A re-designed stand for IAAPA 2018 gave Sega Amusements the space to show off its latest array of triple-A games at the Orange County Convention Centre.
“The show has been very busy as you would expect at IAAPA, we’ve a really nice booth with a re-designed layout, everyone’s pleased with it,” said general manger, Justin Burke. The first official showing outside of Japan of House of the Dead Scarlet Dawn along with Transformers Shadows Rising and Daytona made for a formidable line-up.
A new game which didn’t quite make it was quad bike racing game, ATV slam. Burke explained: “It was going to make its debut but we felt it wasn’t quite ready and rather than show something that’s not where we want it to be, just for the sake of getting it out there early, we decided to hold on, get it right and then launch it in the manner it deserves. It was a tough decision but the right one, we feel.” It will instead take its bow at EAG in London next January.
“House of the Dead has been fantastically received, it’s had queues all day, every day,” said sales and marketing executive, Lester Travasso. Burke added: “The sales have been tremendous already despite no-one actually having seen the cabinet. We started building in September and we’ll continue to do so right through till March. It’s old-school days stuff.”
“The last house of the Dead was 12 years ago,” said Travasso, “so it’s been a while coming. This new instalment has come at the right time. People seem to want another zombie game in the marketplace and this fits the bill. We’re very pleased. It’s a high tech cabinet from the aesthetic design to the graphics from the Unreal 4 engine, lighting and air cannon. It’s a perfect combination.”
Sonic Sports air hockey received a re-launch with a new lighting package on the playfield and perimeter. “It’s been a strong seller for seven years but the improvements have made a big difference and has given it a fresh lease of life,” said Burke.
“Sonic Sports Basketball Junior we’re happy with too; the larger version we’ve had for a while and has been our biggest seller in sports games so the junior version is a natural progression. The Sonic brand relates to both adults and children so the kid's version makes sense,” added Travasso.
In redemption, Sega’s Hoopla ring-toss game which launched last year won a coveted IAAPA Brass Ring award. “As a home-grown product, in partnership with ICE, we’re very proud!” enthused Burke. “Last year Daytona, this year Hoopla, so hopefully we’ll make it three in a row in 2019.”
“The criteria is quite strict and it has to have been out with operators for a certain amount of time so to get this recognition is very pleasing and reflects the efforts we’ve made in its development,” he said.
Image one: (L-R) Sega Amusements International CEO, Paul Williams, electrical design manager, Chris Wood with the Brass Ring award for Hoopla and general manager, Justin Burke.
Image two: House of the Dead Scarlet Dawn on Sega’s booth at IAAPA.
