Integrating an online casino to the gaming console experience is a unique idea, what was the development process?
We started in VR to see what the format could do to transform the online gaming industry and quickly realised that Vegas Infinite’s strengths come from its ability to build a real-time community around shared interests.
Our goal today is to make Vegas Infinite a place for players to connect, play and share experiences together. Removing technological barriers and allowing more casual players who aren’t on VR to play is a crucial part of that. So, we’re very pleased with our launch on PS5, alongside recent launches on PC and mobile.
We believe our game today is totally unique within our industry, but the concept itself isn’t new to video gaming. Red Dead Redemption 2, Far Cry 3, GTA5 all have incredibly popular casino side games. In fact, one of the biggest days in GTA Online’s history was when GTA launched its Diamond Casino and Resort DLC. What Vegas Infinite does differently in video gaming is place a singular focus on the multiplayer casino experience.
The result is what we like to think is the most complete, authentic and intuitive online casino in video gaming
Have you seen a large amount of crossover in demographic when it comes to PlayStation users and online casino players that subsequently led to the decision to launch of PS5?
While we are host to a long-standing community of serious casino enthusiasts, particularly veteran cash and MTT poker players, we find this demographic gravitates more towards our PC and now mobile offering. For the most part, though, we see very little in the way of crossover when it comes to the demographics of traditional online casino and Vegas Infinite players.
Many in our community are casual, multiplayer video game fans who are relatively new to casino. They may have a light interest in certain games and want to take the time to learn a bit more in a friendly environment. But, more often than not, players spend their time chatting, having a few laughs, trying something new, swapping props and generally just sharing an experience.
A game of poker or craps is the perfect catalyst and a more ambient experience than a first-person shooter, for example. So, we focus on building an environment that players naturally feel welcome and want to spend time in. This is very true for PS5 players. It’s one of the most popular consoles in the world for casual gamers and, for those 18 or over, the barrier to entry in our videogame is very low. It’s free to download and free to play, which is quite rare in video gaming. The games and controls are easy to pick up and players can be sat at a table with their friends for a catch up in minutes.
How do you anticipate Vegas Infinite will be received by the PS5 userbase? Have you implemented any strategies to help draw this specific demographic towards your product?
PlayStation offer a load of ways to increase the visibility of our game inside the PlayStation Store, and to keep players up to date with new features and promotions. Despite being just a few days out from launch, we’re already seeing healthy organic growth from casino enthusiasts and more casual players looking for a multiplayer game they can invest time in and maybe upgrade their skills.
Because we’ve been live on PlayStation VR2 for just over a year now, we also already have a healthy community on PlayStation. PS5 console and PS VR2 players can cross-play, that is play at the same time, which contributes to liquidity and a general sense of liveliness at the tables for those new to Vegas Infinite.
At this stage, our focus is on building that community element
So, when we launched on PS5 we had live welcome crews in place to show new players around and to help with any questions. We have a series of Royal Flush and casino challenges running. Craps is just around the corner for PS5, so we also have community leaderboard celebrations on the way. And there’s plenty more on the cards, but I’m afraid players will have to watch this space for more details there!
Have there been any regulatory issues or potential pitfalls to adhere to in the process of adapting an online casino product for a gaming console?
As you can imagine we, along with every video game, undergo a rigorous vetting process with each of our platforms when submitting for publication. Vegas Infinite is 18+ only and given the mature theme of our game, we’re rightly subject to a degree more scrutiny. However, this is something we welcome and have plenty of experience in as part of the wider group. We actually treat it as a chance to differentiate ourselves from our competitors.
Years ago in 2021 we voluntarily invested in an AI-powered voice moderation tool, ToxMod, that detects users who breach our general terms in real-time. You may have noticed ToxMod was recently added to the Call of Duty franchise. We opted to add KYC tools in place for users who appeal a ban. We have in-game and Support Center player reporting mechanisms, which go straight to our in-house community moderation team. We also have in-game tools for players to self-exclude and set spending alerts.
Our players know this, so they know they’re being looked after at the tables. And all of this combined demonstrates to platforms that we’re taking our responsibility seriously from the outset. So, yes, there are potential pitfalls, but we’ve learned over the years to anticipate these and invest in making our game as safe and reliable as possible, so they become a strength as we expand.
Can you tell us a little bit more about the development process for console and your partnership with Lucky VR?
PlayStation have an incredibly well-refined submission process for new games, which involves developers submitting at various stages throughout the build, so that game logic and bugs can be fixed ahead of time. This goes for visuals, navigation, controls, as you would expect, as well as Store presence and marketing assets.
It’s a huge amount of work, but crucial. By the time the game launches, we can be sure it is polished and stable, with the opportunity to follow up with any new features in subsequent updates and patches. In our case, we’re very fortunate to have the support of our development partners, Lucky VR. They have an incredible team of video gaming developers at their studio, and almost everyone, from game design, sound design, artwork, and UI/UX experts, to engineers and QA, was involved in the PS5 submission. We’re very proud of their contribution and the end result.
Vegas Infinite originally debuted six years ago in 2018 – how do you reflect on its progress? How are you hoping this latest innovation will push it forward?
Vegas Infinite, what was then PokerStars VR, actually started out as something of an experiment way back in 2018. We’re always looking at how new technologies have the potential to change the online gaming industry and VR was an obvious choice
We worked with Lucky VR, then a tiny studio, on a prototype that was just multiplayer poker in a handful of environments. We launched on Meta and Steam, word spread, and it just exploded. Over the years, we added MTTs, Spin & Go’s, PLO, roulette, blackjack, slots, craps, a load of new environments, hundreds of props. However, the big milestones hit when the game became refined enough for us to adapt it for flatscreen on PC last September, then mobile for Android in May, and now console on PS5.
Launching on these platforms has removed any barrier to entry for players who haven’t invested in a VR headset, and with the power of a device like the PS5, you keep all the depth and performance of the game. Add cross-play, which allows PC and VR players to play together at the same time, or PS5 and PS VR2 (and in just a few weeks, mobile, PC and VR), and suddenly players have the choice to sit down together, maybe jump into a home game, in a way that suits them.
Thinking back on our strategy over the years, yes, our years spent refining our games, environments, security and infrastructure are a huge strength and driver for us. But really, it’s our constant focus on the social element of the game – bringing friends and players together wherever they are, whatever their platform of choice – that has pushed the game forward.
