The Australasian Gaming Expo (AGE) held in Sydney in mid-August is the main launch period for new games from all the manufacturers. It highlights the product release road map for the next six months and marks the beginning of our build up into the busy pre-Christmas period, so it’s prime time to look at a machine purchase and installation on your gaming floor in September and October.
At the AGE Show, Hold and Spin games remain a feature that is popular and included in many of the new games. However, I saw a move to some different math models for all the manufacturers this year. After working with manufacturers for several years, this suggests to me that they can see the “peak” for Hold and Spin is done, and they are looking for the next big gaming trend. Increased competition is pushing all manufacturers to test new game designs.
Here is my list of what Gaming Managers were talking about at AGE 2024:
Jewel of the Dragon | Light & Wonder
The Light & Wonder Jewel of the Dragon Link and Dragon Train SAP games are working very well in Queensland and are all above average in the market. The Dragon Train Link has been a huge success in NSW and is now moving into the Queensland market, with equally strong results. The new link showcased at AGE, Shenlong Unleashed, was a highlight of the show and pre-ordered by many Clubs.
Aristocrat
Aristocrat’s lead product at AGE 2024 was the new Super Grand Star game family. The new games update add interest to the older Grand Star Link. While it still plays like the original games, they have boosted a few of the player favourite features, such as the ‘rainbow star’ which appears more frequently. They have also moved away from the old ‘gem’ themes with some more interesting games that will make the new machines look more individual for players.
The two Cash Spark SAP games, Royal Spark and Magic Spark, released just prior to the show, are proving to be very strong already and are a great addition to any gaming floor.
Konami
Konami’s new game family, Fortune Hearts, had popular appeal among the Gaming Managers, with a lot of discussion around the introduction of “sticky” bonuses and multipliers in the feature. The two new SAP games, Emperor’s Choice and Lunar Dragon, also have a new character-driven bonus game with two unique ways to trigger the feature.
Ainsworth
Ainsworth’s leading games, and a priority purchase for any Club, are their new games Year of the Dragon Red and Year of the Dragon Gold.
Lots of managers could see the entertainment value in their Dig’n for Dollars games for the regular players to have some fun with great graphics and animations, instant wins, and accumulating cash prizes.
IGT
Much of the discussion on IGT’s stand was on their new Fire Dragon game that includes Hold and Spin gameplay, but with a centre reel “chase” giving players a chance at enhancing their prizes.
Their old Pot of Gold game from many years ago was a long-term player favourite and they have now updated it as the Pot of Gold Cash Pot game family which includes a Hold ‘N’ Spin feature.
For most managers looking to buy new machines at this time of the year, everyone agreed there was a lot to choose from at AGE 2024. With more competition in the market, all the manufacturers are moving forward with new games and concepts.
Purchasing is always a trade-off between maintaining game and manufacturer variety and the size of your capex budget. With lots of new games this year it’s an even harder choice. My best advice is to ensure you have the latest machine on your floor from each manufacturer, keep the new machines and game changes rolling through as often as possible to keep players interested, and use your data as the basis of your decisions rather than personal preference.
About the Author
DWS is pleased to introduce our Strategic Gaming Specialist, Justine Channing.
Justine is an Executive Gaming Manager with over 30 years’ experience in the hospitality industry, has worked with prominent Australian Clubs and Hotel groups. She brings deep insights into gaming operations from her tenure with industry leaders like Aristocrat and IGT. Today, she leads a successful Gaming Specialist organisation, providing expertise in gaming analysis, revenue enhancement, and mentoring.
Additionally, Justine is a sought-after speaker at industry conferences and holds pivotal roles as Editor, co-owner, and Managing Director of The Drop.
