SVP of Commercial Strategy, Andrew Sackey, discusses how Aristocrat Gaming is uniting classic IP with cutting-edge cabinet tech, driving momentum across Europe with the fast-tracked rollout of Cash Express Legend on the Baron Upright.
Andrew, what makes Cash Express Legend a standout release for Aristocrat’s EMEA portfolio?
What’s fun about Cash Express Legend is it takes four player-favourites – Cash Express, Buffalo, Joyful Panda, and Choy Sun Doa – and brings them to an exciting new level in The Baron Upright. The Baron is built with graphics, sound, and capabilities for today’s player preferences, while also providing the fun of the original games. Cash Express Legend is a fun addition to existing Baron Upright games that players are already enjoying in Albania, France, Italy, Malta, Monaco, Montenegro, and aboard European cruise ships.
How were Buffalo, Joyful Panda, and Choy Sun Doa reimagined for the new Baron Upright cabinet?
The original games were huge hits with players and that’s why they are legendary. Now with The Baron Upright’s graphics and sound, they’re better than ever, and they include fun new features like the Gateway Pick that gives players the choice of Free Games, or entering a new Cash Express Legend Feature; the Cash Express Legend Feature, which awards one or more colored trains with classic Cash Express gameplay and chances at a new Hold & Spin feature-in-feature; and the Cash Express Legend Bonus Meter, which when that’s activated, one or multiple trains will be awarded. This could randomly award the Cash Express Legend Bonus by landing at least one Cash-on-Reel symbol.
Why was the Baron Upright chosen as the platform for one of Aristocrat’s most anticipated for sale link games in this form?
We’re extremely proud of The Baron Upright. It’s one of the most technologically advanced cabinets we have ever created, and it is extremely user friendly, for players and for techs. Player response in the States and in Europe has been instantly positive, so it made sense for us and for our customers to use this new landmark cabinet.
How does the Cash Express Legend launch reflect Aristocrat’s broader strategy for aligning North American and international release timelines?
That’s an interesting question. We’ll admit, like other companies, we’ve had too wide a gap between a game release in the States and its subsequent release in Europe. We’re laser focused on closing that gap, and when we first released The Baron Upright in Europe, it was just a matter of weeks after its US release. The fast follow of Cash Express Legend is a tangible part of our strategy to continue to close that gap and provide our industry-leading content to our customers and their players with minimal delay.
What has the initial market feedback been like in EMEA – considering all three titles hit Eiler’s Top Indexing list?
Operator response in the region has been positive. Given the strong legacy and loyal following of the Cash Express brand across EMEA, it’s a natural progression to introduce Cash Express Legend to the region quickly following its successful U.S. debut. Both we and our operator partners anticipate strong player reception, and this confidence is reflected in our commitment to deploy the game across multiple venues and jurisdictions.
How is the early reception in EMEA shaping up, and what are your expectations for operator and player response across the region?
This past March, we pulled off an impressive seven installs over seven days in seven international locations with The Baron Upright, and players and customers have been reacting very positively.
From a commercial standpoint, what makes titles like Cash Express Legend attractive for operators?
Cash Express has a legacy in Europe and is widely recognised by both operators and players alike across multiple European and African jurisdictions. It makes perfect sense to commercialise Cash Express Legend to not only leverage this recognition, but also to introduce the latest game mechanics into this player’s favourite family of games.
What role do legacy titles like Buffalo, Choy Sun Doa and Joyful Panda play in sustaining momentum for Aristocrat’s new hardware platforms?
At Aristocrat Gaming, our people and our content differentiate us. We’re lucky to have a dynamic suite of proprietary brands that players love and our D&D teams continue to evolve. When introducing new hardware, we’re always looking at ways we can bring content players know and love blended with exciting new gameplay to deliver on our promise to offer the best seat in the house wherever the world plays.
How does this launch support Aristocrat’s long-term innovation roadmap across cabinets and content?
We are very open about the fact that we reinvest more in D&D than any other supplier, and our commitment to that investment for our customers continues to yield fantastic results. The Baron Upright, The Baron Portrait, and their associated titles are just the most recent examples of the support we are providing to our customers today and over the long term to continually give their players the best seat in the house.
Looking ahead, should we expect to see more synchronised/simultaneous game rollouts from Aristocrat across global markets?
We will continue to work diligently to close the gap between a release in the States and elsewhere. We have momentum – and determination – on our side.
The post Aristocrat’s Cash Express Legend steams ahead in EMEA appeared first on G3 Newswire.
SVP of Commercial Strategy, Andrew Sackey, discusses how Aristocrat Gaming is uniting classic IP with cutting-edge cabinet tech, driving momentum across Europe with the fast-tracked rollout of Cash Express Legend on the Baron Upright. Andrew, what makes Cash Express Legend a standout release for Aristocrat’s EMEA portfolio? What’s fun about Cash Express Legend is it…
The post Aristocrat’s Cash Express Legend steams ahead in EMEA appeared first on G3 Newswire.