The Taito arcade game Bust-A-Move, a classic that goes back 26 years, has been reimagined by Next Gaming as an esports app. The 100 percent skill-based product could debut on casino floors this year.
The app launched on Celer Networks mobile esports platform, CelerX, according to CDC Gaming Reports. Additional games are anticipated in the second half of 2020.
Players can bet as they test their skills against someone other than the game, which comes with leader boards, regular tournaments, and the ability to directly challenge other players.
“This is a big move for us to get in the esports world,” Next Gaming CEO Mike Darley said. “With casinos closing down and an increase in esports and mobile gaming applications, fortunately, we were entering that market before the pandemic.”
Darley said initial results are promising, with a ranking in the Top 50 among thousands of games downloaded.
“It’s like putting a new slot machine in the casino,” Darley said. “People see it and we’re confident it’s going to have legs. But it’s the first week.”
Darley believes the partnership with Taito would expand beyond casino games into skilled esports. “No random number generator is why it can be in 37 states in the U.S. and Canada and hopefully soon, based on its performance, internationally. When you go into a casino and play Bust-A-Move, you can come out and still wager real money on our platform. That was our idea all along. Not only can you play real money—and we haven’t triggered this yet—but you can earn rewards to drive people into the various casinos.”
Darley said the speed of getting a game to market on a mobile app is faster than the casino market, which is slowed by all the regulations. Still, it comes down to acceptance of the game.
“We want it to be a good portion of our portfolio, so we have both mobile and brick-and-mortar casino games of our titles,” Darley said. “I think everybody (in the skill-based industry) is looking at that because when you’re looking at the growth of esports, this is a combination of both.”
Other arcade-type games in the arsenal include Arkanoid, Space Invaders, and a Next Gaming original ZForce.
