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Antstream Arcade accelerates expansion with hire of games industry veteran Mike Rouse to support growth

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  • Appointment comes at a time of record growth for the business

Leading video game streaming platform Antstream Arcade has expanded its internal studio team with games industry veteran Mike Rouse joining to lead its production team and help build out its internal studio. This move comes during a period of record user growth for the company following its establishment as the world’s first free-to-play game streaming platform.

Mike joins Antstream from 2K’s Brighton based Hangar 13, where he was Head of Production and responsible for developing and co-ordinating strategy across the studio’s four global locations and 400 employees.

Mike has over 20 years’ experience in the games industry, with a career that includes key roles at Microsoft as Studio Director overseeing the incubation and development of Microsoft Hololens and its future tech studio, and at Sony as Dev Director creating the PSN Trophy system and several AAA Titles. He brings this extensive experience in pushing the boundaries of how players interact with games to his new role at Antstream Arcade, as it continues to expand its offering.

Mike Rouse said: “As a lifelong fan of what we now have to call “vintage” games, working at Antstream Arcade represents the perfect combination of my passion for retro gaming and changing how players interact with games themselves. I think it is very likely that we are nearing the end of physical consoles – with physical media losing relevance to the rise of cloud-based gaming, it is all but inevitable. As the first company to successfully launch a free-to-play platform with thousands of games, Antstream is well placed to be at the forefront of this change.”

Steve Cottam, CEO of Antstream said: “Between our new licensing partnerships with the likes of Disney and Bandai, and our decision to adopt a free-to-play model, we’re in a period of immense change here at Antstream. Bringing on someone with Mike’s expertise and experience in altering how people play games is a huge boost for us as video game streaming continues to drive the game industry forward as a whole. We look forward to working with him in taking our library of iconic video games to the biggest audience possible.”

Mike’s love of retro gaming is on full display on his Retro Gamer Boy YouTube channel, where he posts weekly unique videos delving into his own extensive retro gaming collection, and discussing the best retro games and consoles ever made. His retro gaming goal is to collect every SEGA Megadrive game, with only a few notable holdouts like Pirates of Darkwater standing between him and the holy grail of completionism.

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Flexion Enters into Partnership with ARK Games

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Flexion has signed a partnership with ARK Games to bring Fishing Travel to its growing portfolio of titles on the alternative app stores. The game will launch on the Amazon Appstore, Samsung Galaxy Store, Samsung Instant Play, Xiaomi GetApps, Epic Games Store and ONE store during during Q2 2026.

Fishing Travel is currently a Top 30 Grossing Casual game in the US alone. It has over 1 million downloads on Google Play and a 4.5-star user rating.

Flexion handles the technical work of bringing a game to alternative channels. This approach relies on 20 years of expertise and a deep bench of alternative market experts. On average, Flexion adds more than 10% in incremental revenue to the titles it represents. Its current portfolio includes 37 top-grossing games, including four titles that have reached the Top 10 grossing charts on Google Play.

As part of this agreement, Flexion will use its Exprexion Markets service to manage the technical requirements and platform relations for ARK Games.

“The old playbook for mobile growth is broken. For too long, developers have been forced to rent their audiences from a duopoly that takes a 30% cut of every dollar earned. We are providing the independence studios need to expand. By using Exprexion Markets, we help partners like ARK Games reclaim their margins and reach global audiences on their own terms,” said Jens Lauritzson, CEO of Flexion.

The mobile market is shifting towards alternative distribution as a strategic necessity. High store taxes and rising acquisition costs have made the traditional model difficult for many studios to sustain. Flexion acts as a partner in scaling revenue and securing earned margins without the typical upfront costs.

“We built Fishing Travel to be a high-quality simulation, and we want to reach the widest possible audience of enthusiasts,” said Xie Xiaoran, BD Director, ARK Games.

Fishing Travel is an exploratory fishing game where players choose from a variety of settings—lakes, rivers and the open ocean. Each location hosts unique species that require specific skills to catch.

The post Flexion Enters into Partnership with ARK Games appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

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BiS Brasília focuses on responsible governance for Brazil’s gaming and betting future

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BiS Brasília is confirmed for June 2–3, bringing a strong focus on responsible governance and the future of the gaming and betting industry in Brazil.

The event will take place on June 2–3 at the Royal Tulip Brasília Alvorada hotel.

The event will gather key stakeholders, authorities, and industry leaders to discuss major developments shaping the sector.

In its second edition, the event expects a 20% increase in attendance compared to last year.

“Reaching the second edition of BiS Brasília represents the consolidation of an essential space for dialogue between the private sector, authorities, and experts at a decisive moment for the Brazilian market.

Brasília is the center of the country’s major regulatory discussions, and bringing together key ecosystem players in the federal capital reinforces the event’s commitment to building a more transparent, responsible, and sustainable industry,” said Alessandro Valente, the cofounder.

Tickets are available at: https://brazilianigamingsummit.com/brasilia/

About BiS Brasília

In its second edition, BiS Brasília is an event dedicated to the iGaming and betting ecosystem, fostering dialogue between the private sector, public authorities, and society on the development of Brazil’s regulated market for gaming, casinos, and lotteries.

The event brings together business leaders, regulators, and industry experts to discuss key strategic topics such as Brazilian regulation, taxation, integrity, innovation, responsible gaming, compliance, AML / anti-money laundering, licensing, sports integrity, government relations, advertising, and CONAR standards.

BiS SiGMA South America is part of the SiGMA World events portfolio, one of the leading global platforms for B2B business networking and events focused on the gaming and betting industry.

The post BiS Brasília focuses on responsible governance for Brazil’s gaming and betting future appeared first on Americas iGaming & Sports Betting News.

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Tequity Publishing launches Mirror Image Gaming’s K-Pop Drop with Stake exclusivity

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Tequity Publishing has launched K-Pop Drop, a Burst Game from Mirror Image Gaming, with an exclusive first release on Stake. The game went live on 11th May 2026 and will be available only on Stake initially, before expanding to Tequity’s wider operator network the following week.

According to the companies, K-Pop Drop is an anime-inspired Burst Game featuring escalating multipliers and interactive mechanics. The title includes potential multipliers of up to 5000x and follows a character called Sakura as she progresses through gameplay features including boosts, landing zones, bonus triggers, and hazards.

“K-Pop Drop immediately stood out to us as the type of modern, high-energy content we believe is becoming increasingly important within the market,” said Dominic Sawyer, VP Growth at Tequity. “Players today are looking for more interactive, entertaining experiences that feel highly engaging from the first second of gameplay. Mirror Image Gaming has done a fantastic job creating a game with real personality and strong replayability, and we’re excited to launch it first with Stake before rolling it out across the wider network.”

Mirror Image Gaming CEO Gray Wagner said the Stake launch is intended to broaden the game’s reach. “We wanted K-Pop Drop to feel fast, unpredictable, energetic, and memorable – something that instantly stands out both visually and through gameplay,” said Wagner. “Working with Tequity Publishing and launching first with Stake gives the game an incredibly strong platform from day one, and we’re excited to see players experience it.”

Tequity said K-Pop Drop will become available to its wider operator network from the week commencing 18th May.

The post Tequity Publishing launches Mirror Image Gaming’s K-Pop Drop with Stake exclusivity appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

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