great baseline by having so many great IGT brands we can work with .”
“ I ’ ve seen ( licensed brands ) reduce over time , but we still see them a critical part of the portfolio ,” comments Nathan Drane , senior vice president , global product management , for Light & Wonder . “ When we look at licenses , we really want those staples , those beachheads — those player favorites that are critical to our portfolio . But we ’ ve seen a decrease in the usage of licenses in land-based gaming over time .”
Everi has made its name with its proprietary content , but more recently , high-profile licenses have rounded out its product library .
“ Historically , Everi has not invested heavily in third-party licensed brands ,” says Caitlin Harte , senior director of product management , “ but we have found tremendous value in utilizing certain licenses that have now become our flagship brands like Smokin ’ Hot Stuff and Press Your Luck across our premium and for-sale products .
“ These are brands we initially pursued as they appeal to a wide audience and lend themselves to a highly entertaining experience . The industry has trended towards leveraging internal IP to create premium gaming experiences , as has Everi — as we ’ ve now created a fan base for brands like The Vault and Cash Machine .”
Discerning Brands
Indeed , the majority of slot manufacturers live on these internal brands . Aristocrat had six Buffalo titles in its G2E booth last month . Light & Wonder displayed new games in the 88 Fortunes , Quick Hit , Dancing Drums and Gold Fish families , as well as a revival of Reel ‘ Em In , the legendary video slot from legacy WMS . Everi featured additions to its Mega Meltdown series , a new version of The Vault , and a new entry in the unique Cash Machine family . IGT had new versions of practically all its internal themes .
In all these cases , the familiar brands are infused with the currently trending game mechanics , from hold-and-re-spin to pot collection features . Some are used to usher in new hardware with content that is already familiar to players .
“ We recently identified a few key brands for different product verticals that will become the core pillars of development strategy ,” says IGT ’ s Pastia . “ We have key brands , like Cleopatra , Double Diamond and Fort Knox , that are supported with detailed roadmaps — we know exactly in which quarter we want to release the content and the product line pairing , and overlay the hardware offerings to ensure players of all types experience them .
“ We are trying to engage multiple studios in evolving the brands , which means that we ’ re trying to have a common baseline of knowledge of the brand , but then we let the studio interpret them based on the market trends .”
“ I think every manufacturer knows it ’ s about game design , talent and math , but it ’ s also about brand management ,” says Aristocrat ’ s Hanlin . “ We all have these brands that we need to cultivate , because players know them , they trust them . They see our Buffalo brand , and they love to play that game . You know our competition has the same thing . It ’ s similar to what you see in the entertainment industry on cultivating a brand .”
“ Extending an internal brand presents a unique challenge ,” says Everi ’ s Harte . “ We want to keep the parts of the original game that players liked , while also changing it enough to make it feel like a new experience .
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