Big Time Gaming
Q&A w/ Katya Machuganova, Product Owner at Silverback Gaming: Are trademarks really worth it
More and more studios are trademarking mechanics. What has led to this situation?
Momentum has been building behind studios trademarking mechanics for some time but undoubtedly the success of Big Time Gaming’s Megaways has been a catalyst for more developers getting in on the action. Megaways introduced a unique, highly engaging mechanic that has become a slot format in its own right and has now been licensed by hundreds of studios, taking its success to the next level. Other developers want to replicate this success by creating and trademarking unique mechanics of their own. This in turn has seen more focus put on mechanics and the impact they can have on the game in terms of ensuring a slot stands out from others stocked in the operator’s lobby. Another driver is the desire to monetize IP within the slot provision space and to prevent rivals from copying mechanics and features that developers believe give them the edge.
What are the upsides to a studio trademarking a mechanic?
By trademarking a mechanic, the studio can legally protect its intellectual property and prevent others from creating slots that use a similar mechanic without their permission. This can prevent the dilution of their brand and the potential loss of revenue that could result from competitors using their IP. This has become surprisingly common in recent years due to the highly competitive nature of the market and the need for developers to come up with engaging gameplay that appeals to players and drives them to their slots over those of their rivals. Those who opt to licence their trademarked mechanics can open up new, lucrative revenue streams. Beyond that, a trademark can establish a studio as an innovator which can help secure operator partnerships and premium lobby positioning.
What challenges do studios face when it comes to trademarking a mechanic?
Trademarking is not a straightforward process and the legalities around it are often complex. In some cases, it might not even be possible for a studio to secure a trademark if the mechanic features components that are already being widely used by other developers or if it is deemed to be too generic. Trademarking is often costly and draws resources away from the studio’s primary focus, which is to develop slots that players want to play. This can make it tough for a studio to determine if trademarking is right or not – if the studio has invested heavily in developing a unique mechanic, then it might be worth protecting its IP through trademarking. But this still doesn’t guarantee success – if the game doesn’t hit the mark with players, it will flop regardless of whether it uses a trademarked mechanic or not.
What does a mechanic need to include in order to be trademarked?
For a game mechanic to be eligible for trademark protection, it must meet certain legal requirements. It must be distinctive, so the game mechanic needs to be unique or different from other mechanics used in the industry. It must be non-functional, which means it can’t be essential to the functioning of the game or necessary for gameplay. It must be used as a trademark or a source identifier for the studio, such that consumers associate the mechanic with that studio or its products.
In addition to meeting these legal requirements, a game mechanic should also provide value to the gameplay experience in order to be worthwhile for the studio to trademark. A successful game mechanic should enhance the gameplay experience, provide a unique and engaging challenge for players, or otherwise contribute to the game’s overall enjoyment.
The decision to trademark a game mechanic should be based on a variety of factors, including legal considerations, the unique value of the mechanic to the game, and the studio’s overall business strategy. By carefully considering these factors, studios can make informed decisions about which game mechanics to trademark and how to use them to enhance their products and protect their intellectual property.
Is this push for trademarked mechanics ultimately benefitting players?
Yes and no. In some respects, the push for developing mechanics that can be trademarked has forced studios to invest more heavily in this area of the game and this has resulted in new player experiences hitting the market that have proved to be popular. In particular, NetEnt’s Cluster Pays, Reel Play’s Infinity Reels, Yggdrasil’s GIGABLOX and Nolimit City’s xWays and xNudge. But in some cases, studios have developed mechanics solely for the purpose of trademarking without giving much consideration to whether players will actually enjoy the experience they provide or not. Another consequence is a potential rise in legal disputes and ultimately the hindering of the sharing of ideas and innovations across the industry. If studios become super protective over their IP and are less willing to collaborate with others, innovation and progress become stifled.
What is Silverback Gaming’s approach to trademarking?
