“The next competitive enhancement surrounds the importance of game compatibility”

Why is ICE Totally Gaming an ideal opportunity to unveil your next generation solutions?

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ICE continues to attract global attention and attendance, and the customers we see are highly engaged in pursuing new and unique solutions for their business

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Each year we aim to provide ICE attendees first-hand access to our latest games available, and this year in particular we’ll be sharing a complete display of our new Concerto Collection, including slant, multi-game, upright, curved screen and more. Each of these next generation cabinet options provides a unique variety to the gaming floor and fulfills a specific market need, allowing operators to optimize their floor and leave no space unplayed.

What can you tell us about the products you're planning to unleash at the trade show?

From a visual perspective, our new 43” single screen video slots will capture strong attention for their tall HD cinematic displays and custom game features. Our curved Concerto Crescent and tall Concerto Stack are arriving at ICE for the first time, and each of these has the premium impact that players enjoy from the tall single screen machines but with a standard base size for flexible placement across the casino floor. The debut themes we’ll be showcasing are Dragon Fury and Pharaoh’s Fury. These games incorporate a unique 7-8-8-8-7 reel format that emphasizes the games’ extra-tall display with Action Stacked Symbols and up to 261 added wild symbols during the free games.

How do you feel the European gambling markets will evolve in terms of player trends and technology implications?

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One of the biggest developments we’ve seen across Europe in recent years has surrounded advancements in multi-game technology

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Multi-game products have increased considerably in memory size and processing power, and allow players to enjoy a large variety of game themes at the tap of a finger without changing machines. Our SeleXion multi-game set the industry standard for game change speed when it debuted on Podium and became our most popular international casino product since the company began.

We believe that the next competitive enhancement surrounds the importance of game compatibility. A sheer volume of games is beneficial to a point, but what Konami has to offer beyond that in compatibility is what can really make a difference for international operators. Because we develop our games with a focus on providing operators the utmost software compatibility, our multi-game technology is compatible beyond what you would expect. This year during ICE, for the first time we’ll be showcasing SeleXion on our tall-top Podium Monument cabinet with a collection of standalone progressives. We’ll even be showing SeleXion on our Rapid Revolver video-mechanical hybrid machine. Konami is essentially making multi-game a standard function for base game technology and it’s strongly indicative of where we’re headed in terms of core technology for international regions.

Which jurisdictions do you feel currently offer the most potential for gaming growth?

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We expect that Latin American regions will have a strong year, and we’ll continue to expand our presence across existing markets

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Our longstanding global customers have expressed exceptional interest in our latest offering, which is already reaching initial locations with early success.

What discussions should drive the 2017 agenda? Where will the focus be?

Working in collaboration with international operators over the next year, we’ll be focused on getting them the greatest value with each game on their floor. Whether it’s a fresh multi-game package, new progressive options, or the latest machine design, Konami games have the creativity and compatibility to make the most of every space on the casino floor, in ways that are efficient and long-term effective.

What is going to be your strategy this year to out-perform competitors and grow your market share?

One of the best ways we have distinguished ourselves in the market is through consistent quality and strong performance, and those values will continue to be the primary force behind our success and the success of our customers. I believe this combined with our expanded Concerto product line will be key to Konami’s global positioning through the coming year.