“There are endless options when it comes to digital entertainment,” emphasised Derrick Morton, President of FlowPlay, as the group hurtles towards the one year anniversary of being acquired by Wind Creek Hospitality.
The developer, operator and publisher hailed December 2021’s deal as “a pivotal moment” for the Seattle-based company as FlowPlay noted an ambition of providing mutually beneficial “tremendous economic and technological growth”.
FlowPlay serves both consumers and businesses with online and mobile free-to-play experiences, including Vegas World, Casino World, 7 Seas Casino and Live Game Night Poker, with it noted that the transaction did not include a real money gaming offering.
With the 12 month mark looming around the corner, Morton spoke to CasinoBeats regarding progress since finalisation and the benefits being felt for FlowPlay and WCH.
“It’s incredible how quickly we’re approaching our one-year anniversary of the Wind Creek Hospitality acquisition,” he explained.
“FlowPlay and WCH have relatively different cultures and businesses, so the last several months have been a period of getting to know each other.
“Wind Creek has big initiatives around digital transformation in the casino space and is learning about providing entertainment to online and mobile customers, while educating us on how traditional casinos attract and retain customers.”
“For many, the player experience ends the moment the customer walks out of the casino”
Adding: “For several years, FlowPlay has wanted to work closely with land-based operators – a business that is not easy to break into.
“The greatest benefit from the acquisition for FlowPlay is that we now have a parent company that’s respected and well known in the industry, which enables us to fast track our entry into the space.
“From Wind Creek’s POV, we’re a highly experienced team of software and game developers that can provide expertise around best practices for launching digital entertainment projects quickly and effectively.”
At the time of the purchase being finalised it was stated that both parties “hold a shared vision for how technology can strengthen the player experience,” as Morton resumed by elaborating on what plans are in place with that regard.
“For many, the player experience ends the moment the customer walks out of the casino,” he continued.
“Both FlowPlay and Wind Creek believe any modern casino organisation needs to maintain their relationship with the player in their digital life which, in many ways, is deeper and more complex than their on-property life.
“The acquisition has allowed us to come together and share our vision of developing products that connect a player’s on-property and digital life in ways that have never been achieved before.”
As previously alluded to, forging a harmonious relationship alongside the land-based ecosystem has long been a prime ambition of FlowPlay.
Morton continued by looking at how, following the WCH transaction, such a move will help drive WCH and provide fresh opportunities to monetise customers and raise branding awareness.
“…although there is certainly a future for VR in casino gaming, we do not believe there’s a mass market desire for it”
“There are endless options when it comes to digital entertainment,” he said. “Players will always have a demand for digital gaming whether it’s on mobile or online platforms.
“It makes business sense to try and be at the top of that digital entertainment list when it comes to on-property players. Together we are developing best-in-class products–making us an obvious choice for players to turn to.”
To close the discourse, Morton changed tack slightly to look at if AR/VR will inevitably become a gaming industry mainstay and how developers can keep up with this evolving trend.
“VR is a hot topic right now and although there is certainly a future for VR in casino gaming, we do not believe there’s a mass market desire for it in the near future,” he concluded.
“AR on the other hand, is something we believe is coming to a casino near you. It only makes sense that if you’re engaging customers on a mobile device outside of the casino, that you provide them with a digital experience when they enter the casino. Watch this space – it’s approaching sooner than you think!”
