Gaming

Gaming & iGaming trends for 2021

Published

5 years ago

May 28, 2021

Reading Time: 3 minutes

Gaming and iGaming industries exploded in 2020 as the pandemic has only reinforced the new edge entertainment trend. In times of massive uncertainty, the world turned to simulate reality games as a new way to connect and unwind.

According to Statista, today there are already more than 2.7 billion video gamers worldwide. The entire video gaming market is expected to be worth over $200 bln by 2023. As to iGaming, around 1.6 billion people gamble throughout the year, while the global online gambling market is anticipated to be valued at more than $92.9 bln by 2023.

Here we’re going to explore the impact of the pandemic in these domains, uncover new trends within the booming industries and learn what to expect for 2021.

Changes in the industries in the COVID times

Lloyd Richman, CEO of iBet Digital, thinks that since COVID-19 first hit, a lot of sportsbook bettors, who used to bet on a daily basis, started to look out for new things to bet on. “For sure, they were very unhappy, because almost all sports competitions had stopped at that moment. And this is why virtual sports have uplifted, as well as eSports”.

Lloyd briefly explained the difference between virtual sports and eSports.

“Virtual sports are predetermined or pre-recorded games architected by computer software. It’s very much a virtual video, that’s played out and then people can bet on that in real-time. Whereas in eSports people are competing against each other playing the likes of Counter-Strike or FIFA whether they’re playing individually or as teams. It’s streamed in real-time and viewers are able to bet on it the same way they do with sports.”

Will Mercer, venture director at Zag, a founder and CEO of Umaya Village, pointed out his favourite stats about eSports: “The entire of tennis as a sport can only support 300 full-time professional players, whereas League of Legends, which is just one of the many eSports, can support a thousand.”

At the end of 2020 Esports entertainment group acquired Lucky Dino for $30 mln, an online casino operator with its own proprietary casino platform. “You’ll probably see a lot more eSports levelling up with Sportsbook in 2021 because there’s a lot of money in that business”, says Lloyd Richman.

Poker also saw huge growth, in spite of the fact that just a few years ago, it was considered as a dying out product. Today poker products started to boom again across the whole industry. “People had time to kill while being stuck at home, sleeping patterns were changed and they were able to invest into things like 6-hours tournaments as opposed to quick Sit & Go games”, says Richman.

But all of this might change very quickly. “When poker was huge five years ago, eSports wasn’t really around. But today we’re seeing that virtual games are getting pushed a lot more. The same appeals to live casinos that boomed in the last few years. But all of it probably will go back into decline again, because the real sports are back”, noticed Lloyd.

From a technological perspective, there are several trends just coupling all together in an interesting way.

There’s a tremendous growth of the social media component in gaming. It became really important both in games and in-gaming infrastructure like Discord. “Gaming acts as the niche to hanging out and talking in comfort with your own communities and friends”, adds Vlad Beck, founder of Black Snow Games & co-founder of Sigma Software Group.

At the same time streaming has shown enormous growth compared to pre-pandemic. Twitch jumped from 9 billion hours watched in 2019 all the way to 17 billion in 2020. This is also accompanied by 5G getting up and running.

Casino in GTA V and the future of in-game experience

GTA V has sold over 110 million copies, making it one of the best-selling video games of all time, generating over $6 bln worth of revenue. In 2019 Rockstar released its Diamond Casino & Resort update, which lets players use real money to play its games. The casino’s chips can be purchased with in-game currency at a $1 to 1 chip ratio.

Richman believes that the full-time merging between online computer games and online casinos is happening right now. “It’s been happening, but very slowly. Rockstar released their Casino update six years after they released the original game.”

“In that week after they released the casino update, it was the most anticipated downloadable content (DLC) ever across PlayStation. They had more players playing GTA than they had in the previous six years”, emphasised Lloyd.

The audience wants to come on and play slots, walk up to blackjack people and watch virtual sports on horse racing. Rockstar merged into the casino and into gambling via creating slot games on an RPG computer game level. This is the accelerated change in gaming, and in the next 10-15 years merges like this are going to happen on a regular basis.

Arcade

Pragmatic Play Elevates Arcade Roster with the Im-Peck-Able Chicken+

Published

5 hours ago

March 26, 2026

Wladimir P.

pragmatic-play-elevates-arcade-roster-with-the-im-peck-able-chicken+

Pragmatic Play, a prominent content provider for the iGaming sector, has enhanced its arcade collection with the debut of Chicken+, a retro-themed game showcasing fast-paced action and significant winning opportunities.

Brought to existence with retro 8-bit visuals, the game tests players to evade approaching vehicles and various dangers, leading the chicken safely over the road.

