As redemption continues to grow in popularity around the world, it has never been more important to bring high quality, successful product to the forefront, as ICE Games’ Mike Tobin tells us
InterGame: So let’s get straight to it, what’s the secret to success, or does it come down to luck?
Mike Tobin: I think every manufacturer would agree that ‘luck’ always plays a factor with a successful title, but in all honesty we also live by the popular creed that the harder you work the luckier you tend to be. We study and analyse our games in-house, in great depth before we test on location. Then, when we do location tests we study and analyse those results in even greater detail.
Creating a successful game in today’s marketplace is so much harder than it was 10 to 15 years ago. As with most consumers, our customers demand more; our games need more ‘bells and whistles’, better bonus features and of course more adjustability and flexibility within the operator settings.
IG: Two of your most recent success stories have been Treasure Quest and Ice Age. What is it that makes these titles different?
MT: In all honesty, Treasure Quest was a very pleasant surprise for us. I think we under-estimated just how successful the game would be. From a game play standpoint it is very simple; players spin the illuminated wheel and try and land on the high-ticket value spots, but the earnings have been extraordinary. We have locations calling us to add a second and third unit within just a couple of months of having the first one installed.
In the case of Ice Age, it is an incredibly popular global licence and the two-player game we created challenges players of all ages to hit the Mega bonus. Kids just love the overall presentation of the game. The attractiveness of the cabinet and the marquee which plays the moving trailers have proven to be a huge hit with the players, attracting people to the game from all corners of the arcade.
IG: What are the main challenges you face as a manufacturer of redemption games?
MT: We have to ensure our games will appeal to the masses and not just one particular demographic. It is very important that while kids are our main demographic focus, to create a game that appeals to teens and parents also sees the revenue potential increase greatly. We can’t always create that formula that appeals to all ages, but to a certain degree we can make a game that is fun for everyone.
The other challenge we face from time to time is creating a balance in our redemption product offerings. We try to focus on bringing out a combination of games that offer significant play value versus just quick coin, ticket spitters. Our sports games like NBA and 2 Minute Drill offer some great game play, as does Deal or No Deal and Tippin’ Bloks. While games like Cyclone, which is one of our most successful redemption products in our 30-year history, along with many of our pushers are much faster game play. We feel that locations need a good combination of product in order to appeal to all players and to give families the proper entertainment value for their money.
This interview can be read in full in the July 2012 issue of InterGame magazine
