Set to captivate lottery players like never before, a next-generation linked game has arrived in the U.S. Through a partnership with Warner Bros. Discovery Global Themed Entertainment, HBO’s iconic GAME OF THRONES has been announced as the newest of Scientific Games’ multi-state branded Linked Games, offering trip winners the ultimate experience to rule the realm.
As the most-watched HBO television series of all time, GAME OF THRONES makes its omnichannel debut across instant scratch games, Fast Play terminal games and an iLottery game, available exclusively from Scientific Games.
“The newest of our legendary Linked Games is going to be epic! Multi-generations of viewers watched GAME OF THRONES around the world, so the brand has the potential to bring its massive fanbase and social media following to lottery,” explains Tina Hoover, VP of Licensing for Scientific Games. “There is so much iconography associated with the TV series that we’ve been able to create incredible omnichannel GAME OF THRONES branded games.”
With pre-approved game designs already circulating, lotteries are planning GAME OF THRONES launches in early 2024 with the initial Linked Games trip winners’ event scheduled to take place in 2025. It’s a new approach for Scientific Games, whose creative teams have aligned the event venue closely with the brand and enhanced the value of the company’s existing white glove event format with additional themed on-site prize opportunities for trip winners from participating states across North America. Set in a castle in Napa Valley, California, the event will indulge GAME OF THRONES fandom as the winners test their luck to win additional prizes. They will be randomly assigned to groups representing the seven themed GAME OF THRONES “houses” spread across the seven “kingdoms”. The event will include three rounds of play culminating in an opportunity to win up to $7 million in cash prizes. Also included in their five-day/four-night trip will be curated local tours, specially designed with lottery players in mind.
“In partnership with Warner Bros. Discovery, we are putting the final touches on a fully branded GAME OF THRONES marketing package for participating lotteries, including point-of-sale, radio and TV ads for broadcast and digital use, a microsite or promotional page with mobile app support, and an interactive second-chance bonus game,” says Hoover.
The company’s experienced fulfillment support includes drawing services, trip prize fulfillment, hosting and personalized customer support, project management of all approvals and production of the GAME OF THRONES winners’ event in California.
Renowned for science-based products and solutions, the company applied advanced consumer research techniques to assess the GAME OF THRONES brand by Power Index, which is a measure of the intensity of ‘liking’ that a brand possesses. The property scored among the top brands available for lottery games today. “Lotteries are very excited about the brand since they understand how passionate GAME OF THRONES fans are and how highly the brand ranks among core players,” shares Hoover. “We are receiving incredible feedback from lotteries in many parts of the world.”
While GAME OF THRONES Linked Games are available to North American lotteries, GAME OF THRONES-themed stand-alone games are available in Australia, New Zealand and throughout much of Europe.
Scientific Games created the industry’s first linked instant game in 2007 with the DEAL OR NO DEAL brand. The company’s creative teams continued to work with the most recognizable brands in the world to innovate Linked Games with large-scale, once-in-a-lifetime winners’ experiences, including MONOPOLY, THE PRICE IS RIGHT, and WILLY WONKA.
Scientific Games: Linked Games by the Numbers