With each lane successfully cleared, the win multiplier increases. Players can withdraw their earnings whenever they choose or try to navigate all lanes for the top reward, but a single random mishap concludes the round as a defeat. Players are able to view the possible winnings and the likelihood of success in reaching each lane to aid in their decision-making.

There are four levels of risk – Easy, Mid, Hard, and Daredevil. Raising the level reduces the number of lanes per round and increases the volatility, enhancing the maximum win potential from 24x in Easy mode to over 3,000,000x in Daredevil.

Blending nostalgic visuals with an eccentric theme, a user-friendly interface, and rapid betting rounds, Chicken+ meets the increasing demand for engaging, fast-paced games.

The title signifies the newest entry in Pragmatic Play’s continually growing arcade collection, succeeding the launches of Plinko+, Spire+, and Mines+.

Sharon McHugh, Director of Public Relations at Pragmatic Play, said: “Chicken+ blends retro charm with simple, high-engagement mechanics. With configurable risk levels and significant win potential, it stands out as another compelling addition to Pragmatic Play’s diverse arcade portfolio, inviting players to test their nerve and cross the road.”

The post Pragmatic Play Elevates Arcade Roster with the Im-Peck-Able Chicken+ appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

Brazil

LOUD and SuperGaming Launch Prime Rush in Brazil, Bringing Battle Royale and Extraction Gameplay for Mobile

Published

3 days ago

March 23, 2026

Wladimir P.

loud-and-supergaming-launch-prime-rush-in-brazil,-bringing-battle-royale-and-extraction-gameplay-for-mobile

Prime Rush, a new mobile shooter blending battle royale survival with extraction-style mechanics, has officially launched in Brazil on the Google Play for Android and the App Store for iOS. Developed by SuperGaming in collaboration with Spacecaps—the parent company of LOUD—the game has been shaped by direct input from Brazilian players and creators throughout its Closed Beta and Early Access phases.

Prime Rush introduces a fresh twist on the traditional battle royale formula. Beyond simply being the last squad standing, players can secure victory early by extracting Cosmium, a rare resource that appears during the final circle. This dual win condition forces squads to choose between outlasting opponents or adopting a more tactical approach to secure extraction.

The game also features a dynamic tactical ability system designed for fast-paced mobile combat. Active abilities such as DeadEye, Shield Dome, Super Speed, and Hunter’s Instinct allow players to approach matches with different strategies, focusing on precision, defense, mobility, or intelligence.

Bruno Bittencourt, CEO of LOUD, said:
“We’ve always believed Brazil has one of the most passionate gaming communities in the world, yet for years we’ve been playing games that weren’t built with us in mind. Prime Rush is a game created for Brazilian players, shaped daily by the communities we’ve built over the past decade. We’ve been listening to them every single day. It’s a game that finally feels like home.”

Roby John, CEO and Co-founder of SuperGaming, added:
“Brazil has one of the most competitive mobile shooter audiences we’ve seen, and from the beginning we wanted Prime Rush to be both authentic and accessible. That meant building a game that feels true to Brazil while ensuring it runs smoothly across a wide range of devices, so more players can experience it as intended.”

Set on the island of Maré, the game’s main battlefield supports its battle royale extraction format. It also introduces a Mini TDM mode (Favela)—a fast-paced 4v4 mode designed for quick, high-intensity firefights on the go.

At launch, players can choose from a roster of Brazilian heroes including Juliana, Rafael, Miguel, Rogério, Dos Santos, Julia, and Gustavo, with deep customization options available. Weapon personalization is enhanced through Evo-X skins, featuring upgradeable visuals, multiple Chromas, unique animations, custom sound effects, and distinctive combat feedback elements.

Prime Rush also debuts with several limited-time modes such as DeadEye Rush, Pants in the Air, and Weapon Roulette, offering short, action-packed sessions beyond the core gameplay.

The game launches alongside its first Ranked Season, where players can progress through tiers including Bronze, Silver, Gold, Platinum, Diamond, Champion, Legend, and Cosmic.

Check out the launch trailer right here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Op5KreKoLmY

Season 1 Battle Pass: Street Legends introduces a range of rewards, including:

New Avatars: Laura, Juliana, Rafael
Weapon Skins: Subliminar, Grafitada, Suavidade, Firmeza, Raiz, Brabo, AK-BR7
Melee Weapon: Chinela (Slipper)
Vehicle Skin: Lenda Urbana
Additional items such as stickers, dive trails, emotes, and portraits

Powered by SuperGaming’s in-house SuperPlatform, the game supports Android 7+ devices with 4GB RAM and iOS 15+. Early Access data shows stable performance at 40 FPS on lower-end devices, with up to 60 FPS on mid- to high-end hardware, ensuring accessibility across a broad range of devices in Brazil.

