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Vanilla content will always be second best – argues Reflex CPO

Published

5 years ago

January 9, 2019

Reading Time: 4 minutes

Ahead of ICE London 2019, Mat Ingram, CPO of independent developer, Reflex Gaming, explains why the commoditisation of content is a race to the bottom

Looking back on 2018 what have been the highlights and the key achievements in the online space for the Reflex brand?

2018 was a year characterised by strategic and steady expansion for Reflex in the online sector. We went live with five new top tier operators as well as numerous smaller operators courtesy of our existing distribution partnerships which continue to do well for us. We have adhered to our “quality over quantity” philosophy, resulting in six new game titles over the course of the year, all but one emanating from our market-leading portfolio of land-based content. We have forged new commercial relationships, worked with new development partners, and continued to learn a lot. There’s no doubt that 2018 was an important and successful year.

How would you describe the main challenges for the online sector – is it facing a case of over supply? Is there a danger of quantity subsuming quality when it comes to games content and what can be done about it?

For me, the sector is surprisingly slow-moving given its entirely-digital nature, but this is a symptom of the complex distribution routes that are now so prevalent, along with the hugely busy supply chain. Many planets have to align technically and strategically for a relatively simple event to occur, such as a game release. Compare this to our server-managed land-based machines, where I can develop a game in half the time and release it overnight to thousands of machines, but of course in this case I am in complete control of the tech stack and the content strategy, which helps enormously! The over-supply of what I would describe as vanilla, ‘global’ content has turned the previous art of game creation into a production line building commodity ‘widgets’ whose value to the supplier is measured in how low they can get their costs. This must, in turn, reduce quality, however this is not always immediately apparent. There are so many games being released that without any promotional activity (that the bigger suppliers can fund), one game performs much the same as another, thus perpetuating their commodity status. As such, I believe there is an increasing requirement for specialised, ‘hyper-local’ content – by which I refer to games that have been specifically created by suppliers with local expertise and experience for local players. As suppliers, we often have to modify our games anyway to suit local regulations and language, so there is already an existing idea that games must be localised, but I believe that it is also better for the user if the games with which they are presented are those that have been crafted for them rather than the one-size-fits-all approach that is often used. Reflex have some of the most successful games in the land-based markets in which we compete and we should leverage these with partners who have expertise in distributing hyper-local content.

Has your thinking on omni-channel gaming changed since ICE 2018 and if so where do you stand now?

No, my opinion hasn’t really changed on this. It may be sometimes difficult to quantify the benefits or produce empirical evidence of them, but intuitively I feel that it has to be better UX for a player to be able to move from one channel to another and play the content they know and enjoy on platforms that support a seamless transition from one place to another. Surely, if the player has a better experience whilst doing this, they are more likely to stay loyal to the retailer / operator and indeed the games? It just seems to make sense to me. This is why Reflex are talking to a number of operators who have both a land-based and an online presence about how we can work together to provide UK-specific, omni-channel games, and we are one of only a few suppliers who can do this.

How will Reflex be using ICE London 2019 and what does success look like?

We will be using ICE to showcase our diverse land-based and online product ranges. It’s one of the few opportunities we have to put everything together in the same space, and our omni-channel credibility becomes really apparent when you see it all together. The range includes UK and Dutch land-based machines of many styles and categories, through to purely online and mobile content, with the same design ethos running across all channels. The star of our land-base range is the GamePro cabinet which will this year include the new GamePro Max, a sit-down lounge-style machine. Our view is that whatever a player experiences in a land-based environment, they should be able to experience on their desktop or mobile within the confines of the devices. A successful exhibition for Reflex is mostly not about the number of contracts or deals we sign, as most of the hard work has been done on these prior to the show, but rather it is about how many new people we meet and new opportunities present themselves, and judging by the number of meeting requests we have already had, we should be in for a busy few days!

As an exhibitor do you get the opportunity to spend time walking the aisles at ExCeL and taking stock of the industry and the direction its travelling in – how important is it to do this?

I think this is hugely important, although being honest, I don’t get as much time to do it as I would like, as I am generally busy on the stand. However, I have a great team who come to the show and who act as my eyes and ears on market trends and important product innovations. I wouldn’t say it’s a military style operation but we have regular catch-ups whilst the exhibition is in progress and they take me to see the things and meet the people that have caught their eye. I am a firm believer that Reflex should stand independently with respect to innovation and not succumb to parodying the ideas of others, but that said, it is important to know and understand what other market sector participants are doing and why.

Source: Latest News on European Gaming Media Network
This is a Syndicated News piece. Photo credits or photo sources can be found on the source article: Vanilla content will always be second best – argues Reflex CPO

Related Topics:gambling industry in Europe

George Miller

George Miller (Gyorgy Molnar) started his career in content marketing and has started working as an Editor/Content Manager for our company in 2016. George has acquired many experiences when it comes to interviews and newsworthy content becoming Head of Content in 2017. He is responsible for the news being shared on multiple websites that are part of the European Gaming Media Network.

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Latest News

Everything you need to know ahead of ESL Pro League Season 19

Published

54 mins ago

April 19, 2024

George Miller

Reading Time: 3 minutes

The ESL Pro League (EPL) returns to St. Julian’s, Malta, for Season 19 on April 23 – May 12, 2024. The world’s biggest Counter-Strike league will see teams from around the world arrive on-site for three weeks of non-stop action, and only one team will emerge victorious as Champions.

Here is all you need to know about ESL Pro League Season 19

The 19th Season of the ESL Pro League will see the 32 best Counter-Strike teams compete for a total prize pool of $750,000, a win in the race to secure Intel® Grand Slam V, and a spot at IEM Cologne 2024. Commencing on April 23, contenders from around the globe will face off in Malta for a spot in the Playoffs. There, the six best teams will compete live in front of an intimate live audience at the InterContinental Malta on May 10 – 12, 2024.

Starting with the upcoming season, EPL will see some improvements to its schedule. While the number of teams and the tournament structure remain the same compared to recent seasons, the duration of the tournament has been adjusted to three weeks instead of five. To accommodate this change, two groups will be played simultaneously during the Group Stage, resulting in a more intense story for fans to follow.

Schedule and Format

Group Stage (April 23 – May 5):

Four groups of eight teams will compete in separate triple-elimination brackets
- All matches are best-of-three
The top four teams from each group will advance to the Playoffs
- Group Stage winners advance to the Quarterfinals
- The Group Stage runner-ups advance to the Round of 12
- The Group Stage third and fourth-place teams advance to the Round of 16

Playoffs (May 7 – 12):

The top sixteen teams will compete in a single-elimination bracket
- All matches will be best-of-three, excluding the Grand Final which will be best-of-five
- The third and fourth Quarterfinals, as well as both Semifinals and the Grand Final will be played out live on stage in front of an audience

Teams Attending

Astralis (Partner Team)
BIG (Partner Team)
Complexity (Partner Team)
ENCE (Partner Team)
FaZe Clan (Partner Team)
Fnatic (Partner Team)
FURIA (Partner Team)
G2 Esports (Partner Team)
HEROIC (Partner Team)
MOUZ (Partner Team)
Natus Vincere (Partner Team)
Ninjas in Pyjamas (Partner Team)
Team Liquid (Partner Team)
Team Vitality (Partner Team)
Monte (ESL Challenger Jönköping winner)
Virtus.pro (ESL Challenger Atlanta winner)
SAW (ESL World Ranking)
Team Falcons (ESL World Ranking)
GamerLegion (ESL World Ranking)
BetBoom Team (ESL World Ranking)
Eternal Fire (ESL World Ranking)
3DMAX (ECL S46 Europe winner)
FORZE (ECL S46 Europe runner-up)
M80 (ECL S46 North America winner)
BOSS (ECL S46 North America runner-up)
The MongolZ (ECL S46 Asia-Pacific winner)
TYLOO (ECL S46 Asia-Pacific runner-up)
Imperial Esports (South American Qualifier winners)
Sharks Esports (South American Qualifier winners)
Pera Esports (European Conference winner)
Bad News Kangaroos (Oceanic Qualifier winner)
FlyQuest (ANZ Champs winner)

Prize Money (USD)

