Eduardo Aching: “In 2021 we saw a lot of interest for fresh game concepts”
Eduardo Aching, vice president for international gaming operations at Konami Gaming, spoke with Focus Gaming News about the company’s achievements made in 2021, its offer in the iGaming segment and its plans for 2022.
Exclusive interview.- Hand in hand with the award-winning Dimension series, Konami continues to grow and is preparing to expand further next year.
To discuss the company’s results this year and its expansion plans for 2022, Focus Gaming News spoke with Eduardo Aching, vice president for international gaming operations at Konami Gaming.
What do you think were the differentials that allowed the DIMENSION cabinet to be crowned the “Best Slots Product” in the 20th edition of the Gaming & Technology Awards?
One big differentiator for DIMENSION is the popularity of the game series. Our customers have seen a high degree of success with new DIMENSION games like Ocean Spin, All Aboard, Fortune Mint, and more.
These series are among the industry’s highest-performing slots this year. Because they are so strong, I encourage all of our Konami customers to consider these games, and please talk to us about a plan, if you have not already. Don’t miss out on the good results for your casino floor.
Another big differentiator is the hardware performance and reliability, which DIMENSION has proven in the field for nearly two years. The machine operates extraordinarily well, and the player experience both attracts and retains.
This is true for DIMENSION 49J, as well as stacked screen DIMENSION 27 and flat-screen DIMENSION 49, which ranked the industry’s #1 top indexing portrait cabinet for four straight months.
Overall, Konami is very happy with the recognition DIMENSION has received, and we are even more happy to offer this award-winning entertainment to our casino customers around the world.
In a PR, Tom Jingoli, Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, said, “DIMENSION 49J is the beginning of a long line of creative gaming cabinets and content.” What will be the features of this list? Is the next line already defined?
Konami has expanded DIMENSION to a total of five DIMENSION form factors.
All share the proven base components as the original, award-winning DIMENSION 49J—including sleek design, dual spin buttons, dual cup holders, sloped footrest, sheen finish, and smartphone chargers.
DIMENSION 27 and DIMENSION 49 are the two most important releases for Konami’s customers in Latin America and Europe. DIMENSION 27 is our latest stacked-screen core cabinet.
It is a solid investment, with a high degree of flexibility and many game options—from SeleXion multi-game compatible classics like China Shores and Quick Strike, to entirely new games like Mystical Pearl and Patrick O’Potts of Gold.
DIMENSION 49 is one of the industry’s top-performing portrait cabinets of the year, and we’re making it available to international operators with proven popular series like Ocean Spin, All Aboard, and Fortune Mint.
So our customers abroad can take advantage of these themes on their floor.
Following the growing interest in cashless technology, how do you project the performance of the SYNKROS casino management system? Are you working on any improvement in it?
SYNKROS continues to see record growth to more casinos, and it supports a large mix of cashless solutions. Konami’s core cashless technology is called Money Klip.
Money Klip is seamlessly integrated into Konami’s SYNKROS casino management system, and it works for nearly any gaming machine manufacturer type.
“Money Klip was first introduced to market 7 years ago and is backed by proven performance in the field.”
Eduardo Aching, vice president for international gaming operations at Konami Gaming.
At the same time, Konami continually innovates its cashless technology to serve consumer preferences, with enhancements like cashless wagering & TITO support at table games.
How is Konami developing its offering in the iGaming segment?
Konami’s longtime focus is giving operators proven game content to reach and engage their players through a mix of platforms—whether traditional land-based, online for-wager, or online social.
To help achieve robust digital distribution, Konami has launched its own remote gaming server (RGS), which integrates with most popular back-end systems used by today’s online gaming operators. Our online reach is continuing to grow in this area.
What were the main advances made in 2021 regarding the direct sales system in Argentina, Uruguay and Paraguay? What strategy did you design for next year?
This year Konami transitioned into direct sales across Argentina, Uruguay, and Paraguay in order to be a more competitive supplier partner in those markets.
Our previous distributor Atlantic Venture allowed Konami to absorb its personnel in the region, and we very quickly established a strong team and stable operations.
For years, Konami entertainment has seen positive momentum in these markets, and we see that continuing in 2022 with the relationships, professionalism, and knowledge of the Konami team in Argentina, Uruguay, and Paraguay.
How do you plan to start 2022?
Headed into 2022, Konami is excited and fully equipped to deliver the latest top-performing DIMENSION products to operators across Latin America.
From a wide mix of Triple Sparkle games on DIMENSION 49, to the latest SeleXion multi-game content on DIMENSION 27, we are looking forward to supporting our casino customers with the latest top entertainment and technology.
What games do you think will be drawing in the punters over the next year?
In 2021 we saw a lot of interest for fresh game concepts, like lucrative credit collection feature in All Aboard, the mystery reveal Question Mark feature in Fortune Mint, and many fun wheel spin features in Ocean Spin.
There are player audiences with an appetite for new slot experiences, and we believe that interest and curiosity will continue into 2022.
