Play Mechanix Strives To Extend 20-Year Winning Streak With MotoGP Simulator

GLEN ELLYN, IL -- What's ahead for Play Mechanix as it celebrates its 20th anniversary? It's a safe bet that operators and players can expect more of the same. That's good news, since the company has built its enviable reputation on the kind of innovation that fills cashboxes. That success was predictable. Play Mechanix founder George Petro, a veteran of Williams Electronics and Midway Games, brought with him a rich heritage from the Golden Age of Arcade Video Games, including legendary hits like NARC, Revolution X, and Terminator 2: Judgment Day. The new design studio's impressive legacy impelled the industry to take notice.

Among its many collaborations over the ensuing years, Play Mechanix has partnered with gaming companies, such as IGT, as well as coin-op industry notables like Incredible Technologies and ICE, before merging with Raw Thrills, which is closely associated with Betson Enterprises. No single game exemplifies the company's innovative spirit as does Big Buck Hunter. Entering the marketplace in 2001, the original Big Buck and its subsequent iterations demonstrate the industry's technological advances and the less tangible elements required for a successful videogame.

SAMPLE THIS:Licensed MotoGP simulator with authentic MotoGP motorcycles is available in four colors. A HD 42" LCD, front-facing camera and front-mounted fan (for wind replication) immerse players in the game; up to eight riders, local and online multiplayer, can compete simultaneously. Raw Thrills rendered faithful recreations of famous MotoGP circuits from around the world. Players join one of 13 MotoGP teams as a newcomer and race against the likes of MotoGP riders Valentino Rossi, Marc Marquez, Jorge Lorenzo and Dani Pedrosa, among others.

"Big Buck was really the first shooter that was humorous; it lightened up the subject," said Jessica Petro, who heads Play Mechanix's social media and public relations. "That opened it up to a wider range of players who may not hunt in real life. In fact, we found that some of our most talented players don't hunt at all."

Indeed, when Angelica Huston's Broadway-producer character, Eileen Rand, in NBC-TV's "Smash" (2012) began playing Big Buck Hunter, it raised eyebrows from New York City to Wisconsin. "I had never seen [that game] before I needed to play it on the show," Huston told an interviewer, "but I got very acquainted with it very quickly!" Apparently, she became a fan.

Now that Big Buck has progressed through half a dozen iterations, the game is providing something of a template for creating and maintaining a successful coin-op video brand. With Big Buck's lighthearted portrayal of hunting attracting the same kind of player loyalty as legendary models from the past and some current home console games, Play Mechanix wasted no time in leveraging that enthusiasm.

The sustained interest in Big Buck is not accidental. Rather, it has resulted from a coordinated effort that includes a steady stream of new games combined with new technology, supported by social media. Play Mechanix has nurtured the interest of an initially modest pool of devoted players and diligently communicated their interests. As a result, the annual Big Buck World Championship, now heading into its ninth year, has been growing steadily. Some 6,500 players competed in qualifying matches in 2015, representing a dramatic jump from the 1,500 who enrolled in the previous year's competition.

THERE WILL BE CAKE:Play Mechanix's George Petro (l.) and Raw Thrills' Eugene Jarvis are all smiles. The 2006 merger of their companies has raised the bar for creativity, branding and innovation in coin-op videogames. In 2015, Play Mechanix celebrated two decades of success with cake and a renewed commitment to innovation.

Also included in the Big Buck branding mix were downloads for a variety of devices, from personal computers through mobile Apple iOS and Android devices. To maximize the impact of this availability, Play Mechanix has created an online presence that allows the worldwide player community to compare scores. "Players log into their accounts through the Big Buck website that's dedicated to payouts, statistics and ranking worldwide," Petro explained. "This online aspect lets players connect with people around the world and play an arcade game." This feature, she added, is different from the CoinUp online service, introduced with Big Buck HD in 2012 and currently provided to operators.

Success In The Sites

Recently, Play Mechanix began its Game Warden program in which volunteers from the Big Buck community act as a street team for the game in the field, organizing leagues and otherwise spreading the word.

Moving ahead, Play Mechanix is studying the elements of Big Buck's success, and its existing social media infrastructure, as a possible model for future games. One new design that may fill the bill is the new MotoGP. This licensed motorcycle racer possesses some of the same elements found in Big Buck, including worldwide appeal, along with the competitive aspect as players race on an international circuit of 10 different tracks modeled on actual courses.

Several unique features have been included to stimulate the competitive spirit. "MotoGP has a front-facing camera," Petro explained, "so, if I'm racing someone in Australia, I can see what my opponent's face looks like."

She emphasized that these strong points have created ample room for innovation. "For instance, we could conduct tournaments and offer cash prizes to encourage people to compete against each other."

While the Big Buck framework is providing a template for innovation, Petro reported that she is cautious about predicting the same kind of success for the new racer that the iconic hunting game has enjoyed. "You can't force something like that," she said. "The fact is that it started and grew organically, without our doing anything. It wasn't something we anticipated or planned for, but we recognized and maximized it."

GANG'S ALL HERE:Play Mechanix's Callum Fletcher (front left) and ESPN radio personality Sarah Spain pose with Play Mechanix crew at 2015 Big Buck World Championship in Chicago's Hard Rock Café.