A fascinating phenomenon exists in the ever-evolving landscape of culture, style, and new technologies – the revival trend. From fashion to gaming, the revival trend is a powerful force that transcends industries, capturing our imagination and transporting us to moments we thought were left behind.
A number of films, such as Space Jam: A New Legacy or The Little Mermaid, have been revived in recent years. Fashion houses are constantly returning to retro, copying legendary dress models and styles. Additionally, sports brands Nike and Adidas have been breaking sales records with classic models like the Air Jordan 4 Retro and Adidas Samba.
This trend has also affected the gaming industry. Classic games from the ’80s and ’90s are experiencing a resurgence in popularity. Nostalgic gamers and a new generation alike are drawn to the simplicity and charm of pixelated graphics.
This also piqued the interest of the Georgian gaming company Lambda Gaming. They have released three 8Bit games that have received accolades at several industry conferences. David Sichinava, founder of Lambda Gaming, and Giorgi Abzhandadze, the company’s Chief Marketing Officer, spoke to SBC CIS about the product’s popularity, trends, and future plans.
Lambda Gaming drew a lot of attention and even won an industry award thanks to its 8Bit games. Why, in your opinion, is the nostalgia trend still relevant, and why did you choose to focus on it?
David Sichinava (DS): Although the 8Bit direction of Lambda Gaming is a theme, not just a nostalgia trend, the nostalgia trend remains relevant. The games are designed with a distinct visual style and cutting-edge gamification techniques. As a result, 8Bit games are a new concept in the iGaming industry.
The market is overflowing with slots, and they no longer meet the needs of today’s audience. 8Bit games have a different perspective, it is in a separate niche. They do not use slot mechanics and have much more interesting gameplay and ease of use. It is also critical that the games be compact. For example, our game 8Bitman is less than 4 MB in size.
This is an intriguing direction for millennials, but what do younger players think of 8Bit? And do you intend to add more 8-bit games?
Giorgi Abzhandadze (GA): Our portfolio includes products for every taste, but in the context of 8Bit games, our primary target audience is millennials looking for a unique, simple, but enjoyable experience. The evolution of gaming follows them throughout their lives in the background. The 8Bit games are more relevant to them than land-based casino games.
The same is true for the younger generations, who are even more connected to gaming because they are digital natives playing games from infancy.
Returning to trends, the market is flooded with games. Different companies provide various products. What are your priorities in this context, and where do you see opportunities?
DS: There are numerous slots available on the market. Their original goal was to bring physical casino slots online, but this approach does not utilize the full potential of today’s technology. This generation grew up with classic gaming rather than land-based casinos. Based on this, we decided to combine traditional gaming and iGaming, which would be more appropriate for the audience.
This year, the relevance of this trend was demonstrated at major industrial events, and we intend to continue developing in this direction in 2024.
The year 2023 is coming to an end. The year has been a busy one for Lambda Gaming. What have you been up to?
GA: 2023 was a transformative year for us. We released three 8Bit games this year: 8Bitman, 8Bit 2048, and 8Bit Plinko. The company also had a separate 8Bit space at SBC Summit Barcelona and the industry response was beyond our wildest expectations. The main event of the year was Lambda Gaming’s victory in the best Startup Pitch at SiGMA Europe 2023, which confirmed that the company is on the right track.
It can be said that your company has tapped into an important trend for 2023 with 8Bit games. What other trends would you highlight for 2023? What piqued your interest the most?
DS: Another noteworthy trend for 2023 is the rise of mobile gaming to new heights. Because of the pervasiveness of smartphones and advances in mobile technology, gaming has become more accessible. This trend has piqued our interest, and we are working to ensure that the content is accessible to a broad audience and tailored to the preferences of the players.
What trends do you believe will be popular in 2024? And what are Lambda Gaming’s goals and objectives for the coming year?
GA: We believe that games that gradually move away from traditional slot mechanics will become even more popular in 2024. Lambda Gaming is at the forefront of this trend, and as we enter 2024, we are brimming with ideas to further develop it in the upcoming year.
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