Gaming

New God Cliodhna is Out Today to Haunt SMITE’s Battleground

Published

5 years ago

October 20, 2021

Reading Time: 2 minutes

Hi-Rez and Titan Forge Games released SMITE’s new Celtic Goddess, the Banshee queen Cliodhna, in the latest major update.

Floating around in tattered rags, her fingers like claws, Cliodhna embodies the ever-dreaded figure of a specter. She brings a horror game feel to SMITE – just in time for the Halloween season. As all SMITE characters, Cliodhna can be unlocked for free just by playing.

With her ghostly form and blood-curdling wails, Cliodhna inspires despair among her enemies. She is said to haunt places where much blood has been shed, so it is no surprise that her lust for fear ultimately drew her to the Battleground of the Gods.

From a design standpoint, Cliodhna is an extremely ambitious Goddess. She can walk through and inside walls, a first in SMITE. From there, she lurks unseen until she lashes out towards her unaware prey in true Assassin fashion.
“When first designing Cliodhna we knew we wanted to bring a horror feeling to the Battleground”, says SMITE

Designer Daniel ‘PonPon’ Cooper. “During brainstorming the idea of her disappearing into a wall and then striking out from inside of it resonated with the team and we knew this would be the main feature that would truly make her a horrific opponent. Entering into a wall had to be smooth, the visuals needed to be clear, and the gameplay intuitive to make this work. Our team invested heavily into this new tech and as a team I believe we nailed it.
Not only do enemies need to fear the walls that surround them but when they face Cliodhna directly their senses may betray them. She is the only Goddess to Deafen enemies—briefly muting all sounds—and to become temporarily invisible only to the prey she is hunting. Beware the jump scare!”

Extensive details on Cliodhna can be found in this Closer Look blog post written by the developers.

Winter Conquest Map
With today’s update comes the new ‘Winter Deadwoods’ Conquest Map, bringing the Battleground of the Gods straight into snow and ice in a scary atmosphere befitting Cliodhna. This new map also introduces a new gameplay feature: Lanterns. They can be destroyed to create a cloud of Mist. Players inside turn invisible to enemies outside.

For the first time in SMITE, as part of the Living Conquest initiative the ongoing Season 8 is being played on a different map of Conquest every quarter, ensuring the action always feels fresh.

The Reaping Event
Gods go bump in the night as the Reaping, SMITE’s yearly Halloween event, is back! Players will be delighted to get six thematic skins including one for free, plus spooky cosmetic items unlocked with quests.

Beast Seer Artio can be unlocked for free through quests, while Halloween Hysteria Baron Samedi is an Exclusive bonus reward obtained after getting three skins. The ultimate collection reward is the Unlimited Screamy Chibi Izanami skin.

eSports

Study: 400m Gen Z esports fans say brand activations drive purchases

Published

2 hours ago

June 25, 2026

Wladimir P.

EFG, Hero Esports and Niko Partners survey 8,000 fans across eight markets; 74% report ads and brand presence influence buying.

ESL FACEIT Group (EFG), Hero Esports and Niko Partners have released a multi-country Gen Z esports study claiming around 400 million Gen Z consumers (20%) regularly engage with esports. The findings were published on 25th June 2026 in Cannes, France, in a white paper titled The Esports Generation: Who They Are & Why They Spend.

The report is based on survey data from 8,000 Gen Z esports fans aged 13-30 across eight markets. It positions esports as a high-attention channel for brands: 85% of respondents said they notice branding in esports, while 74% self-reported that advertising and brand participation in gaming spaces influences their purchasing behaviour. The study also reports that 66% have bought a product following a collaboration or co-branding partnership with an esports team, game or player.

On consumption and fandom touchpoints, the study found 71% regularly watch gaming content, including 66% who watch gaming livestreams and 33% who watch or listen to gaming podcasts. It also points to offline reach: 21% said they regularly attend gaming conventions and esports events, with the average respondent attending at least one in-person event in the past nine months.

The white paper also breaks out claimed purchase categories linked to esports collaborations over the past year, led by food and beverage (33%), electronics (33%) and fashion (32%). Beyond core categories, it reports 28% bought esports-related collectibles, 17% purchased makeup, beauty, or skincare products, and 10% bought from partnered brands in other categories.

Niccolo Maisto, CEO at ESL FACEIT Group said: “Esports has evolved into one of the most effective channels for companies looking to connect with Gen Z audiences at scale. What makes it unique is not just its reach, but the depth of engagement and trust that exists between fans, players, teams, and events. This research shows that esports fans are highly invested participants, not passive viewers, creating an opportunity for brands that show up authentically and build meaningful and lasting connections with this key audience.”

