Our CEO and Founder, Steve Rogers, told NEXT.io how Playbook Fusion is engaging the audience of tomorrow:

"Online sportsbook operators understand the need to engage the next generation of gamblers if they are to ensure the long-term success of their businesses. This has seen some look to fast-paced betting products such as virtual sports to provide 24/7 opportunities as well as fantasy sports, free play games and esports betting for the first time.

But there are limitations with these products which result in a failure to achieve the maximum level of engagement with a whole audience segment who are looking for a deeper level of gameplay but with high frequency… These players will not be found in betting shops, nor will they have a bet on the Grand National once a year. They are players who have a completely different relationship with sports through their passion to play sports-themed video games and fantasy sports products. 

Many of these players will be put off by the lack of skill and persistence which is present in virtual sports and by the lack of frequency of real sports and esports. Who are these players, I hear you ask?  

Demographically, they are broad (in terms of age, gender, socio-economic status, etc) but the factors that bring them together are their shared interest in mobile and video sports games. 

These players are used to playing sports management games which enable them to have a strong level of connective tissue between the decisions that they make and the success of their teams. They have knowledge of real sports, and they can put this into practice competing against other teams to earn rewards and feel a strong level of achievement.  

So, what sort of betting content taps into the psyche of this audience? Right now, it doesn’t really exist in the online sports betting space, which is why providers of such content will need to bring the worlds of mobile/video gaming and betting together for the first time if they are to appeal to this new cohort of players or to improve the level of engagement for existing players. Player acquisition costs in highly competitive markets such as the US are very expensive and therefore it’s critical that operators ensure that the players that are acquired have a reason to remain loyal to a brand and have a persistent gameplay experience. 

We have seen something similar happen in the online casino space, with the rise of non-traditional games such as Mines, Plinko and Crash – so the concept is proven. This presents an opportunity for sports-focused studios to do the same, an opportunity that Playbook Fusion is seizing with both hands.  

Of course, the fusion of video games and sports betting is easier said than done. Players enjoy mobile and video games because there is an element of skill and control over the outcome – something that is hard to replicate with an RNG betting product.  

Sports betting requires an element of skill in order to apply knowledge and experience to try and predict the outcome of a match which is ultimately out of the control of the bettor. Fantasy sports require bettors to have a deeper level of knowledge about individual athletes and their attributes and statistics which can be daunting given the sheer volume of data available.   

The way we have addressed this is to look at the most popular mobile/sports games and determine what aspects of the gameplay can be carried over into a format that includes wagering. Management titles such as FC Ultimate Team and Championship Manager have been our biggest inspiration.  

This is because the mechanics that allow for strategy, skill development, persistence and rewards can be integrated nicely with the wagering aspect.  

For example, players can enhance their team by purchasing and selling players, buy and win packs that boost the capabilities of players and get rewards for achieving certain levels of progression. Achieving the optimal balance of allowing the players to experience a feeling of constant progression, competition and rewards whilst also ensuring that the player wants to continually strive to improve their team is at the core of our games. 

The challenge with developing this type of content is to introduce the gambling element in a way that is authentic – remember, some players will be new to wagering and initially might only be willing to engage with free to play versions of the game. Additionally, some players who are regular sports bettors but have not played sports-themed video games may be unfamiliar with some of the progression mechanics.  

We believe the best approach is to allow players the options within their first time experience to play the games in a very simplistic way and layer in more complexity as the player gets familiar with the gameplay and deepens their experience. 

It goes without saying that online sportsbook operators need to monetise content, so the betting aspect is important. That’s why games must offer fast action and contests that complete quickly – this aligns with what mobile/video sports game players are looking for.  

With our games, players can choose between several contests including league/season mode and player vs. player. Games run 24/7/365, helping operators to fill gaps between real-world sporting events and opening up an additional revenue stream, similar to how virtual sports operate.

But these games offer much deeper engagement than virtual sports with players wanting to keep returning so that they can improve their team and increase their chances of winning the contests they enter. Gamification is absolutely central to our product design. 

With our games, players earn XP and in-game currency based on their performance which can be used to unlock rewards. Additionally, as players clear league levels and get promoted, they unlock additional rewards and prizes.  

By combining mobile/video sports games mechanics with the ability to gamble, we are creating an entirely new category of sports betting experience that will allow operators to engage with a lucrative but hard to reach audience and connect in a deeper way with existing virtual sports and fantasy sports bettors. 

Operators are always looking to future-proof their businesses and one of the most effective ways of doing this is to broaden their appeal and tap into new audiences. Content can do this, and non-traditional sports games will be the key to unlocking the door to gamers and sports fans."

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