Posted on: January 16, 2023. Last updated on: January 3, 2024
Mr. Wyatt-Jones, Mr. Petkov, we are very happy to welcome you to the Realgambling’s Q&A session. Thank you very much for joining and taking the time to get us acquainted with GONG Gaming.
Could you share some information about yourself, your professional experience and the story about how GONG Gaming appeared on the market.
Joe: Like many people who left University with a History and Politics degree I had next to no idea as to what I wanted to do, so sales seemed the logical choice. After 8 successful years selling a multitude of things I wanted a change. I had a great affinity for Sports betting, so I joined a spread betting company and then progressed to Entain working within US Sports. I really enjoyed it and while working in Gibraltar I spoke to so many people within slots so I saw what the industry was making. Then this great opportunity at GONG came about and I jumped at it. So I’ve been working at GONG for the past year as a Sales Manager and continuously growing my network within the gambling industry.
What do you believe sets GONG Gaming apart from other providers?
Joe: People! Being based in Bulgaria we’re able to draw upon an incredibly smart and hard-working group who are extremely passionate about the industry and GONG success. If you get everyone pulling in the right direction and you have a management that encourages creativity and individual growth, it will lead to success.
What are the company’s ambitions in the iGaming market?
Joe: We want to create high-quality, unique content that players from a spectrum of different regulated markets love playing. We strive to excite people about an upcoming GONG releases as we have a history of making games which entertain players. It’s a very competitive industry but we believe we’re learning.
Gambling innovations and upgraded technologies are emerging every year: cryptocurrency, AI, new payment options, VR etc. Is it more of an obstacle or a new opportunity of game developers?
Joe: More and more players are being attracted to the iGaming marketplace, some will enjoy the old content others will be looking for new things. All of this can only be good news for a forward-thinking company who is customer-focused like GONG is. We strive to be innovative but always keep in mind the players and their preferences and interest.
What are the most important key aspects of developing a successful slot?
Emil: Consistency is key! Everything in a slot should be coherent – art, mechanics and sounds should flow perfectly together and create a gameplay that detaches players from their ordinary life. Games are there to immerse players into a different world and entertain them in the best way possible. If everything fits and the player is having fun then a game ought to be a success.
Which three slot machines do you personally think have had the greatest success, and why do you think that is the case?
Emil: Starburst, Aftershock (land-based), and Book Of Dead are quite popular among players. They all have this one thing in common that I personally really enjoy – the moment when everything is calm and then something really exciting happens. These games really know how to build anticipation and reward the player in a celebrative and thrilling way. I know that most slots are described in that way, but these three somehow build up the excitement really well.
Tell us a little bit about your latest releases.
Joe: Our latest release was our Halloween theme slot – Witch Feature which came out right before Halloween. We were very happy about that of course and we really put our efforts into marketing and selling this game as a Halloween special. It’s quite a feature-rich game that is highly entertaining with feature triggers every few spins. It combines well-known features like Free Spins and Respins with a little witchy twist to them.
We ask this all of our guests: which is your favorite slot and why?
Joe: If I had to choose any game then Assassin Moon is my favourite slot. It has an amazing and thrilling gameplay, catchy music and it is really enjoyable and entertaining, so I keep going back to it.
Which of your competitors inspire you and what do you think they do well?
Emil: I love Play’nGo’s series based on rock and metal bands, but that’s really due to my taste in music, I suppose, haha. They manage to incorporate key elements of a band’s music in a nice mechanic and theme, which I find entertaining. As a musician, I like the way they incorporate heavier music into their slots, which is not that common in the industry. As a game producer, it is admirable to see how companies can take something from another industry and adapt it in a way that fits their own business and attracts their customers.
How was 2024 for GONG Gaming?
Emil: It was a crazy ride. We moved to a new office, built some new processes and our organisational structure changed a few times. We also worked on various projects and we are excited to share some of them with everyone in 2024.
What upcoming changes do you anticipate in the field that will have an impact on the company’s goals?
Emil: I would definitely watch out for the AI with its constantly developing abilities to generate realistic designs, animations, coding and writing texts. And I believe that companies will soon start adopting this technology and implementing it into their processes. We at GONG are excited about this new technology and we can’t wait and see how it will affect our industry.
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