G2E 2017: Better every year, but no surprises

September 29, 2017 3:51 PM
  • Buddy Frank, CDC Gaming Reports
September 29, 2017 3:51 PM
  • Buddy Frank, CDC Gaming Reports

G2E is always a special time of the year. It represents many common things each year: the ultimate gaming social network (in the flesh, not on-line); a showcase of new products and technology; a three-day job faire; and a commiseration of sore feet and strained vocal cords. One thing it no longer features is unpredictability. In fact, I’d bet I can nail the outline of the slot component of the show without much doubt.

1.All machines will be big. Or bigger. Or curved.
2.High-Def will give way to Higher Definition.
3.Sound will get better.
4.Last year’s breakthrough technology will be stolen by everyone this year.
5.Haptics is happening.
6.Branding will never go away.
7.Skill-based games will be the next big thing. Maybe. Someday. Maybe.
8.The little guys will be more impressive than ever.
9.No one (except IGT) will make it this year with a Video Poker.

That list didn’t take much imagination. Except for the merger-mania of a few years back, the script has been the same for some time. But those mergers are having some impact. The real fallout, other than a lot of job shuffling, is that many folks are concentrating on cost reductions. While generally that would be ominous news for us, there is one bright spot. IGT and others have buried the “patent” hatchet on Intellectual Property related to game mechanics and have decided that it’s better to share, instead of declaring war. Bad news for corporate attorneys is good news for everyone else.

The latest of many accords signed by Big Blue was with Scientific Games. That recent one was notable since those two giants have a history of spending millions in litigation costs with no real winners. Those dollars will be much better spent in R&D. I’m not sure if this means we’ll see an IGT “Quick Hits” or a Bally “Sphinx,” but it’s a good start. Remember that “game mechanics” aren’t brands or titles, but rather the way a machine is configured by pay tables, bonuses, hit frequencies and other features.

The other reason for the lack of any G2E unexpected bombshells is that there are now countless rounds of pre-G2E and even pre-pre G2E “shows” or “demos” for operators. There will probably be a minor thing or two in the back room to impress the investment bankers, but most of the meaningful slot products have already been revealed.

Based on my having attended several of these presentations, the most forward-looking concepts will likely be: electronic payments; card-less player interfaces; advanced analytic tools; electronic table games (ETGs) and skill-based games. The latter two have been on everyone’s “next-big-thing” list for five years; but both are closer than ever to a “tipping point.”

The first two items on the list are interconnected and overdue. Why can’t we buy slot credits like we do a coffee at Starbucks? And who wants another loyalty card in your wallet or purse? RFID, Near Field, Beacons, Stripe, Square, Google Wallet, Samsung Pay, PIN-Debit, chipped credit cards and the like are technologies in wide use now. Gaming can’t be too far behind, can it? Regulation and technology shouldn’t be incompatible.

The middle item (advanced analytic tools) may be the most interesting. There are at least a dozen excellent analytical tools on the market today. Several are tried-and-true staples that get better every year. The rest use new code or new concepts to create exciting breakthroughs. It’s my opinion that a good operator could use any one of these to make significant increases in revenue. But I would also venture that less than 20% of the casinos deploying these tools are using them well, or anywhere near their true potential. The same goes for basic slot tracking system features.

Maybe the best thing anyone could buy at G2E 2017 this year is some additional training.



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Buddy Frank is a retired slot operations executive with over 30 years of experience. He is currently doing limited consulting work with BF Slot Strategies. He can be reached at buddy.frank@yahoo.com