GGRAsia – Aristocrat supersizes slot platform for mass appeal

Aristocrat supersizes slot platform for mass appeal

Nov 17, 2015 Newsdesk Updates – Macao Gaming Show 2015

Slot game maker Aristocrat Leisure Ltd displayed at Macao Gaming Show 2015 a supersized platform for Five Dragons – one of its most popular casino games.

The 84-inch (213-centimetre) LCD monitor on the Behemoth cabinet is guaranteed to stand out on a casino floor, says the firm. It features banquette-style seats so that several people can sit in front of each screen, and two bet buttons per unit so that friends can take turns at betting.

“These are not high volume products in production terms,” explained Matt Humphreys (pictured), key account manager for the company’s local unit Aristocrat (Macau) Pty Ltd.

“They would be typically placed at the entrance to a casino to draw the attention of customers. What we are told by a lot of our [casino operator] customers is that the vast majority of people that walk into their venues, particularly in Macau, don’t sit at a slot machine. So we are trying to look at ways of attracting non-slot players to at least sit and experience an electronic device,” stated Mr Humphreys.

“Historically at Aristocrat we’ve been very strong in games that appeal to gamblers and VIP high limit players,” he added.

“With Cotai opening up now and the market moving to mass, we are starting to introduce some new product lines in the standalone progressive space, and more of the entertainment-style products. Part of the strategy there is to open up some new platforms with some unique cabinets, including Behemoth,” stated Mr Humphreys.

Aristocrat is also showing at Macao Gaming Show its game Third Prince, a title on the firm’s Helix cabinet and with a narrative based on a popular Chinese fable.

“All the local customers that come through Macau know the story. We have included a battle sequence in the game – where the hero Nezha fights the Dragon Lord and his underlings – so it takes your typical slot experience a step further, and adds some entertainment for the local demographic,” explained Mr Humphreys.