SuperGaming continues to optimize Prime Rush for additional devices, with performance and visual quality varying depending on hardware and player settings.

The post LOUD and SuperGaming Launch Prime Rush in Brazil, Bringing Battle Royale and Extraction Gameplay for Mobile appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

Brazil

LOUD and SuperGaming Launch Prime Rush in Brazil, Bringing Battle Royale and Extraction Gameplay for Mobile

Published

3 days ago

March 23, 2026

GamingAmericas.com

Prime Rush, a new mobile shooter combining battle royale survival with extraction-style gameplay, has officially launched in Brazil on the Google Play Store for Android and the App Store for iOS. Developed by SuperGaming in partnership with Spacecaps, the parent company of LOUD, the game has been built with direct feedback from Brazilian players and creators during its Closed Beta and Early Access phases.

Prime Rush introduces a unique twist to the traditional battle royale format. In addition to surviving until the end of the match, squads can secure an early victory by extracting Cosmium, a rare resource that spawns during the final circle. This dual win condition creates a match environment where squads must decide whether to outlast opponents in a final-circle finish or take a more tactical route to win through Cosmium extraction.

The game also features a flexible tactical ability system built for high-tempo mobile combat. Active Abilities such as DeadEye, Shield Dome, Super Speed, and Hunter’s Instinct allow players to approach matches through precision, defence, mobility, and intel respectively.

Speaking on this development Bruno Bittencourt, CEO of LOUD said, “Brazil has one of the most passionate gaming communities in the world, yet we’ve spent years playing games that weren’t built with us in mind. Prime Rush is a game created for Brazilian players, shaped daily by the communities we’ve built over the past decade. We’ve been listening to them every single day. It’s a game that finally feels like home.”

“Brazil has one of the most competitive mobile shooter audiences that we have seen, and from the start we wanted Prime Rush to be both authentic and accessible,” said Roby John, CEO and Co-founder of SuperGaming. “For us, that meant building a game that feels true to Brazil while also making sure it runs smoothly across a broad range of devices so more players can experience it the way it was meant to be played.”

The battle takes place on the island of Maré, the setting for Prime Rush’s battle royale extraction experience. Prime Rush also includes a Mini TDM mode (Favela). This is a quick 4v4 mode designed for shorter, high-intensity firefights on the go.

At launch, the game introduces a lineup of new Brazilian heroes including Juliana, Rafael, Miguel, Rogério, Dos Santos, Julia, and Gustavo, with character customization allowing players to personalize their experience. Players can also customize their weapon experience with the new Evo-X skins. These are upgradeable gun skins featuring three switchable Chromas, enhanced visuals and VFX, unique inspect and reload animations, custom fire SFX, unique kill feed treatment, and distinct muzzle and tracer effects.

Prime Rush goes live with multiple limited-time modes including DeadEye Rush, Pants in the Air, and Weapon Roulette, offering players shorter duration matches for quick jump-in and jump-out between sessions beyond its core battle royale extraction gameplay.

The game launches with its first Ranked Season, allowing players to climb through Bronze, Silver, Gold, Platinum, Diamond, Champion, Legend, and Cosmic.

Check out the launch trailer right here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Op5KreKoLmY

Season 1 Battle Pass: Street Legends

The Season 1 Battle Pass: Street Legends is also here, bringing a new lineup of rewards for players as they progress through the season. These include:

New Avatars: Laura, Juliana, Rafael
Weapon Skins: Subliminar, Grafitada, Suavidade, Firmeza, Raiz, Brabo, AK-BR7
Melee Weapon: Chinela (Slipper)
Vehicle Skin: Lenda Urbana
Additional Rewards: Stickers, Dive Trails, Emotes, and Portraits

Prime Rush System Requirements

Powered by SuperPlatform, SuperGaming’s in-house tech-stack, Prime Rush currently supports Android 7 and above with 4GB RAM, as well as iOS 15 and above. Based on Early Access performance reports, the game delivers a stable 40 FPS on lower-end devices with recommended graphics settings, while mid to high-end devices can achieve up to 60 FPS.

This makes Prime Rush playable across a wide range of mobile devices, helping ensure that more players in Brazil can access the game on both Android and iOS.

SuperGaming is continuously optimizing Prime Rush to support more devices over time. Performance and visual fidelity may vary depending on hardware and user-selected graphics settings.

The post LOUD and SuperGaming Launch Prime Rush in Brazil, Bringing Battle Royale and Extraction Gameplay for Mobile appeared first on Americas iGaming & Sports Betting News.