“The entire industry is experiencing variations regarding very similar macroeconomic forces”

Has 2014 been a positive year for the brand? 
Konami Gaming and its exclusive distributors had a great year overall, and customers saw strong results for several landmark game releases. Our SeleXion multi-game would be at the top of the list internationally.  Across the board, it has a flexible configuration and game change speed that makes it an incredibly practical investment. Customers continue to enjoy the depth of Konami’s KP3 game library, since the quality and quantity of content gives them a lot more options to diversify their casino floor to meet their needs. As a whole, Konami was able to maintain –and increase- its presence through a majority of regions and expand into new emerging markets despite challenging climates.

What are the company’s goals for the coming year?
What you will see is continued growth throughout our international portfolio, all while remaining true to proven game mechanics that have made our products hugely popular for players across the globe.  Konami is always working to supply its customers with an expanding array of reliable new games and technology. It’s one of our major strengths as an organization, and over the next year we will continue investing the necessary R&D resources to deliver products which are designed to perform internationally. At our global headquarters in Las Vegas, we’re presently investing in a world-class expansion to our facility in order to accommodate our expanding R&D games and systems teams, manufacturing capacity, and service resources needed to support growing demands for our products. Our customers are assured that Konami is not going to wander away from those components that people love and enjoy about our games, but we nonetheless seek to explore and deliver new innovations which will attract and retain player audiences.

Any big launches you can tell us about?
There are two new premium slot products in particular that people will begin seeing at casino locations internationally in 2015. The first is Konami’s tall-top Podium Monument cabinet, recognized for its oversized 32” top box display. Our international debut theme is Snow Stars: White Winter, with a 2-level, stand-alone, progressive bonus feature that leverages excellently the cabinet’s tall upper screen. The second is Rapid Revolver, a premium gaming cabinet that presents two distinct gaming concepts fused into one by combining a traditional video slot on the lower screen with six spinning, vertically-mounted drums reels up top, surrounded by synchronized high-impact sound and lighting. To kick-off the new year, our customers internationally will enjoy access to the game’s first international debut titles: Rising Dragon™ and Northern Treasure. 

Which new markets are you planning on exploring in 2015?
We’re thrilled to be able to partner with a fantastic diversity of gaming markets across the globe. From Asia, to Europe, to Central and South America, Konami and its exclusive distributors are proud of the exemplary organizations we work alongside to help advance the current and future interests of gaming. Certainly, every year holds new opportunities and exciting ventures to consider, which we thoroughly explore and investigate accordingly. Most likely we’ll be focusing a good amount of attention on Macau/Singapore, certain European jurisdictions, and Latin American countries such as Uruguay, Chile, Peru, and Argentina. 

What is Konami’s overall outlook for this new year? 
Looking ahead to 2015, customers are definitely experiencing some level of uncertainty with the recent mergers and acquisitions in our space. The entire industry is experiencing variations on very similar macroeconomic forces, and everyone has adopted different business strategies in pursuit of success. At Konami, we are in the business of helping our customers grow their businesses, and that will continue to act as our primary focus for 2015. Our customers choose Konami because they know their investment is backed by the highest quality and long-term sustainability, and I believe those are critical attributes that will drive decision-making through the coming year.  We will continue expanding across Latin America, Europe, and Asia by supplying new and exciting products that are built to perform. Our commitment is to innovation and quality math models, powered by talented R&D teams who build the industry’s top gaming products.