KamaGames is undergoing a further development of its flagship Pokerist title, as the firm strives to introduce new innovations and releases to drive its global popularity further still.
A central theme to its newest updates is one of deeper personalisation, with the addition of personalised avatars marking nine years since the launch of a single title with simple, straightforward gameplay.
CasinoBeats spoke to Andrey Kuznetsov, KamaGames CEO, who addressed the need to ensure that players feel like their experience is as unique as possibly can be: “In every corner of the internet, people are now looking for a more personal experience. Consumers want offers tailor-made for their needs, readers want news curated specifically to inform on their interests and gamers want an experience that will allow them to express their individuality,” he says.
“For us, this has recently resulted in the latest innovation in Pokerist, the release of personalised avatars, which launched in June 2019. With this launch, we’ve moved on from players distinguishing themselves through cleverly chosen usernames or a carefully chosen profile picture.”
“As this need for connection and socialisation grew in mobile games, we knew we had to adapt in order to remain competitive”
The changing demands of players from year to year could cause any number of difficulties, with Kuznetsov addressing how Pokerist has had to adapt: “The most noticeable adaptation has probably been the steady development in Pokerist’s overall quality and design throughout the years. This can be seen across a variety of areas within the app, such as graphics, gameplay and the wider concept of socialisation within the game.
“In addition to this, we have developed a portfolio that satisfies the needs of a variety of gaming appetites, from increasingly casual gamers to those who play poker more competitively.”
However, one particular advancement in particular changed the landscape in a huge manner: “The advance of mobile technology, internet coverage and eventually, internet speeds led to the ability for online gamers to feel more connected to one another than ever before.
“This ability to connect to fellow gamers was further propelled by a drop in smartphone costs and increase in their purchasing. Considering that the majority of our games are played on these devices, this greatly improved our player numbers.
“Yet, as this need for connection and socialisation grew in mobile games, we knew we had to adapt in order to remain competitive. For Pokerist, this led to a number of interesting developments in how we now allow players to interact with one another.”
“In every corner of the internet, people are now looking for a more personal experience“
Enhancements such as avatars or new gaming introductions can only go so far though, with Kuznetsov also keen to stress: “We also carried out a number of aggressive marketing campaigns and rounds of user acquisition which allowed us to increase our active player base and expand the Pokerist community for current players at the time, enriching their experience with the game.”
In the process, due to a low cost per install and “incredibly high” quality of traffic, with “no fraudulent installations or bots involved,” expansion managed to see the offering stretch across 28 languages.
Kuznetsov though was keen to emphasise that such a hit is never a guarantee, and players have to be front and centre to ensure you soar from strength to strength: “While we always hoped it would be a hit with players, we never could have predicted that Pokerist would grow to become the success that it is today.
“In the nine years since its launch, Pokerist has grown from a single title with simple, straightforward gameplay to unquestionably one of the most diverse social mobile poker apps in the world. This has led to Pokerist being localised into 28 languages and played competitively across no less than an impressive total of 233 countries.
“In the beginning, we offered a strong, solid poker game in which players both experienced and new could engage with and enjoy. Since then we’ve built on that offering, growing as a mobile game and a company as a whole.
“gamers want an experience that will allow them to express their individuality
“We continue to meet impressive targets and achieve new milestones each year with the same determination that was present within KamaGames nine years ago when Pokerist was launched.”
Lauding a series of new gaming options built on “a strong foundation,” a desire to create “a more intense challenge for experienced players” while also “ensuring that there’s something to satisfy every type of casino enthusiast” could oftentimes be a trick tightrope.
However setting an ambition “to enrich and improve the player experience” sees Kuznetsov conclude: “These games and features have certainly been the most important development for the app, especially as the market has become increasingly more casual in recent years. Yet, it’s the fact that we add to this portfolio on a regular basis that contributes heavily to the success of Pokerist. There’s no doubt that they play a vital role in ensuring monetisation opportunities for us while increasing loyalty among our players, keeping retention rates in an upward trend.”