Rob Procter from Scientific Games in an interview with CasinoBeats talks about the unique tournaments that the developer launched in the summer of 2020. The concept of Jackpot Wars is unique in that it makes the pursuit of jackpots a social event in which players compete with each other. The representative of the developer explains in detail how these tournaments work and who they are designed for. Read the translation of the interview below.
What inspired you to create Jackpot Wars?
We wanted to create something truly innovative for the industry and take the gaming experience to new heights. We understand that Jackpot Wars will not be to everyone's taste, but we strongly believe that there is an audience for this product that will really respond to this exciting new feature.
Jackpot Wars brings a whole new dimension to playing online slots and how players get big payouts. Simply put, this is a jackpot tournament like no other and there is nothing on the market today that can compare to it.
The development of Jackpot Wars required a monumental effort from our team, and we are really proud of the final product. For us, this once again proves that Scientific Games has the ability to innovate and that we are not afraid to push the limits.
Tell us about the concept, how does it work?
Basically, Jackpot Wars consists of two parts. The first is the main game, for which we used one of our most popular digital slot hits, Jin Ji Bao Xi. The main reason for choosing this particular slot was that most players know this format, and they would not need to be explained how the mechanics work.
Next, Jackpot Wars is overlaid on top of the main game. Every time players spin the reels of the slot, they get a golden gear that allows them to customize their avatar robots to their liking. They can upgrade armor and weapons, these are purely external transformations that do not affect the jackpot mechanics.
At the same time, players collect golden tickets, which are carried over to other sessions and can then be used to buy entry to one of the available jackpot levels. Players can choose how they use their tickets, from entering to chase the small jackpot when it's close to hitting, to accumulating tickets to then compete for the grand prize. Each jackpot has a cap so players know when they are ready to hit their peak.
When the value is reached, Jackpot Wars begin. Each tournament must have at least 16 players who then battle each other for a share of the jackpot. The first place winner takes 85% of the jackpot, 2nd place gets 10%, and 3rd and 4th places share the rest of the prize.
Jackpot Wars was launched in Jin Ji Bao Xi slot - can you provide some stats to show the initial success of the game? How was the feature received by operators and players?
Many operators quickly identified the huge potential of Jackpot Wars. We had a strong launch with Novibet and the feature has since rolled out with top carriers including Betsson and LeoVegas with many more integrations in the pipeline.
Real money social gaming has not become as popular as expected. Can Jackpot Wars take the social element of gaming to the next level?
Definitely, and it's a big step for us and for how the gaming experience evolves. Jackpot Wars brings all the elements of social gaming to the casino, more than any other product we've seen in a while.
Others have tried it on a smaller level, changing the mechanics of the game and making the slot more social, but we have gone much further and taken the product to the platform level so that we can add more games in the future. It is important that all future games will be attached to the same jackpot system, so there will be more players on numerous slots, which will lead to more frequent jackpot hits.
The concept is ideal for those who want to compete and socialize with friends. Groups can enter the same tournament, where there is a chance to meet someone you know in the later rounds, which can add a lot of interest when playing against your friends.
It's interesting to see Jackpot Wars using esports mechanics. What are these mechanics and why do you think they are suitable for slots?
For esports and social gamers, the tournament element is an integral part. They love to compete with more people when things start to heat up after the last 16 players are left and the tension continues until the final. This element of competition was a big part of what we took from esports and implemented in Jackpot Wars.
I think that there is a high probability that it will be interesting for existing slot players as well. We launched the feature in the already successful JJBX game followed by the Jinse Dao Tiger slot, the mechanics overall are very strong and should provide a fun experience for those who love the game's jackpot.
Is there a specific audience you are targeting with this new concept?
We hope that Jackpot Wars will appeal to cyber gamers and the next generation of slot players, purely because of the nature and dynamics of the concept. Everything we have created in theory should provide them with a great experience, more so than experienced players who grew up playing their favorite games in land-based casinos, bookmakers and pubs. There is also every chance that the offer will also interest existing online players, in particular if they are looking for something a little different.
After the launch of Jin Ji Bao Xi Jackpot Wars, what other games with this mechanic can we expect? Will your content need to be tailored to appeal to cyber gamers?
The last game to feature Jackpot Wars was Jinse Dao Tiger, which launched in mid-November. Again, this is another incredibly successful main game that will introduce players to the new jackpot concept.
Looking to the future, the Jackpot Wars feature will determine which content we choose next. We had the right reasons when we introduced the jackpot on JJBX slot, but we know that this is not exactly the type of game that will appeal to cyber gamers.
The selection of content for mechanics is definitely in line with our line of thinking, especially as we look into the next year. We have at least two brand new games on the schedule that we expect will be of great interest to younger demographics, they will be more interested in them than our legacy.
Source: https://casinobeats.com/2020/12/03/scientific-games-bringing-a-new-dimension-to-online-slots/