Danny Tang, Co-Founder and CEO of Hero Esports said: “This whitepaper confirms what we at Hero Esports have long believed: esports has evolved into a global cultural and economic force. The data shows an audience that is young, diverse, and deeply engaged. For brands, the message is clear—esports is no longer a niche market; it is the premier platform to connect with the next generation of consumers. We are proud to partner with Niko Partners and EFG to provide this blueprint for understanding and succeeding in this dynamic industry.”

Lisa Hanson, CEO at Niko Partners said: “Our data shows that, much like fans of other sports, Gen Z esports fans are incredibly passionate and have formed strong bonds within their communities. However, their media and consumer affinities extend well beyond gaming and esports, with our research revealing naturally connected interest areas that create valuable overlapping opportunities for brands and partners that show up authentically in this ecosystem.”

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Compliance

HIPTHER Launches HALLO: The Standard in Compliance Expertise

Published

3 days ago

June 22, 2026

GamingAmericas.com

hipther-launches-hallo:-the-standard-in-compliance-expertise

HIPTHER has launched HALLO (Highly Aligned Leaders in Legal Operations), a new platform designed to help organizations find and engage compliance professionals, legal operations experts and industry vendors. The company announced the launch in Europe.

HIPTHER said HALLO brings together a professional directory, industry intelligence hub, community platform and visibility tools aimed at sectors including gaming, fintech, payments, AI, cybersecurity, digital identity, AML and blockchain. The platform includes an Individual Professional Membership and an Enterprise Membership, with HIPTHER stating that all memberships include a 14-day free trial.

Alongside membership options, HIPTHER said compliance professionals can create free, publicly visible “Expert” profiles outlining experience and areas of specialization, with additional premium visibility opportunities available. The company positioned the platform as a way for organizations to discover and evaluate qualified compliance and legal operations expertise.

A core feature at launch is “HALLO Resources,” which HIPTHER described as an open-access compliance intelligence section that aggregates more than 17,000 regulatory and compliance-focused articles from the HIPTHER media network. HIPTHER said the section is updated daily, includes search by topic, jurisdiction and keyword, and covers areas such as gaming, fintech, AI, payments, AML, digital policy, cybersecurity and regulatory affairs.

Zoltan Tuendik, Co-Founder & Head of Business at HIPTHER, said: “Navigating the modern regulatory landscape requires more than just standard legal advice; it demands highly specialized, agile compliance expertise. With the launch of HALLO, we are bridging the critical gap between organizations facing complex global standards and the elite professionals who can guide them through. By combining an active directory with a massive intelligence hub, we are setting a new standard for compliance collaboration and empowering businesses to move forward with absolute confidence.”

HIPTHER also linked HALLO to its conference and media activities, including advertising and thought leadership opportunities through the Wayseers Booklet, an annual handbook it said is distributed at HIPTHER conferences in Europe and reaches more than 1,500 professionals across gaming, fintech, AI, compliance and regulatory sectors.

The post HIPTHER Launches HALLO: The Standard in Compliance Expertise appeared first on Americas iGaming & Sports Betting News.

1xBet

HLTV Awards returns to Belgrade on January 9, 2027, adding Lifetime Achievement honor

Published

1 week ago

June 17, 2026

Wladimir P.

hltv-awards-returns-to-belgrade-on-january-9,-2027,-adding-lifetime-achievement-honor

HLTV will stage the HLTV Awards presented by 1xBet in Belgrade, Serbia on January 9, 2027, returning to the Sava Center. The company said more than 1,000 players, industry professionals, creators, and fans are expected to attend.

HLTV also confirmed Dust2 creator David Johnston will feature as an award announcer. HLTV linked the booking to the 25th anniversary of Dust2.

For 2026, HLTV is updating its Hall of Fame process and eligibility rules. Four players will be inducted again, with “at least two and up to three” slots reserved for players from the Counter-Strike 1.6 and early eras. HLTV also removed the former “neo rule,” allowing players to be inducted for their playing careers even if they remain active in other roles such as coaching.

HLTV is adding a Lifetime Achievement Award, which will be decided by the Hall of Fame Board. The ceremony will also move Community Awards onto the main stage show for the first time, rather than the pre-show segment.

Separately, HLTV will kick off the 2027 Awards season with an invite-only “HLTV Awards by 1xBet Launch Party x GRID” in Cologne during the Major. HLTV said industry members can apply for an invite to the ceremony via its awards page.

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