Leading game provider Yggdrasil Gaming has revealed a new technology called Game In A Box.
The technology has been made to “transform how slot games are created, tested, and delivered”.
The aim of the technology is to revolutionise how studios and partners design and certify games, and make the process faster and seamless.
In other words, Yggdrasil wants to speed up the game-making process and aims to make it more efficient, which in turn improves the scale of the IGaming business. It is known that games take a long time to make, from production design to mechanics, approvals, licensing, and certification.
Could Game In A Box be the next big improvement for IGaming?
What is Game In A Box?
Details of how the technology work have not been revealed by Yggdrasil at the time of writing. However, the gaming provider says they are already using the new tech at the company and with some unnamed partners. Also, they say that they want the production process of games to be significantly cut down to save time, presumably so other business matters can be attended to.
Does The Speed Of IGaming Game Development Need To Change?
Overall, at Fruity Slots we would say the speed of IGaming game development needs to change and be made faster. There is a higher demmand than ever for slot games and new casino games, creating the desire to speed up the game development proccess.
Furthermore, we are seeing a trend towards player-facing game features that are complex and take a while to develop compared to average fruit machine mechanics. While we already have tools like AI to make development faster, it does not mean it is appreciated. Making the human-led side of game development faster enables gaming providers to make new and improved titles in a shorter time cycle.
Slot machines are already adopting new technology to do this. The HTML5 technology that has become popular in slot machines enables cross-platform compatibility, removes the need for plugins, and makes loading times faster. Something like this technology, developed by Yggdrasil, can not only improve the gaming process once the game is finished, but also while it is in development.
Most importantly, there is an incentive for Yggdrasil to make gaming development faster, which is money. Shortening the process enables them to keep costs down, as there is less time spent paying developers, less time debugging the games, and paying for other technology.
Have Other Game Providers Done This?
Yggdrasil already has a similar technology in place called GATI (Game Adaptation and Tools Interface). The game developer describes this as a toolkit for game development. Essentially, it’s a standardised technology that lets gaming studios develop and distribute games worldwide.
Meanwhile, Relax Gaming has a Silver Bullet partner programme for smaller and newer gaming operators, which brings them into Relax Gaming’s network of operations and technology. Here, they can build, develop, and distribute games under the power of a bigger and more established game studio, reducing the time for game development significantly compared to if they were working alone.
Possible Pros and Cons Of Game In a Box
While we can’t say whether Game In a Box will work yet, we can speculate, based on what we know, what the potential pros and cons could be.
Pros of Game In A Box
- Speeds up the process of game development.
- Enables IGaming titles to be scaled worldwide.
- Cuts costs on game development.
- Could assist small studios with breaking into the industry.
Cons of Game In A Box
- Slots could become carbon copies of each other if too many partners use the technology.
- Compliance will still need to be updated.
- Potential security risks – hacking, data leaks, etc.
- Potential money losses from: licensing fees, revenue share models, or API reliance.
So…is this a good idea?
In theory, yes, because quickening the game development process leaves more room for the creative development of new slot mechanics and game features.
The CEO of the gaming giant seems to believe in the new technology.
James Curwen, the company’s CEO, said of the announcement: “Game in a Box represents the next chapter of our commitment to innovation. This solution has been purpose-built to empower creativity while dramatically accelerating time to market. We believe it will redefine how games are made and set a new industry standard.”