TOTAL	$750,000
1st	$170,000
2nd	$80,000
3rd-4th	$45,000
5th-8th	$32,000
9th-12th	$23,500
13th-16th	$17,500
17th-20th	$12,000
21st-28th	$7,000
29th-32nd	$3,500

Broadcast Talent

Hosts
- “Tres “stunna” Saranthus
- Freya “Freya” Spiers
A Stream
- Jason “moses” O’Toole
- Janko “YNk” Paunović
- Mathieu “Maniac” Quiquerez
- Harry “Harry” Russell
- Hugo “Hugo” Byron
- Henry “Henry” Greer
- Chad “SPUNJ” Burchill
- Alex “Machine” Richardson
B Stream
- Neo “Ne0kai” Caine
- Harvey “Skriv” Rodgers
- Lucy “LucyLuce” Eastwood
- Brandon “BDog” Rawlings
- Travis “Trav” Landaw Mott

Where to Watch

The live broadcast will be available on FACEIT Watch, ESL FACEIT Group’s premier esports viewing platform created by esports fans for esports fans and open for all.

Featuring a unique multi-perspective view selector where users can watch their favorite player’s perspective directly next to the main event stream, a live chat, a kill cam, live-generated replays of key moments, a sound mixer, a rewards program, and more, FACEIT Watch revolutionises esports streaming by putting fans in control of their viewing experience.

Fans can also watch the action on the ESL Counter-Strike Twitch and YouTube channels. For those unable to tune in live, all matches will also be available to watch on-demand for free via YouTube.

For more information about ESL Pro League Season 19, and the latest updates on the event, please visit the official website, and follow ESL Counter-Strike on X, Facebook, and Instagram.

The post Everything you need to know ahead of ESL Pro League Season 19 appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

Latest News

New Market Alert! Hacksaw Gaming Touch Down in Portugal with Solverde.pt

Published

54 mins ago

April 19, 2024

George Miller

Reading Time: 2 minutes

Another incredible new market launch for Hacksaw Gaming, this time we’re taking a trip to Portugal with Solverde.pt. Exclusively showcasing our content until the 30th of April, this new partnership looks to be one with an exciting journey ahead.

Fan favourites Wanted Dead or a Wild, 2 Wild 2 Die, R.I.P City, Le Bandit and many more are now featured on the Hacksaw exclusive section of the Solverde.pt platform. At long last, Portuguese players can now immerse themselves in the Hacksaw experience, exploring a large catalogue of our games that demonstrate our creative mechanics and stunning visuals.

“Hacksaw has been a top request from Portuguese casino players and we always aim to know the market preferences and deliver what the customers want” says Américo Loureiro, Solverde.pt Director “We’re very proud to bring this groundbreaking studio to Portugal for the first time and have no doubt it will be a success”

Part of Solverde Group, which boasts more than 50 years of history, Solverde.pt was launched in 2017.

They strive to offer the widest casino portfolio in Portugal, prioritising all the fun of casino games with the top quality and safety that SolverdePT users have come to know them for.

Marcus Cordes, Hacksaw Gaming CEO is certain that Hacksaw enthusiasts in Portugal will be ecstatic with this new launch – “Being able to bring yet another growing market our games is what drives us forward! Saúde to a promising future partnership and to the teams who made this happen.”

With this latest launch marking our third new market entry in the past month alone, Hacksaw Gaming’s quest to introduce our collection to players worldwide is rapidly becoming reality. Are we setting the tone for even more groundbreaking ventures in the months ahead? Stay tuned, as we’re on a mission to grow our Hacksaw Community far and wide.

The post New Market Alert! Hacksaw Gaming Touch Down in Portugal with Solverde.pt appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

Latest News

Week 16/2024 slot games releases

Published

11 hours ago

April 19, 2024

George Miller

Reading Time: 5 minutes

Here are this weeks latest slots releases compiled by European Gaming

Habanero, is introducing the Reel Rewards feature in its new 6×3 reel slot Golden Taj Mahal. Paying homage to Indian culture, the game sees tigers, candles, precious gemstones, the prince and princess as well as the magic lamp Wild fill the grid as the slot’s symbols. At the top of the board, there are six empty spots which can be filled by the Reel Rewards mechanic on any spin, awarding a prize ranging from 2x, 3x or 5x multipliers to a Wild, which transforms all symbols below it.