We do have a trademarked mechanic, ClockWaysTM, that will debut on our soon-to-launch title, Mega Fishing Deluxe. During one of our brainstorming sessions, we came up with the idea of a unique game mechanic that would completely change how a traditional slot works. After some further discussion, we came up with a game-changing concept that is super simple and easy to understand – we want players to be pleasantly surprised rather than startled. With ClockWays, the player always wins. On every few regular spins, paylines are evaluated and wins are paid. All the external symbols that have landed on the reels and form a kind of frame will rotate i.e. will change their relative positions with a number of places clockwise or counter-clockwise in search of new winning combinations. After the first rotation, paylines are evaluated again with the new symbol positions and new pays are awarded. Reels will rotate as many times as needed to form a guaranteed winning combination.
This is a good example of being innovative for the players’ benefit. Our feature guarantees wins which adds anticipation, fun and value to the player’s play. However, it also protects players from potential large balance losses and keeps the balance reasonably stable while still eligible to win big. Everything we do at Silverback is about delivering experiences that players actually want to enjoy, and we have taken the exact same approach with ClockWays.
Big Time Gaming
Evolution at G2E Las Vegas 2023 with world-class online live casino, RNG and slots showcase from its seven brands
At G2E Las Vegas 2023 Evolution will showcase its world-leading portfolio of innovative online casino products from its seven Group brands — Evolution, Ezugi, NetEnt, Red Tiger, Big Time Gaming, Nolimit City and DigiWheel.
Following the Group’s inaugural appearance at the 2022 event, this year will see Evolution with an even bigger presence, on stand #4430 in the iGaming section of the show. Visitors to the Evolution stand will be treated to a host of new and soon-to-launch games from across the Group’s brands, which together offer an unrivalled choice of online live casino, live game show, RNG and online slots titles and solutions for iGaming operators of all sizes.
Amongst the main attractions in live casino will be two new global releases from the Evolution brand: Red Door Roulette — an innovative mash-up of two of Evolution’s most successful titles ever, Crazy Time and Lightning Roulette — and Video Poker, a live casino version of an old favourite that offers the ultimate fusion of nostalgia and player-focused modern gaming technology.
Evolution’s eagerly-awaited Crazy Time live game show itself, and its sister game show title, Crazy Coin Flip, both set for imminent US launch, are sure to be big crowd-pullers, too. A digital Crazy Time spinning money wheel will be a major focal point on the stand, while Crazy Coin Flip, which blends the best of RNG slots into a uniquely thrilling live game show experience, will demonstrate Evolution’s innovative fusing of live online gaming and slots action.
iGaming operators looking for the latest and best in online slots will not be disappointed, either. Evolution’s NetEnt brand will present Finn and The Candy Spin, an exciting sequel to the NetEnt classic, Finn and The Swirly Spin, while the Group’s other slot brands — Red Tiger, Big Time Gaming, and Nolimit City — will all premiere new slots titles at the show.
Jacob Claesson, Evolution CEO North America, said: “We are thrilled to be back at G2E Las Vegas and we are especially looking forward to launching our new live game shows such as Crazy Time and Crazy Coin Flip in the US for the first time. These titles have been incredibly successful in Europe and other markets and we’re confident that US players will absolutely love the fun and entertaining experience of taking part live and online. Clearly, North America is a massively important market for Evolution, and North American operators will see these and many more new and upcoming releases on our even bigger and better 2023 stand. We truly have something for everyone. Not only will attendees see classic and all-new games to suit all player types and operators in the North American market, but there are also global releases for international operators, plus lots to interest operators in Latin America, as well.”
Big hits from Big Time Gaming to launch for Ontario players July 26
Two new Megaways slots from legendary Australian games studio Big Time Gaming (BTG) are about to hit the Ontario market. Max Megaways and Vegas Megaways will make their Canadian debuts together on July 26 via partners of Evolution. That includes major Ontario operators like 888, BetMGM, LeoVegas and Rush Street Interactive.
Max Megaways is a Bond-esque caper with a license to thrill while Vegas Megaways is a game writ large in neon, transplanting a slice of the Las Vegas Strip to your living room.
BTG changed the way we thought about slots when it developed the Megaways mechanic, a powerful random-reel-modifier that alters the number of winning paylines with every spin meaning there can be anything up to 117,649 ways to win. BTG has since licensed the mechanic to numerous game developers and Megaways has become and industry standard and player favourite.
