Montana VGM manufacturing is robust business
Pub Date: 4/1/2007
By Roger Porter
If you re considering giving your gaming machine line-up a springtime refresher, you need look no further than the new products and enhancements offered by the state's leading purveyors of video gaming machines.
In addition to the annual Summit Customer Appreciation Days to be held April 17-18 in Billings, the remaining members of the Big Four each have their own brand of excitement designed to offer your gaming customers the latest and most innovative products in today's market.
What follows is a summary of the newest and most exciting products from the market leaders.
Fleetwood Manufacturing, Inc. of Billings-
Having received its Montana GCD game operating system/video gaming machine regulatory approval, Fleetwood has begun to release its long awaited multi-game suite and rightly dubbed it Casino King in the late fall of 2006.
The upgrade includes a host of product enhancements, each focused on adding value to the machine player s entertainment experience. The platform incorporates improved audio quality, graphics, animation and bonus features.
Additionally, Fleetwood released a total of twelve new video keno, poker and bingo games with the Casino King game suite. Adding 12 new games brings this VGM's offering to a total of 19 games that players may select including the only video bingo game in Montana.
New cabinet styles for the Casino King will include a slant-top and a slim line cabinet design, both maintaining a 19-inch LCD flat screen.
Other new Casino King games are being readied for GCD submission and look to be released early this summer.
In addition to the Casino King line, Fleetwood has been quite busy developing an all new product line which will be known as Brilliant Bet. The Brilliant Bet product will boast a multi-game suite of keno and poker and will have Fleetwood s first progressive game features.
The Brilliant Bet series will be offered in both slant and upright model cabinets. Release dates for this latest offering have yet to be determined, but Fleetwood is hopeful for a mid-summer roll out.
Fleetwood General Manager Thom Propp said his engineering and production teams have worked very hard to bring these products to fruition and are excited to see their staged release. These games promise to provide some of the best gaming entertainment in Montana.
As in the past, Fleetwood will be hosting its current gaming partners, customers and any interested Montana gaming operators at the corporate office in Billings, located at 200 Regal Street on April 17 and 18 from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. both days. Stop in to play their new games, relax and enjoy lunch and a beverage.
IGT-Billings/Missoula
IGT recently received state approval for new series Montana Poker/Keno multi-games. The new game set is upgradeable for all Winner s Choice Select-A-Game and Game King model machines currently in operation. The new offering includes 11 poker and 11 keno games in both nickel and quarter denominations.
Several new games are being introduced, including Bikino Keno, Montana Diamonds Keno, Kombo Keno and Cleopatra Keno. New poker games include Double Down Stud and Jokers Gold. Many new games are second-screen bonus type games with credits, free games and multipliers and combinations all added enticements for the player.
Additionally, Caveman Keno II and Deuces/Joker Wild Poker are returned to the set with various improvements. All existing games returning with the game set have enhanced sounds and graphics. Pay tables on many have been improved as well.
IGT has also recently received approval for its latest Montana machine offering, the 19-inch Game King Plus, available in both upright and slant configurations. The Game King Plus machine offers a 19-inch LCD flat-screen monitor and the latest components.
All Game King Plus machines offered in Montana are factory remanufactured with almost all new components. This enables IGT to offer them at very competitive pricing in today's market.
All games IGT offers are available to all Montana customers.
Spielo-Billings
Spielo is heralding the arrival of their latest game software release for their PowerStation VGMs.
With this latest release comes three new games: Super Jewels Keno, Chambers of Gold Keno and Flush Bonus Poker.
Super Jewels Keno is a classic Keno style game that can reward players with multipliers of up to eight times their wager and bonus rounds of up to 14 free games. The bonus round can also be retriggered during the free games bonus.
Chambers of Gold Keno is an ancient treasure hunter themed game with a Pick-a-Prize bonus round. The game features an internal Bonus Pot that increases in value with certain game outcomes and offers players the chance of winning the value of the Bonus Pot by collecting specific game elements.
Flush Bonus Poker is a draw poker games that has a bonus round triggered by a Flush, Straight Flush or Royal Flush. The bonus round consists of seven hands. Each card in the bonus round that matches the winning suit of the triggering flush earns the amount wagered. A flush in the bonus round will re-trigger the seven hand bonus.
These games have been developed to provide maximum entertainment to players and maximum performance to operators, explains Senior Marketing Representative Eugene Duke.
Successfully field tested in Montana, these new games are expected to be approved and available state-wide in early spring.
If new offerings excite you and would help drive your video gaming business to new heights, then you will have plenty to ponder in spring 2007.
For further product information contact your local VGM representative: Fleetwood (406) 259-8857, IGT (406) 861-6977, Spielo (406) 652-9594.
Source: The Montana Tavern Times, April, 2007, published monthly by Continental Communications, 125 W. Granite St., Suite 102, Butte, MT 59701.