News The importance of partnerships in challenging times By Duncan Faithfull The word ‘partnership’ is thrown around a little bit during times when the business environment is straight forward. It is often referred to when writing strategic plans and PR, but the real meaning of partnership in business is only really established in times when we are challenged. It is easy to be a good ‘partner’ when the market is growing, and difficult choices are not required to be made. When markets struggle, as ours has for the last 12 months, it is a time for true partnerships to be tested, and where decisions have to be made which enable business to continue in the short term, but with an eye on future growth when markets ease. A great example of this is how our supply chain dealt with the sudden, and extensive, market closures of operators across the world. When our client ‘partners’ had sudden and severe cash flow challenges, meaning payment for our products could not happen, we were faced with two choices: firstly; to stop supply and to chase payment hard or, secondly; measure the impact on our own cash reserves if we kept supplying, and creating flexible payment solutions to allow our partners to keep manufacturing in readiness for the future. Neither of these choices would have been wrong, but our chosen path allowed our partners to continue to focus on creating great game content, safe in the knowledge that critical hardware would be available for these to be developed on when the markets reopened, enabling them to stay ‘ahead of the game’ in readiness for a brighter future. This is the essence of partnership. Working towards common goals and shared long-term objectives, even when there may be a [...]

News The post-pandemic bottom line: think big, start small, move fast By Abhinay Bhagavatula The COVID 19 pandemic has massively impacted us all both personally and professionally. The gaming industry has been affected in a significant way, and within a matter of weeks of the breakout, the industry went from record-breaking growth to complete shutdown. It’s fair to say that the industry has never faced a bigger challenge. But as we bid farewell to 2020, and look optimistically to 2021, and beyond, there’s finally light at the end of the very long COVID-related tunnel. A return to social and economic normalcy depends on the successful rollout of an effective coronavirus vaccine; a prospect that at last feels attainable. The gaming industry has proven time and time again to be resilient and adaptable, with our communities being versatile, and willing, and able to rally together to come out stronger at the other side. I’m certain the same will be true over the coming months as the industry looks to the future and gradually reopens for business across the globe. Life has changed considerably in the past year and with continued efforts to contain the virus, change is likely to persist. Like everyone, we just want this to be over and know it’s now only a matter of time. At Quixant, we’re excited for the year ahead as we prepare to deliver plans to support the developing needs of this great industry as it comes back to life. Collaboration and Innovation As we analyse markets across the globe, some are operating close to pre-COVID levels, whilst many are required to be partially or fully closed. One thing that is consistent across the board is that when open, casinos and gaming venues have taken the [...]

News Quixant diversifies to add Intel solutions to range of products AMD’s decision to pull away from casino gaming will not affect any products in Quixant’s current range of products to be launched in 2021. In the future, however, we will increase the portfolio of Intel-based products at a range of price points, all of which will be fully compatible with Quixant’s software API to offer an easy migration path. Products such as the QMax-2i now incorporate Intel and NVIDIA technology, where the price, features, and performance of the solution align with market requirements. AMD’s decision to pull away from gaming will not affect any products in Quixant’s current range of products to be launched in 2021. In the future, however, we will increase the portfolio of Intel-based products at a range of price points, all of which will be fully compatible with Quixant’s software API to offer an easy migration path. Quixant’s latest product releases on AMD will continue to be available until their last time buy dates which extend towards the end of this decade. We know 2020 was an extremely challenging year and we look optimistically to the coming months where there is finally light at the end of the very long COVID-related tunnel. Whatever your approach to future-proof your business, it’s clear that there are endless opportunities to drive innovation and technology should be the ‘super enabler’ that drives the future of gaming experiences. Contact us to explore how Quixant can support you in these challenging times.