But BTG does not rest on its heels and these two games are packing all kinds of clever and exciting mechanics.
In Max Megaways, you play the titular debonair secret agent as he infiltrates an arch supervillain’s remote volcano-island lair and help avert a missile launch that could turn every city in the world into liquid hot magma.
With every base game spin and reaction, there is a chance to score a bonus in the form of Maximum Megaways, Vertical Wilds, Horizontal Wilds or Wild Bombs. There’s also a Megascatter Enhanced Free Spins feature where you can select three doors into the volcano lair to reveal your free spin bonuses.
Meanwhile, in glitzy Vegas Megaways, you have a chance of triggering one of four bonuses in the base game in Maximum Megaways, Vertical Wild, Horizontal Wild or Wild Bomb. You can also hit up the VIP Gamble if you’re feeling lucky for the chance to climb a ladder to win up to 50 free spins. Along the way you can collect special VIP Tips to help you make the right choices.
Both games include BTGs popular Bonus Buy and Win Exchange features for players who want to jump right into the action. Bonus Buy lets you buy in to the bonus round directly, while, with Win Exchange, you get the chance to gamble big wins for more spins.
“Since we began releasing content in Ontario earlier this year, we’ve had some great feedback from players who really enjoy the new mechanics we drop into our games,” the Chief Executive Officer for BTG, Nik Robinson, said. “That’s why we’re really excited about Max Megaways and Vegas Megaways because these two titles really take things up a notch in terms of engagement and playability.”
“For years, BTG has been pushing the boundaries of how we think about casino gaming with each new release,” the Chief Commercial Officer North America for Evolution, Jeff Millar, said. “Max Megaways and Vegas Megaways were massive hits for Evolution when we launched them in other markets last year. The joy of these games is that there’s so much going on in terms of amazing features and bonuses but they’re still simple to play. We think they will be smash hits in Ontario.”
Hit Megaways slot from Big Time Gaming will leave you reeling this summer
Classic Big Time Gaming (BTG) slot Golden Catch is about to make its United States debut via the Evolution One Stop Shop (OSS). The six-reel Megaways slot will go live in five regulated online gaming markets encompassing Connecticut, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Michigan and West Virginia from July 19.
Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish and he could be in for some epic wins. That’s the premise of Golden Catch, which puts players in charge of a fishing fleet searching for the goodies of the deep from Fish Bonuses to Golden Boats. Let’s just say the reels are spinning in more ways than one.
Legendary Australian game developer BTG revolutionized the industry when it developed the Megaways mechanic, which provides up to 117,649 ways to win on every spin. But Megaways isn’t the only exciting Golden Catch that’ll leave you reeling.
At any time, one or more boats may appear above the reels and drop anchor. As reactions occur and winning symbols are removed, one or more Fish Bonus Prizes will be revealed. Fish Bonus Prizes will be awarded for each boat above the reels and golden boats in the base game multiply Fish Bonus Prizes by ten. Players can also trigger the free spins mode where Boat Multipliers are unlimited.
Can’t wait for the fish to take the bait? Well, you’re off the hook. Use Win Exchange for extra chances at triggering the free spins. Whenever you win between 25 and 100 times the stake, you have the option to exchange the entire win for ten free spins.
Too impatient to wait for a feature? Press the Bonus Buy icon to purchase ten free spins for 100 times stake. It’s like shooting fish in a barrel.
“We think you’re going to fall for Golden Catch hook, line and sinker,” the Chief Executive Officer for BTG, Nik Robinson, said. “With its hugely engaging base game and astounding bonus feature, this slot was a huge hit in Europe and we predict it will become a big favorite in the United States too.”
“BTG has been an absolute game-changer in the online gaming space and Golden Catch has become something of a modern classic since its launch in Europe and other markets in 2022,” the North America Chief Commercial Officer for Evolution, Jeff Millar, said. “Now we’re starting to roll BTG games out to United States markets and it’s great to see how much they resonate with a United States audience. It just goes to show that a good game is universal.”
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