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Thrills & Skills Skill games take the appeal of arcades and add the challenge and chance of winning. They have a built-in demographic of avid fans. By Dave Bontempo
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aming has presented loyalty points, real-value coins and its own version of bells and whistles to a generation raised on arcade magic. Graphic enrichment, rewards for driving ability and the thrill of a video character’s midair leaps forge an emotional bond with baby boomers. Then there’s the demographic that followed, when the likes of Frogger, Ms. Pac-Man and several driving games found their way to computers, tablets and television screens. With these games, patrons barely know they’re gambling. They’re just playing around, with the added chance to test their skills, and to win.
Joy of the Jackpot Synergy Blue has been committed to the skill-game concept since the company’s inception in 2013. It started by developing small bonus games with plans for bigger ones to come. Skill games have a built-in demographic: players who once mastered joysticks and the arcade-driven likes of baseball and racing games. “The burgeoning demographic of casino gamblers spans those who grew up playing in arcades to console fans to the first generation of mobile players,” says Synergy Blue CEO Georg Washington. “Today’s gamblers are used to doing more than pushing a button. And while traditional casino games will always have their place on the floor, we have to evolve to remain competitive. “In a chance-based world, players want gaming qualities that are interactive and make them feel like they have some control: the ability to think, make choices and get better at a game over time. These elements not only increase the fun factor, but they add to the very powerful perception that the odds are shifting in favor of the player, which further increases interest and engagement. We believe that bringing the modern gaming experience into gambling is the key to bringing in new gamblers.” Synergy Blue’s Joyride Jackpot is the latest and most advanced representation of what Washington calls “Fun You Can Bet On,” and the emerging 36
Global Gaming Business SEPTEMBER 2020
class of skill-influenced (or interactive) games. Built on the new 2600XL driving cabinet, it creates a next-generation gambling experience by combining the thrill of wagering with video game quality and the engagement levels that today’s players have come to expect. With the latest gaming technology built into its core, the game is designed to enhance player engagement, attract new demographics with familiar arcade-style hardware and increase net revenue by supplementing traditional gambling games with a brand new type of game play—while also providing flexibility for operators through a library of math variants. “Joyride Jackpot is one of my favorites, and it’s been a big hit with operators as well,” Washington says. “We introduced an early demo of it last year
