After a year of preparation, the Global Gaming Expo (G2E) is back in town. Let’s see what the LVRJ has to say:
Pennies and celebrities promise to be two persistent themes weaving together what for the third year in a row will be the biggest show on earth for the gaming industry.
Running through Thursday, G2E will host more than 700 vendors and approximately 26,000 attendees including those who attend today’s G2E training development institute, Judy Patterson, senior vice president and executive director of the American Gaming Association, said.
Aristocrat Technologies will introduce 152 games at the expo, 70 percent of which are penny games. “Our theme this year is lots and lots of pennies,’ ” said Kent Young, an Aristocrat spokesman.
Half of the 240 games Bally Gaming and Systems will display have penny play options, said Mickey Roemer, senior vice president of game development for Bally.
WMS Industries, which plans to unveil a company record for any G2E show of 63 original games, will present its first line of low-denomination progressive games with two Monopoly Money machines: Own It All and All in the Cards.
International Game Technology spokesman Ed Rogich said low-denomination games will also be a focus for his company at G2E.
IGT is introducing a new version of Wheel of Fortune featuring Pat Sajak and Vanna White on streaming video with a five-reel option, nine paylines and increased jackpots and higher wagers per play.
Bally is showcasing advances in gaming platforms, including ergonomically designed cabinets.
WMS is also introducing platforms intended to increase player engagement and comfort, including 13 new video games featuring “super animation” and sound systems developed by Boss Corp. The company is also promoting 29 new mechanical reel machines.
Aristocrat will unveil a wireless pocket computer that identifies important casino players as soon as they begin playing. The company will preview its OASIS promotional technology, which allows customers to electronically deliver specialized promotions to gamblers.
Bally is marketing new products to women. “In a nod to the ladies and a perfect companion to Bally’s Playboy brand, Chippendales is featured in a `Super Frenzy’ version that utilizes exciting artwork mimicking the visuals of a ladies’ night out at a Chippendales show,” the company said in a statement.
Bally is expecting that its Pamela Anderson special edition Playboy Get Lucky Wheel will appeal to two targeted demographics: women and Russians.
What more can be said? If you told me that you were targeting a Pamela Anderson Playboy slot to a certain audience, I’d have guessed, “men.” But apparently it really appeals to women and Russians. I’m still perplexed by the Buffet Mania machine, so I’m not even going to try to figure this out.
I’ll be scampering all over G2E, so check here for the inside scoop. Also, if you’re attending, don’t forget to check out Jay Cohen’s first public appearance since his release from prison.