Audio network for gaming machines

A gaming machine network, comprising:

• a plurality of gaming machines having different themes, each gaming machine of said plurality of gaming machines including a gaming cabinet that includes a display for displaying a randomly selected outcome from a plurality of outcomes in response to a wager input, each gaming machine including an associated peripheral device electronically coupled to said gaming machine, each peripheral device being physically distinct from said gaming cabinet and including an audio speaker system broadcasting an audio output to a player of said gaming machine and a memory device containing audio files, said audio files in different ones of said memory devices being different and associated with said different themes for said associated gaming machines;
• and
• a central controller electronically coupled to each of said plurality of gaming machines, said central controller receiving audio instructions from one of said peripheral devices and disseminating said audio instructions to selected other ones of said plurality of gaming machines, said audio instructions disseminated by said central controller include one or more of said audio files such that at least one of said selected other ones of said gaming machines broadcasts an audio output that is associated with a theme that is different from a theme of said at least one of said selected other ones of said gaming machines.

A gaming machine network, comprising:

• a plurality of gaming machines, each gaming machine of said plurality of gaming machines including a display for displaying a randomly selected outcome from a plurality of outcomes in response to a wager input, each of said plurality of gaming machines including gaming machine speakers for producing gaming-machine audio output;
• signage located proximate to and being physically distinct from said gaming machines, said signage displays information about a bonus game or a progressive game and being electronically coupled to said gaming machines, said signage including a memory device containing audio files and an audio speaker system broadcasting signage audio output to players of said gaming machines;
• and
• a central controller electronically coupled to each of said plurality of gaming machines and said signage, said central controller receiving audio instructions from one of said plurality of gaming machines, and wherein in response to receiving said audio instructions from said one of said plurality of gaming machines, said central controller controlling said signage audio output of said signage and said gaming-machine audio output of other ones of said gaming machines, said signage using said audio files in said memory device for developing said signage audio output.

A gaming machine network, comprising:

• a plurality of gaming machines, each gaming machine of said plurality of gaming machines including a display for displaying a randomly selected outcome selected from a plurality of outcomes in response to a wager;
• signage located proximate to and being physically distinct from said plurality of gaming machines, said signage displays information about a bonus game or a progressive game and being electronically coupled to said gaming machines, said signage including a memory device containing audio files and an audio speaker system broadcasting an audio output to players of said gaming machines;
• and
• a central controller electronically coupled to each of said plurality of gaming machines and said signage, said central controller transmitting audio instructions to selected ones of said plurality of gaming machines and to said signage in response to the occurrence of a certain event at one of said gaming machines.

A method of operating a gaming system including a plurality of linked gaming machines, a central controller, and signage that is physically distinct from said plurality of gaming machines, each of said gaming machines including an associated peripheral device electronically coupled thereto and physically distinct from said gaming machine, said signage displaying information about a bonus game or a progressive game, said central controller being linked to said plurality of gaming machines and to said signage, said method comprising:

• receiving wager inputs from players at said plurality of linked gaming machines;
• in response to a certain event, instructing said peripheral devices via said central controller to broadcast an audio output from audio speaker systems located within said peripheral devices, said instructing including accessing a desired audio file in a memory device located within said peripheral devices,
• in response to said certain event, instructing said signage, via said central controller, to broadcast a signage audio output from an audio speaker system located within said signage;
• and
• broadcasting said audio output from said one of said peripheral devices and said signage audio output from said signage.