The igaming world is one of near relentless competition, as hundreds of new titles vie for players’ attention in the slots lobbies of major operators. How to stand out from the crowd is a task that has defeated many talented creative people, but the team at High 5 Games are not among them.
Under the leadership of Founder & CEO Anthony Singer, the games developer has consistently found ways to innovate, entertain players, and drive revenues for operators since its launch in 1995. While best-known for titles such as Green Machine Deluxe, Triple Double Da Vinci Diamonds and Buffalo Canyon, High 5 now also provides iCasinos with a unique suite of engagement tools that are central to its growth plan for 2024.
The first part of that expansion plan was not, however, a new game or reward, but entry into new jurisdictions in North America.
“We had a great 2023, but 2024 holds even greater excitement for us as our persistent efforts from the past year come to fruition,” said Singer. “We started February by entering the West Virginia market with DraftKings. We’ll soon be live with Rush Street and are busy onboarding new partners in the state.
“The team has also secured licenses with the AGLC in Alberta and BCLC in British Columbia. It’s been a long journey to gain those approvals, but we anticipate going live with both in the next few months to give us a presence in all the key regulated Canadian provinces.
“And we remain committed to expanding our presence in North America and delivering great content to our key partners, so we’re exploring more states and keeping an eye on new markets opening up.”
Hitting the jackpot
Another hugely-anticipated step forward is the imminent launch of High 5 Jackpots, which is set to debut in the company’s home market of New Jersey. While jackpots are far from a new concept, High 5’s version offers a different way for operators to engage with players, as it is a complementary product to the developer’s already popular Rapid Rewards program.
Singer explained: “The development of our jackpots product has been an exciting project at High 5, and the anticipation is building as we approach its live launch in New Jersey. While we’re actively working on securing approvals in other states, New Jersey will be the first location this product will go live in.
“The journey to this almost-launch point has been significant, and we’re eager to witness players engage with their favorite brands through our multi-hourly and multi-weekly jackpots.”
He continued: “Jackpots have been a real success story across multiple gaming sectors, and both online gaming suppliers and operators have embraced the idea. What our jackpot product does differently is integrate seamlessly with Rapid Rewards, a tool designed to uniquely reward players.
“Building on the concept of Rapid Rewards, we introduced Rapid Rewards Flash Prizes and now, will introduce Rapid Rewards Progressive Jackpots, both allowing an enhanced gaming experience and new opportunities to win within the games.”
The concept of creating the thrill of extra chances to win and to change the narrative of the game is central to High 5’s way of thinking. Rapid Rewards is designed to add new layers of anticipation and deliver surprises to players, including random cash prize drops, feature boosts that provide new chances to win, and super boosts that multiply prizes.
It has already proved to be a high-performing and cost-effective player retention tool for High 5’s operator partners, but Singer’s team is not resting on its laurels. Instead it has been busy revamping its offer and has now launched a series of six-day campaigns linked to the studio’s most popular and newest games.
“Rapid Rewards Flash Prizes are a fantastic way to highlight our key games and we’ve now made this player favorite even more engaging,” Singer explained. “Every few weeks, we initiate campaigns where players have the opportunity to win Feature Boosted Spins and Super Boosted Spins, enhancing their gameplay experience.
“Our campaign for Lunar New Year ran across February 8-14 and put the spotlight on our latest game, 88 Drums, alongside another top-performing favorite, Dragon’s Blessings Prosperity. The performance was fantastic and we saw a real uplift on both games.”
Improving the Apple game
Player-facing content such as slots and promotional tools are obviously integral to High 5’s well-established status as one of America’s most popular online games studios, but they are far from the only reason that operators are keen to work directly with the company.
It also prides itself on its technical excellence and has invested significant resources into developments such as improved iOS delivery. And Singer is confident that the work will deliver significant benefit to High 5’s partners.
“Undoubtedly, this is a great achievement for us. iOS plays a central role in our industry performance, making up more than 60 per cent of overall revenue, and our efforts have been dedicated to bettering our delivery,” he said.
“Significantly streamlining the way we package our games and the way partners download them, they will now be five times smaller on iOS. This provides our partners with more space in their app to launch many more games.
“Our partners can look forward to many benefits starting next month, as we continue to prioritize efficiency and experience.”
While proud of how High 5 has honed the practical side of the business, it is perhaps no surprise that Singer also remains massively enthusiastic about games and the entertainment they provide. After all, he is the man behind some of the biggest success stories in the history of video and online slots.
“We have multiple exciting releases on the horizon this year, with titles like 88 Drums, Golden Knight Infinity, Bankrush Bonanza, and many more,” he concluded.
“These games boast high-quality assets, multiple in-game features, in-game jackpots, and the ever-popular side bets – Feature Boost and Super Boost are now available in-game. Players can elevate their spins, experiencing a dynamic and immersive gaming adventure with each title.”