After releasing the frenzy of a slot game that was Brick Snake 2000, the award-winning slot provider is now set to release Tombstone No Mercy an upgraded refresh of its 2019 hit slot, Tombstone. The 2024 refresh stays true to the original game and introduces Nolimit Bonus Buys and Nolimit Booster into the mix. With the introduction of Nolimit Bonus Buys, players can buy right into the bonus rounds; Justice Spins, Gunslinger

Games Global exclusive studio PearFiction Studios has unveiled its latest release, Cerberus Gold, incorporating three engaging LockNWin bonuses that can be combined for great win potential. This mythological title boasts an exciting triple collection mechanic that sees each collection pot protected by a head of the fearsome guardian of the underworld, Cerberus, who precariously sits above the reel set.

4ThePlayer in collaboration with Yggdrasil is unveiling its new release, 4K Ultra Gold MoneyWays, through the YGG Masters platform. This game evolves 4ThePlayer’s popular MoneyWays mechanic as seen in the top-performing 4 Fantastic series where cash on the reels is won by forming ways wins without the need for additional symbols or features. In 4K Ultra Gold, every cash symbol is boosted when it lands on the reels, creating additional excitement and anticipation.

Push Gaming has released the second in its series of DJ games, DJ Cat, which brings a range of new features to amp up engagement. Following the success of DJ Fox, this new follow-up retains the easy-to-understand, win-what-you-see gameplay, adding in larger win multipliers. Lining up CD symbols helps players to build big prizes while VIP icons grant access to spin the decks and feed the Multiplier Meter. Arrow symbols crank the volume and unlock more reels using the iconic Push-Up feature.

Inspired Entertainment is thrilled to announce its latest slot game, Spin 2 Riches™, now available the UK B3/LBO market. Offering players an unparalleled gaming experience filled with mystery symbols and Fortune Spins. Spin 2 Riches invites players to embark on a thrilling adventure where every spin brings the promise of untold riches.

PG Soft, a world-class digital mobile games company, is on target again with its latest fun-filled game release, Piñata Wins. Set against a vibrant fiesta backdrop, Piñata Wins is a five-reel and three-row title offering players a colourful gaming experience with plenty of features with an opportunity to make big returns from multipliers up to x100. The reels are brought to life with symbols that celebrate Mexican culture including tacos, maracas, skulls, sombreros and chillies.

Endorphina, has announced the release of its latest slot game, Moon Tiger, on April 17th. Featuring 5 reels, 3 rows, 25 fixed paylines, and cool bonuses, the slot will soon join Endorphina’s portfolio of over 150 games. Inspired by Chinese mythology, this slot embodies the legendary White Tiger, a creature born from a rare occurrence in the heavens.

Blueprint Gaming is inviting players to live like royalty and reign over Phrygia in its latest scatter-pay release, the Greek mythology-themed Midas King of Gold. Players attempt to turn every touch into gold in this 6×5 scatter pays title, with the King himself appearing in symbols on the game’s richly coloured board alongside royal pillars and ancient artifacts.

Playson, the fast-growing digital entertainment supplier, has combined the striking themes of its most successful games in its latest title Energy Joker: Hold and Win. With coins, electricity and a grinning joker, this fast-paced release has lightning running through its reels. The blue Collect feature strikes the cells and gathers all values, including the Mini, Minor and Major jackpots and Bonus symbols.

Spinomenal has released its new hit, Queen of the Amazon. Set amongst the lush rainforest, this 5×4 slot welcomes players on an adventure where treasure awaits intrepid explorers. A majestic Amazon headdress, tiger, gorilla, and snake, make up the Medium symbols on the reels. At the heart of the story stands the queen herself, representing the Wild symbol.

Embark on a thrilling journey across continents in 80 Day Escapade, the dramatic new slot from Boldplay that offers multiple features for endless excitement and rewards. With its 5×3 reels and 243 ways to win, players will enjoy a world of adventure and fortune but the real excitement begins with the set of exciting bonus features.

The post Week 16/2024 slot games releases appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.