Tecnoplay, Italian game designer and the creator of Racecraft and Forest Jump, has identified the UK as being one of its ’Tier One’ markets following what CEO Mauro Zaccaria described as ‘a fantastic showing at EAG’. This has subsequently been supported by consistently strong cash box performance figures at a significant number of locations.
With its strap line of ‘Easy to Learn, Hard to Master!’ Racecraft features three progressive levels of driving difficulty, making the thrill of simulative driving accessible to the casual gamer while simultaneously engaging with the expert player. Racecraft is also accessible to a younger demographic with the Kids Mode function enabling children who can’t reach the pedals to drive using only the steering wheel. Available as a two to eight seat multi-player Racecraft features 15 original race tracks, a 55” screen and is available in eight different colours.
Zaccaria confirmed: “The UK is a really important market for Tecnoplay. Not only is the amusements sector here quite strong and buoyant but players in the UK also have a real appreciation and appetite for the driving game genre. These two factors are critical in helping us to gauge the appeal and the potential of an export market.”
Tecnoplay is beginning to see a return on what was a four year R&D programme, Zaccaria revealed. “The development programme was quite long,” he confirmed, “however the time that we spent getting the motion cabinet absolutely right and to the highest possible standards is paying dividends for our customers and for end-users who are benefitting from the delivery of an ultra realistic and immersive driving experience. In terms of delivering the best possible experience there’s absolutely no room for compromise and I am pleased that we stayed true to our principles.”
“Naturally our main market is still Italy, our home market, but we have also enjoyed success in both Germany and in the UK where the feedback and the cashbox has been excellent. Export-wise we recently put five twin units on test in the United States, there are units from our next production run that are going to FECs in Saudi Arabia and our presence at EAG gave us the opportunity to meet with potential customers from many countries in Europe all of whom showed strong interest in the product. There’s no doubt that this is an exciting phase for Tecnoplay as we look to consolidate our status as one of the industry’s most progressive games development houses.”