G2E 2021

My initial impressions: I can’t believe how small it is this year. Not only smaller in size, but a lot of empty booth space and more space between the booths that are here.

For example, look at all this nice seating space for people that might be grabbing food. Those of the been here in prior years, know that the space is usually full of booths.

I know it’s hard to tell in that photo, but there are food vendors back there. Better food vendors that are normally there. But that’s because, here’s another sign of the times…

The large downstairs food court area is closed this year.

It is normally carpeted too. Looks like a lot of cost cutting this year.

I skipped Tuesday and felt I "did" the show in about four hours today. About half the normal booth space. Not much in the way of table games. Galaxy didn't even make an appearance. Shufflemaster had about six tables. AGS also had about six. Definitely an underwhelming show.

Quote: CrystalMath

It is normally carpeted too. Looks like a lot of cost cutting this year.

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I’m not so sure. The booths are carpeted, but the aisles never are.

I believe in prior years the area by the food outlets shown in the first photo was uncarpeted. Much smaller though. Besides, you really DONT want to carpet an area that is likely to get food spills.

Actually, the aisles are normally carpeted (easily verified with a google image search) and that big uncarpeted food area is downstairs. A friend of mine said their booth usually had a small raised platform that hid wires and this year, they just put wires on the floor and carpet over it, so you can feel them as you walk around. That part could have been his company’s decision knowing it would be a lackluster year.

Quote: CrystalMath

Actually, the aisles are normally carpeted (easily verified with a google image search)link to original post

Now that I think about it, you’re right. The aisles ARE normally carpeted. I suddenly have a memory of workers starting to roll up the carpeting from the aisles a minute after the show ended.

For those that attended, despite it being a down year, anything noteworthy or particularly interesting that you saw?

Quote: zbrownson

For those that attended, despite it being a down year, anything noteworthy or particularly interesting that you saw?
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Nope.

Quote: Wizard

Quote: zbrownson

For those that attended, despite it being a down year, anything noteworthy or particularly interesting that you saw?
link to original post

Nope.
link to original post

I'm glad the Wizard answered already. Mike went with more of a journalistic eye, and if he thought it was less than stellar...


I hinted in the original post that there wasn't much to the show, but my perspective is that of a game developer, looking for new table games, and/or to make a connection with a game distributor.

I saw little of either.

A friend of mine retired in Oct 2019 and moved to Vegas late in March 2020. That's right. In the middle of the initial three week lockdown, she moves cross country. When I told her I was coming to Vegas for G2E she asked me what that was, then asked if I could get her tickets to the show, which I did.

Even she quickly grew bored with the show.

She toured several of the slot machine manufacturer's booths, trying some of the games. She would play for just a couple spins, then say something like, "That's crap" or "Stupid game" or "See? You bet 90c and 'win' 75c. That's how they get you."

At one point in one of the booths, I noticed a small square on the screen marked "Demo." While her attention was elsewhere, I touched that spot, and a plain screen menu appeared with options to trigger various bonus rounds. I selected one, the game resumed producing a result that triggered the bonus. That's when I got her attention. "Hey, check this out..." and for a few minutes we watched the machine spin thru some free play. When it was over and I won about 500 credits, she said, "That's it?" I eventually showed her how I used the demo menu to trigger it and she commented, "So you had to cheat for a small win on this crappy game."

It was definately entertaining to listen to her perspective.


The ONLY legit, felt cloth table game booth I saw, demoing their games, was 4-D Gaming, the company behind Down Under Black Jack. They were showing that, plus a couple more games that utilize their "down under" technology.

While we were getting the quick demo of DUBJ, I was reminding the 4-D president how I won $5 from the Wizard by betting that DUBJ would win the Cutting Edge competition a couple years ago. I also mentioned my own games. As luck would have it, one of the people in their booth was a rep from a well known online gambling site that is looking for new ideas. We got introduced and spent about 10 minutes with the rep. He likes both of my games and said he'd be in touch with me. So something good may come out of this disappointing G2E yet.

FYI: Lots of info about my games are on my website:
http://www.DaveMillerGaming.com/


The only other 'table games' I saw were electronic versions of games - both stadium setups and stand-alone machines.

As far as I can tell, the one getting the most visitors and buzz was Roll To Win Craps. FYI: It's the new system where players throw real dice, into a craps table that has a video under the entire playing surface, and terminals around the railing. It's already gotten a lot of buzz here and on other social medias.

At their booth I learned that the dealer / presenter didn't know that most (all?) Caesars properties in town have it. I might have given her a pass since these were relatively new installs, but I'd think that they'd want to promote such a thing. After all, if casino execs are asking about local installs, the primary reason would be to see if real people are enjoying it enough to justify getting one for their own casino. So she should have known.

This dealer was ignoring the rule about who the shooter is. I totally give that a pass since in a show setting, you'd want to give every person a chance to throw. I didn't like throwing. While the clinkity-clink of the dice hitting the glass top was annoying, it was easy to get used to. But I really missed the feel of the felt as I traditionally wipe my fingertips before picking the dice up to throw. I mentioned to a rep that DID know about the caesars installs, that a semi-translucent felt exists, and is used by other semi-electronic table games. OK, maybe not 'felt' but some type of cloth.

I also learned, while talking to that rep, that to prevent the possibility of a player swapping out the dice while the dealer's back is turned to enter results, she is required to bring the dice back to the middle before entering the result. She also needs to enter the result twice as a confirmation of the values entered. These were Nevada Gaming Control requirements. I suspect that both of these time wasting rules will go away soon. After all, that's what serial numbers and surveillance is for.

At the show, when the result was entered, two blue squares about 12" tall appeared on the display with the values of the dice thrown. A moment later, these were replaced by 12" tall red dice faces. I assume the first time was after the first entry, and the second was after the confirmation entry.

I saw and played it at the Linq. I did not see the blue boxes upon entry. I don't think the rule was already changed, merely that the option to show the initial entry was turned off. This dealer was a little faster than the dealer at the show, but there was still a noticeable delay between the dealer verbally announcing the roll, and the system allowing new bets.

I should say I TRIED to play it. It was $10 "COMBINED" minimum (or some such wording on the terminal screen) - but the combined part wasn't working. I tried to put $5 on pass and $5 on don't pass, but once the pass bet was made, it wouldn't allow anything on DP. So the pass bet came down automatically once 'no more bets' appeared. OK, next roll I tried to put $2 each on buy 4 & 10 and $2 each on place 5, 6, 8 & 9. That's over $10, but those bets also came down automatically. I suppose I could have asked, but I was already frustrated and walked away.

I also saw another type of craps machine - a single player bubble craps. The rounded dice in this bubble were about double the size of standard dice. I believe it was $5 minimum. I didn't even stop. I played the same machine at my local casino where it was a mere $1 minimum. Because you're playing by yourself, the machine wasn't bugging you to "push the button". And while there WAS a voice announcing each roll, you could turn the voice off. Unfortunately, it was nothing more than a mute control. The system waited for the duration of the announcement before allowing new bets - even when the volume was off.


Not at G2E, but while in Vegas, I saw a "new" craps side bet that I suspect will get a lot of discussion, so I'm creating a new thread for it, here:
https://wizardofvegas.com/forum/gaming-business/game-inventors/36549-clone-of-galaxys-all-tall-small-bonus-craps-bet/#post827897

Did anyone attend both G2E and the NIGA/IGT&C shows?

Curious which was bigger and swankier than the other.

Quote: Dieter

Did anyone attend both G2E and the NIGA/IGT&C shows?

Curious which was bigger and swankier than the other.
link to original post

I didn't.