“The feedback was overwhelmingly positive”
(Exclusive interview).- ICE 2018 has highlighted once again Konami’s importance within the industry.
During ICE Totally Gaming 2018, Konami Gaming presented new technology, met with thousands of visitors, and cemented its leading position in the casino market, all confirming the public’s acclaim for the unique gaming services Konami provides. Eduardo Aching, Vice President International Sales at Konami Gaming, talked to Focus Gaming News about Konami’s recent achievement and the expectations for this year.
How was the general performance of Konami at ICE 2018?
ICE 2018 was a marked success and memorable event for Konami. The attendance was strong and we were able to meet with key customers from markets across the world. The annual event in London continues to grow and remains an important opportunity for us to collaborate with our international partners while identifying new ways to add value to their business with top entertainment.
What was the feedback from the operators?
The feedback surrounding Konami’s latest progressive game developments was overwhelmingly positive. Konami’s fiesta-themed Smash Smash Festival—the first linked bonus game for Concerto—was released not long ago as and has shown incredible momentum for locations across Europe. Our Cai Lai Si Ji standalone progressive series has also attracted strong attention from players for its 5-figure Mega jackpot. That series has grown and now includes 4 different base game themes. Guests at ICE 2018 had the opportunity to see Konami’s new Strike Zone feature for the first time on games like Celestial Moon Riches and Star Watch Magma. These are multi-denom games with built-in jackpots that have demonstrated exceptional results in the field, and we look forward to bringing them our international customers in the immediate weeks.
The annual event in London continues to grow and remains an important opportunity for us to collaborate with our international partners while identifying new ways to add value to their business with top entertainment.
What were some of the newest multi-game developments Konami presented at ICE 2018?
This year marked the ICE premiere of SeleXion multi-game on our curved Concerto Crescent cabinet. It’s especially important for international operators because it provides a versatile solution to feature a mix of Konami’s latest single screen games on one machine. Games such as Lotus Land Deluxe Wild, China Shores Great Stacks, Dragon Fury, and more, can all be combined on the same slot cabinet, giving their players a variety of unique titles to enjoy at the tap of a finger.
Guests at ICE 2018 also saw a number of linked progressive games from Konami with multi-game compatibility, including Power Boost Inferno, Smash Smash Festival, Glimmering Fortunes, Luxury Jackpots, and configurable mystery trigger progressives for curved Crescent screen multi-game. We have engineered these titles with multi-game capability for the greatest long-term value and performance across international markets.
What are the next plans for the company?
In the immediate term Konami is focused on delivering a record variety of single-screen games for our curved Concerto Crescent. Casinos can also expect to see a strong pipeline of original progressive innovations across our Concerto Collection throughout this year, including those shown at this month’s ICE event. In addition, Konami’s Fortune Cup mechanical horse racing game is expanding across North America, with global placements projected on the horizon.
