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Tell us a bit about yourself. Who are you and what is your role at Espresso Games?
My name is Annalisa, I’m Italian but I like to call myself a “tireless traveler”; I am passionate about hiking in the mountains, traveling and spending my weekends surrounded by nature. When it comes to my professional life, I work as International Business Manager at Espresso Games.
At Espresso I am in charge of international business development: my main task is to identify new business opportunities and new key partnerships. I am also in charge of key account management and I overview all marketing activities.
How did you first start in the gambling industry? What were the initial challenges?
I actually lived in Malta for 1 year but I didn’t work in the gambling industry. Almost 4 years ago, I moved back to my hometown in Italy, I found out about Espresso Games and I decided to give it a try. It was a great decision, especially because I learnt a lot about what this industry has to offer. I believe that the biggest challenge that I faced is related to the reputation of the industry. Despite most global markets being strictly regulated, this industry continues to be affected by a strong prejudice and this starts from the mainstream opinion.
In addition, the biggest challenge for a business developer is to keep on analyzing the market and trends to be able to compete with the big providers and stay innovative.
With so many game studios on the market, what do you think is the biggest differentiator for Espresso Games?
I reckon that there are different ways for a provider to stand out in the market. Game providers can always find a place in the market if they are able to interpret what the player really wants according to the specific territory and if they can offer real innovation.
Developing new products and offering new ways of winning is one of the biggest differentiators for Espresso. Our main efforts have always been oriented to the creation of new mathematics and we try to minimize the creation of clone slots as much as possible.
We always aim at increasing the graphic quality and at researching innovative ideas that led us, for example, to obtain 2 international patents for the development of 2 new jackpot systems, called Racepot and Reelpot. We all know that this is pretty rare in an industry where everything seems to have already been invented.
Moreover, we define ourselves as a gaming boutique because of our vision for creating tailor-made gaming products. We create different products for the biggest operators we are cooperating with: game customizations are not limited to simply adding the customer’s logo within the games but they are developed after a careful analysis of the customer’s brand and site. Thanks to this approach, the personalized product always reflects the company’s corporate identity.
Can you please tell us what is the slot with the Biggest Wins from EspressoGames? We are sure our readers would like to give it a spin, if they haven’t already.
1st Avenue Panther Club: (When players enter the Infinity Panther Club Bonus, a number of bonus spins is granted and one out of 3 features activates (Fortune Paw, Panther Rush, Golden Wheel). There is more: during a bonus round, it is possible to trigger more features, making the winning streak truly infinite)
What are your top 3 favorite slots from EspressoGames? Can you please tell us the reasons behind your choices?
Steam Joker Slot is a one-line slot and it’s my all time favorite. Steampunk and the Joker inspired the theme of this amazing slot. The unconventional graphics, animations and game engine reach their full potential through lucky winning combinations and prizes combined with intriguing characters. The special gear on the top of the reels and the line work together to give out prizes like the Super Wild Jack with up to 40x winnings, 3 to 20 bonus spins awarded by the King Bonus, Queen Scatter, and Joker Magic that can give a prize up to 60x Bet.
Treasure Island is one of my favorite games for both its graphics and engine! Treasure hunting has never been more entertaining thanks to our patented Reelpot® mechanism, an innovative way to award players shared prize pools based on wins and there are five of them: one for each reel. Players can also win up to 50 Free Spins, Wilds that multiply winnings and two bonus games!
Maracanã Jackpot is our latest production and it has a special engine that will conquer all players. Espresso Games scores a goal by bringing everyone to Rio de Janeiro in the famous Maracanã stadium. The spotlights turn on and the players are surrounded by the stadium chants and the exotic colors of Brazil. The Multi-level Jackpots (mini, maxi and super) are making the game extremely attractive to the players, who will also get Free Spins that pay both ways with Win Multipliers, Scatter, and Free Spins with 2 extra reels.
What is the most important aspect of a slot from your perspective?
From experience we learnt that players mainly want two things:
1) new products
2) experience new ways of winning
And this is where true innovation is important when launching a new slot because the player immediately realizes if you are offering a low or high quality product and this affects the churn rate. Content providers, especially those like us, smaller in size, must be able to interpret the wishes of the players by creating new features, but also maintaining a good level of entertainment. Over the years we have noticed that in most markets players prefer simplicity and the game features shouldn’t be too complicated. At the same time they are able to recognize and reward quality, because this is where the competition has raised the bar a lot lately.
Is there any way to predict if a slot is going to be a hit or not?
Before developing a new game, our team carries out an in-depth analysis of the performance of our games and of our competitors’ games. This is very useful to identify those elements that may have led to the success of specific slots already on the market. On the other hand, it is pretty hard to be 100% sure if the theme or engine of a slot is going to be a hit. Predicting the success of a slot is a gamble that can be balanced out with in-depth knowledge of the market and games.
When working with operators in the production of tailor-made games, we have often been provided with very detailed analysis on the variables that have made certain games successful in their territory. With these variables such as RTP, hit rate, theme, colors, buy features, number of reels and lines, jackpot and type and number of bonuses, it is becoming more effective and easier to develop a game that is likely to become a hit.
Looking to the future, what is the next big release Espresso Games is planning?
At the moment, we have a huge project on the way: we are developing a new tournament tool that will be available in the coming months.
Moreover, the new Rooster Booster slot will be released next month. I can’t anticipate too much but the players will enjoy some new and captivating features and a brand new mechanic. Our pipeline is full of surprises, new games, new engines and also the buy feature that continues to be in great demand, especially in certain territories.
Do you have any advice for those who would like to work in the gambling/ e-gaming industry?
Yes sure! Forget about the prejudice that surrounds this industry. The gambling industry is dynamic, innovative and progressive. During these years I’ve met serious and prepared people and I have to say that these professionals are what makes the difference: they always come up with innovative fresh ideas, they bring progress to our technology and it is nice to work in a field that is constantly growing and where meritocracy is at the base.
If you weren’t in the gambling industry, what other industry would you want to work in?
If I wasn’t in the gambling industry, my biggest dream would be to work as a documentary photographer. Aiming lower, I used to work for Whisper, a company that sells and rent radioguides worldwide and I loved the vibe of the tourism sector. Since traveling is my greatest passion and I could talk about it 24/7, I think this field could be an excellent alternative to the i-gaming world.
Is there anything you would like to transmit to those who support EspressoGames, before we say goodbye?
Espresso Games is formed by a team of amazing and passionate people who work tirelessly to provide captivating games and whose main goal is to win the trust of all players. Our aim is to follow the demands of the market and give our best to guarantee a quality product.
I’d like to thank all our collaborators and partners for trusting us since the beginning, especially when it comes to creating bespoke and personalized games that are able to reflect their brand’s identity. We are grateful for all the goals we have achieved together so far and we are looking forward to the next challenges!