Aristocrat Gaming’s award-winning Dragon Link will soon become its most populated series of all-time in Asia with the company confirming imminent plans to release the fifth and sixth game titles into the local market – and likely more to come.
Three years after Dragon Link was first launched into Asia with four foundation titles, Aristocrat’s Vice President of Sales and Operations – Asia, Lloyd Robson, said he still sees significant runway for the series across the region.
“It’s scaled quite nicely across Asia,” he said, explaining that the new titles would be available on casino floors in time for Chinese New Year. “We initially launched it with four titles and that was already one of the largest launches we’ve had with four different games within a family. But due to its success, we’ve committed to games five and six, which are ‘Peace and Long Life’ and ‘Genghis Khan’. They will be hitting the floors quite shortly.”
While Aristocrat’s Good Fortune series also reached six game titles in Asia, Robson said Dragon Link would not only equal that record but likely break it with a seventh title in the mix.
“It’s just continuing to grow,” he added. “I mean, there isn’t a region or market within Asia that’s not looking to add more. So, we still think there is some fairly material runway left in the game in Asia.
“It’s had serious longevity in a global sense. It was released first in Australia and it still performs exceptionally well there. In the US it has been out maybe seven years and the pipeline for Dragon Link in the US right now is still growing.
“So, to think we’re only three years in across Asia shows the longevity we’ve got in front of us.”
Dragon Link’s enduring popularity was exemplified at the recent IAG EXPO in Manila when it won Best Slot Solution and Best IR or Supplier Solution, while Aristocrat also took out Best Industry Supplier.
Robson, speaking to IAG during G2E, said the “proof was in the pudding” around the company’s commitment to Asia while also lauding the newest products being unveiled for other markets in Las Vegas during last week’s exhibition
“It’s always good to come together with your customers and as an industry,” he said of G2E.
“There is a pretty strong Asian representation, particularly from Macau and Philippines being our two largest slot markets. There is also something nice about catching up outside of the home market.
“The quality time that you get with the customer away from the desk, so to speak, is valuable and I guess it is also a bit of a chance to see what’s happening globally – all the different stuff that’s going on and showing our customers some of the flagship work that we’re doing here in Vegas.
“It’s a very strong slot market here, so to try to take some inspiration from other parts of the world and take them back to Asia is also a fair part of the conversation.”
