Dahung Chen: “Fishing-shooting games offer different experiences to all players”

In this exclusive interview, Casino Guru sits down with Dahung Chen, Head of Product Management at TaDa Gaming, to explore the company’s success in the highly sought-after fishing-shooting genre. Chen delves into how TaDa has reimagined gameplay mechanics, integrated distinct social elements that boost engagement and retention, and leveraged customisable features to drive global growth. From the upcoming Fortune Zombie to recent standout titles, the conversation dives deep into the innovations powering TaDa Gaming’s momentum.

Q: TaDa Gaming has devoted a significant amount of time and effort into advancing fishing shooting games. Can we talk about these games and why they have found success among players?

Our fishing-shooting games have successfully engaged players both in established markets and the new demographics across Latin America and Africa because they deliver challenges and skill-influenced gameplay through interactive and dynamic experiences with multiplayer options.

We have seen huge take up with Jackpot Fishing and Mega Fishing both offering this style of gameplay. There is also the recognition that the wager process is like slots, whereby you place a bet each time you spin the reels. In fishing-shooting, each shot you take places the bet, so the mix of familiarity in process and innovation in experience is uniquely engaging.

Personalising the gameplay to suit your style has also resonated with all players; so our fishing-shooting games have three separate ‘Rooms’ or ‘Halls’ that offer different betting ranges, volatility levels and player difficulty. New players can start with low risk/low volatility which gives frequent, smaller wins. Once players are more confident, they can raise the risk level for bigger win potential with higher volatility.

Add in strategic gaming, decision making, fantastic 3D video entertainment and straightforward rules which make the games easy to grasp from the first shot and you can see why fishing-shooting games are having such an impact on the industry.

Q: What are the main features that help TaDa Gaming’s titles in this vertical stand out? How do you create innovative products to help you differentiate yourself?

From a player perspective, driving the narrative through the interplay of mechanics, features and bonuses has proved a successful strategy. And, as the No. 1 provider for fishing-shooting games, our mechanics are not just ‘stand out’ but industry leading.

We incorporate special Power-Ups, which include: Nuclear Bombs that take out the whole screen; Free Deep Sea Whirlpools in Fortune King Jackpot that catch all the other multiplier fish in the vicinity; Free Thunderbolt Attacks in All Star Fishing whereby players fill a Thunderbolt Meter to access a significant round of free fire power; or player favourite, the freeze effect from the Net Weapon in Ocean Hunter, which holds a fish or creature in place temporarily while you take aim!

The Auto and Aim functions in our games, such as Bombing Fishing or Happy Fishing, alongside the on screen tips and sound effects also provide players with a sense of control.

With Auto, your cannon will automatically fire at the targets within range. This allows players to focus on aiming without the need for manual firing/clicking. Aim enables players to lock on to the target, only hitting the specific fish regardless of other obstacles in the way and so saving on ammo while maximising the win potential.

From an operator perspective, one of the key differentiators in our games is how we overcame the technical hurdle of synchronising the high-speed bullet-firing mechanism with the transaction system. From an original 30 seconds with our first release, we have now refined our technology to achieve 3-second settlements, providing precise tracking of each individual bullet.

This entire process is handled our end, requiring no adjustments from operators and ensuring seamless integration. This enhances both operational efficiency and the playerexperience, making us very easy to work with.

Q: Fishing shooting games often rely on a balance between accessibility and skill-based mechanics. Do you think the games appeal to any kind of player, or specific groups?

This is the beauty of fishing-shooting games: they offer different experiences to all players. Whether players are looking for novelty or skill-influenced/challenging gaming, our research shows that operators who integrate these games instantly see increased screen time from existing customers and increased new player sign up with a minimum 10% uplift in both engagement and DAUs (Daily Active Users).

We also know that players who began playing video games find fishing-shooting games very appealing due to the mix of gameplay recognition with added excitement through win potential. Furthermore, all players will find a deliberately wide betting range across our games as well the option to adjust volatility through features like "variable payout rates" and bonus game options. This means that a single game can appeal to a variety of player demographics regardless of experience.

Q: TaDa Gaming has integrated multiplayer elements in its fishing-shooting titles. How important is the social aspect to the success of these games?

Again, our research has shown that real-time multiplayer capability creates a new form of social gaming and interactive play that attracts regular slot players, second/third generation digital natives and completely new demographics to our games, especially in jurisdictions where social play is the norm.

TaDa fishing-shooting games enable up to four players simultaneously in most games; however all wins are still distributed individually so players benefit from immersive gaming while keeping their winnings separate. Players can choose between enhanced, exciting play with other shooters in the game or solo challenges for PBs and individual metrics if they take the single player option at the beginning of the game.

Giving multiplayer options means players often return to the game to play with friends - which also gives us viral marketing benefits and operators great marketing opportunities. The unpredictability of playing with other people—whether it’s random players or friends adds replay value.

Q: Some fishing-shooting games incorporate progressive features or special events to keep players engaged. How does TaDa Gaming approach long-term player retention?

From gameplay speed, on-screen information and tips, character design, to win details and Room choice for volatility and bet exposure, many highly significant factors have been tailored into our games to keep players engaged.

Currently, we offer 20+ fishing shooting games with diverse themes and designs, allowing us to connect with a wide range of players worldwide. Additionally, extensive player data from global markets and deep research enables us constantly to update and tailor games to suit player preferences and keep long-term engagement as high priority.

Finding the right balance between local and global appeal is essential. We adopt a "Global Core Mechanics, Localised Content" strategy to ensure our games adapt to different market needs while maintaining widespread player appeal.

We are also offering new environments and location for the games; so the action is coming on to the streets in our next release, Fortune Zombie, to keep players highly entertained and also to show operators the scalability of this new genre.

Q: Can you share some details about Fortune Zombie ahead of its release?

March 2025 will see the official launch of Fortune Zombie and we are literally coming out of the water! The game is set in a ‘Smallville USA’ town where a zombie invasion is taking place. The graphics and animations are fantastic and the action moves across town with oversized Zombie characters bringing significant win potential as well as different ways to win. There is also free demo play and a unique ‘choose your avatar’ tutorial.

Multiplier wins come from ugly zombies as well as a Lucky Drop bonus of 20x; an in-game Dice Bonus; an impressive Ferris Wheel bonus and three progressive Jackpots.

The weapon choice has also been beefed up with a grenade launcher and a Target Lock feature to ensure that the zombies meet their match when you fire. With multiple changes of scenery and location, spectacular graphics and 3,000x max win, we are certain that players are really going to enjoy this shoot out.

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