our new Concept cabinet. It is the biggest, boldest, brightest, and best cabinet we’ve ever developed. It stands out from a distance, and that was intentional. It not only looked impressive on the show floor, but also reflects our understanding of the competitive casino market, especially in North America, where standing out is essential. Our unique, integrated lighting around the Concept cabinet responds to game play and bonus rounds, enhancing both the player experience and the overall atmosphere on the casino floor. Now, people from a distance can see when someone is winning on the machine. It becomes so apparent from a player perspective, and that is really, really
exciting.
We have a series of games that we’re especially excited about because we feel the future of these games is really going to help propel us to the next level. The first is Legendary Sword on the brand-new Prime-J cabinet, which features a 55-inch 4K screen and an impressive sign package for effective merchandising. The game incorporates popular play mechanics and styles, including perceived imminent win features, extra spin options, multipliers, and a splitting of symbols feature – all of which can be won independently or simultaneously. We’ve received an incredible amount of positive feedback on this game – it’s extremely popular.
The next game is Triple Charm Journey, which features some unique elements. It’s designed in a triple-screen format and includes a new play mechanic we call the “Rise” feature. In the bonus round, if you activate the Rise feature, you’re guaranteed incremental wins on every spin as the value increases each time. This makes players root for additional free games – because the more free games you get, the more credits you can earn. It’s an exciting feature.
The last game I’d highlight is Cash Totems, which takes a different approach with 10 free games and introduces what I would call ‘semi-sticky’ wilds. The wilds stay on the screen as long as there’s no winning combination; once you win, the wilds reset. This ensures that players get the full benefit of each wild. Often, you get a wild in a game but no winning combination, which can be disappointing. Here, the wilds remain until there’s a win, making it a highly engaging feature.
These three games have been received extremely well, but are just the tip of the iceberg for us. In total, we featured nearly 60 games at G2E in different formats and sizes, showcasing the variety and depth of our content.