Discourse with Frank Floor: Latest Slot Themes' Most Valuable Player Recognized
In early 2020, Andrew Burke, a seasoned gaming industry veteran, joined Bluberi as CEO. Burke, who previously served as the GM of the slot division at AGS, brought with him a wealth of experience that would soon prove invaluable.
Shortly after, Bluberi unveiled its groundbreaking game, "Devil's Lock." This title, which quickly became a sensation, catapulted Bluberi from obscurity to national prominence.
"Devil's Lock" is a game unlike any other, featuring independent reels in the base game, a rarity at the time of its launch in 2021. It also incorporates multiple mechanics, such as "Pot Fillers," "Piggy Bank" pot fillers, "Nudge" or "Rewind" features, "Cash On Reels," "Free Spins," and the innovative "Helping Hand" mechanism.
The game's design team chose a less objectionable double "6" minimum bet and top award to avoid the negative connotations associated with the "666" tag, a widely recognized symbol for the Antichrist. The "Helping Hand" mechanism, triggered by the mischievous-looking Devil symbol, can make the piggy banks grow, leading to six lucrative free spin bonuses.
One of the standout features of "Devil's Lock" is the "nudge" feature, a mechanism that first appeared on reel spinners decades ago. This feature allows certain reels to move again, often turning into unexpected wins. The nudge is random and not set off by any reel combination.
The game's top award on the 1ยข version is $6,600 at max bet, indicating a low-to-medium volatility game with a narrow and consistent range of bonus wins. This balance of risk and reward has made "Devil's Lock" a popular choice among players.
Bluberi's success is not only due to "Devil's Lock." The company has also expanded its team, with key additions like Mike Brennan, Chief Product Officer, who previously worked at Atronic, GTech, IGT, and others. Burke's first investment was in people, quickly assembling a new talent-loaded team from AGS, IGT, Konami, and others.
Today, Bluberi boasts five additional design studios across North America working on new games in addition to the original team in Drummondville. This growth was made possible by the investment from Canadian firm Catalyst Capital Group, which bought Bluberi in June of 2019.
The future looks bright for Bluberi. In their recaps of the 2024 G2E show, most financial analysts listed Bluberi as one of the companies to watch because of the new games they showed and their creativity, alongside Aristocrat, Light & Wonder, and IGT. Operators in Atlantic City and Nevada are anxiously waiting for the opportunity to buy "Devil's Lock" once it is approved in their jurisdictions.
While the investment group that bought Bluberi in June 2019 is not fully disclosed, Moroccan media in 2019 noted that French companies Idyl and Azura, along with Moroccan companies, were involved in blueberry investments in the Dakhla region, which may relate to Bluberi's activities.
In summary, Bluberi's innovative game "Devil's Lock" has transformed the company, elevating it to national prominence. With a strong team, a creative approach, and a commitment to quality and innovation, Bluberi is well-positioned for continued success.
