“Konami has demonstrated it can grow its business without pursuing merger and acquisition activity”

What new games are you planning to debut at the upcoming G2E Las Vegas?

One of Konami Gaming, Inc.’s biggest debuts at this year’s G2E is the industry’s first Frogger themed video slots. Frogger is one of the world’s most beloved video games, and now players will the chance to experience their favorite Frogger features in a real-money casino format. The primary game carries modernized character art paired alongside Konami’s proven video slot features and math, and the game’s mystery Frogger Bonus allows players to relive the classic road and river crossing course in retro-pixelated glory.

In addition, guests to Konami's booth #1154 will discover six different DUNGEONS & DRAGONS games, two new Neo Contra themes, original new KP3 base games and progressives, and SYNKROS updates such as Player On-demand Multigame Tournaments, SYNKROS Progressive Management, and SYNKiosk. Konami humbly continues to build, innovate, and pioneer the latest casino gaming and systems products, and each year at G2E we have the great opportunity to showcase these to customers and demonstrate the industry’s new generation products.

At this year's edition of ICE, mobile gambling was one of the most discussed trends amongst exhibitors and attendees. Do you think the same will happen at G2E Las Vegas?

At Konami, we are interested in distributing our industry-leading game to our customers in whichever formats and channels that help them to grow their businesses. Accordingly, we are currently distributing our content to customers for online access by patrons and we are working on expanding this distribution significantly. Given the continued growth of social online casinos, we expect to see continued interest in various forms of mobile gaming.

Konami has already established itself as a gaming leader in the US. What's next for the company? What are your expectations for this particular show?

Konami’s growth, both domestically and overseas, has been powered primarily by product innovation. Just this year, our global headquarters is more than doubling in size, which will allow our Las Vegas-based R&D team to handle increased demands for more products across a wider range of product categories. Our experience tells us that if we remain focused on delivering the highest quality games and systems products, we can continue to deepen relationships with customers and increase our market share. On the systems side of the business, the market is beginning to recognize SYNKROS for its unparalleled reliability and breadth of marketing capabilities. We are committed to continuous innovation and delivering an industry-leading service experience to our SYNKROS customers.

Many casinos in America have seen drops in revenue in the last months. Did this affect Konami's operations?

In the face of economic challenges, Konami has been able to expand market share first and foremost based upon our ability to deliver proven products that work for our customers. With this dedication to reliable and quality products, we have expanded our offering in several ways. First, we have expanded the number of titles we are able to produce globally each year. Second, we have expanded our cabinet lineup into families of products that offer our customers options to create diversity on their floors for their patron experience—for example, Podium Slant, Podium Goliath, and Podium Monument. Third, we have worked to expand the types of game play mechanics we incorporate into our products using mechanics like multipliers, gigantic symbols, and Double Action Stacked Symbols. Action Stacked Symbols, and recently Double Action Stacked Symbols in games like Solstice Celebration are a good example of this type of innovation. Lastly, we have expanded into new product categories such as amusement-based gaming products like our Advantage Revolution, Titan 360, and now Rapid Revolver.

Why do operators continue to choose Konami's machines? What gives you the edge over your competitors?

While we are always aware of what the competition is doing, regardless of the size of the competitor, we believe that we have found success because great products will always be in demand by savvy operators. We have purposely chosen to run a lean organization to avoid passing on the costs of high overhead to our customers. As a result, we are regularly told by customers that our products create real value. Additionally, our operating philosophy allows us to remain nimble so that we can react to market demands.

With so many companies merging and redefining themselves... Are you considering the possibility of a merger? What are your plans for the future?

While we will always evaluate market opportunities, we have demonstrated that we can grow our business without pursuing merger and acquisition activity. We have had a consistent leadership team and business strategy since our founding in 2001. Konami has pursued a growth strategy rooted in this belief in consistency. We have had steady success by committing to organic growth and fiscal responsibility.