Here’s what's next in video game gambling in AC
It started with Danger Arena – a “first-person action game” in the realm of Call of Duty.
Next came Pharaoh’s Secret Treasure – a “Match 3 game” a la Candy Crush.
Next month, the latest in video game gambling offerings at Atlantic City casinos will be “Nothing But Net” – a basketball shooting game. (For all the details on this new industry, and why Atlantic City's casinos are the first in North America to have the games, click my story here.)
“I think this might be our first really big hit,” said Blaine Graboyes, CEO of GameCo., the company behind these games. “It’s so easy to play – just one big button. Anyone can do it. “With Danger Arena, if you don’t play Xbox or PlayStation, you’re probably not going to be very good.”
Graboyes told me that a customer gets 12 shots, with each valued at a different amount. That’s the variable that intersects with the skill – get a bunch of high value chances, and you are more likely to get enough points to break even or perhaps win money. The animation lets you know what each shot is worth.
“Net” will be in Tropicana and the three Caesars properties in Atlantic City, and Graboyes said all seven AC casinos likely will be offering video game gambling in the next 30 days. Atlantic City’s months-long monopoly on these games won’t last, however, as Foxwoods and Mohegan Sun in Connecticut also will launch these games in March.
Graboyes said he just finished the application process to Nevada regulators, setting up the possibility of Las Vegas casinos joining the party sometime this summer.
While the couple of dozen video game gambling machines are dwarfed by the slot machine inventory, more and more such games are on the way. Look for “hidden object games, fighting, racing, space combat, and bubble shooter,” Graboyes said.
“We are working to appeal to all gamers – the average age is 35, and it’s 50-50 male and female,” he added.
Look for big name brands on new games, too – think Terminator, Mission Impossible, Ferris Bueller, Paranormal, and so forth.
Finally, Graboyes enthusiastically confirmed that he has the same experience people-watching around these games as I do. He even mentioned a spot where I visited last week – the 10 North Lounge at Tropicana in Atlantic City.
“Isn’t it interesting?” asked Graboyes. “It’s like they just don’t know what to do when they approach the games. They’ll almost be afraid to touch it, like the game might bite them. I’ve seen people stand by them for 10 minutes, just looking.”
UPDATE: Two more GameCo games have been announced:
"While playing “Vikings,” players will be dropped into a metal clanging, action packed, sword fighting game where players lead their Viking brethren into battle for riches and glory.
“Hang ‘Em High” is an arcade style shooting gallery game that combines the heritage of the classic film with updated graphics and experiences. Players must react fast to outgun the game’s villains and bring justice to the territory."
UPDATE:
GameCo Inc. announced today that it has received certification from the gaming industry’s leading testing and compliance certification agency, Gaming Laboratories International (GLI) under GLI-11, the most widely accepted gaming standard worldwide.
Approval of GameCo’s VGM under the GLI-11 standard is said to be a significant component in the process that allows the company to deploy video game gambling machines, or VGMs, in most gaming jurisdictions that currently allow slot machines and electronic table games.
GameCo’s proprietary VGM is an arcade-style cabinet featuring a single-player 30-90 second video game, adapted from top console, PC, and mobile developers. The VGM utilizes GLI-approved hardware components similar to traditional slot machines, with a patented math model that balances player skill and game design to manage the series of outcomes for all players.
In addition to certification under GLI-11 standard, GameCo anticipates approval for its VGM in Connecticut, where the company plans to launch nearly 20 positions within the next month.