LCB Catches up with Konami Gaming

We’re super excited to bring you an exclusive interview with Konami Gaming, Inc. They’ve built up quite a fan base over the years and it’s no wonder with awesome classic slot innovations such as Rawhide and China Shores. Whether online or off, most of us have experienced thrilling stacks and the potential to trigger hundreds of free spins in many of their most recognizable games. Fortunately, there’s still plenty of time left in the year to roll out new developments and it’s not too early to reveal plans for 2018. We’ve got previews and all the details thanks to Steve Walther, Senior Director, Marketing & Product Management. Like this provider? Share your adventures and let us know what you think in the comments. Enjoy!

Q: First and foremost, we must tell you that several of us on the LCB team are serious fans of Konami and have been for years in land-based casinos. If I recall, Rawhide debuted back in the days of Jackpot Party Casino. Wasn’t it that licensing deal that propelled the slot games into the online gambling sector?

A: Rawhide, Norse Warrior, and Jumpin’ Jalapenos have been very popular games and were among our earliest online titles. Our long-held approach to online gaming has been an openness to making our games available for players to enjoy across a variety of online platforms. We’ve been pleased that our products continue to appeal to players on these sites over the years and look forward to continued expansion.

Q: Before we get ahead of ourselves, give us some background on the company from its early beginnings to the in-demand provider it is today.

A: Konami Gaming, Inc. is a subsidiary of KONAMI HOLDINGS CORPORATION, and operates the organization’s global gaming industry headquarters in Las Vegas. KonamiGaming was first established in the U.S. in 1997.  Today as a leading developer of casino slot games and technology, we serve markets around the world with great entertainment.

Q: The games have come a long way and create quite a frenzy among players due to the free spins potential in titles such as China Shores. Do the player favorites vary from the online to land-based arenas?

A: Popular games at the casino are often the most popular online titles as well.

Q: What's the creative team's approach to game development and new concepts? What sort of research is involved?

A: One of our best resources is our understanding of what appeals to players through our partnership with our customers.   We get information from our casino partners about how players are engaging with Konami games, and use that to help identify new possibilities and opportunities for innovation.

Q: How successful has the iGaming market been in comparison to the company’s brick and mortar business?

A: Konami’s entry into iGaming has provided new options for players to enjoy their favorite Konami games.  There is significant growth potential in the online segment to reach even more players; as our participation in this segment grows, we can look forward to more cross-play between land-based and online gaming.

Q: LCB is comprised of a good mix of multi-channel gamblers, so tell us, what’s new in terms of technology, features and gaming cabinets?

A: Konami is creating a record variety of single-screen game content for machines like our curved screen machine and a new 62-inch jumbo screen machine. With these new formats, we’re introducing never-before-seen bonus features in titles like Star Watch Magma™ and our Castlevania™ series, and we’re also bringing back some classic favorites with games like China Shores Great Stacks™ and Lotus Land Deluxe Wild™. These games are already reaching early locations and will continue to pop up around casinos worldwide in the coming months.

Star Watch Magma Preview:

Castlevania Preview:

Q: Already an award-winning innovator in 2017, what sort of Konami treasures await players in 2018?

A: Konami’s Fortune Cup™ mechanical horse racing game is among the industry’s most anticipated games and has received a great response at the initial launch locations at the MGM Grand Las Vegas and Venetian Las Vegas. Up to 10 people can play at a time and bet on their picks for win, place, and quinella. It has the unique charm of a mechanical horse racing game combined with a modern digital bet interface that’s really sleek and convenient. 

Another multi-station game that’s coming to the casino floor in 2018 is Crystal Cyclone. This game features a colorful, high-energy mechanical bonus game that can connect players to a center roulette-style progressive feature for big wins and excitement. Each player has an individual video slot station with proven base game themes, further enhanced by a one-of-a-kind jackpot experience that gets everyone’s attention. During the game’s most anticipated event, the player is awarded a random amount of prize balls, which flood the center ring ten at a time, each awarding a random credit amount or one of the progressive jackpots for the prize slots they land. 

Beat Square™, one of Konami’s top skill-based games, is also headed soon to casinos as we look ahead to 2018. This game invites players to tap choreographed buttons to the beat of the music to earn higher scores and higher potential credit prizes based on how well they play. It features both new and recognizable tunes across a variety of genres from EDM to country and everything in between. It can be played individually in single player mode or head-to-head with up to 8 people in a tournament event.

Fortune Cup Preview:

Beat Square Preview: