Gaming
Opera GX blasts off with Operius, the new arcade space shooter to play in the browser when your WiFi is gone
No WiFi? No problem! Created in GameMaker Studio 2, Operius has won the Game Jam to become the Opera GX Browser’s first offline mode game and is playable starting now
We’ve all experienced the unexplainable horror of having to deal with some flakey internet connections. In those moments where the WiFi is gone, Operius will help take your mind off your frustration with its fast-paced arcade gameplay. Created in the game creation suite GameMaker Studio 2, Operius is playable in the Opera GX browser today. The game will appear whenever your network crashes. Those with a stable connection who really want to try Operius, can simply type opera://operius in Opera GX’s address bar.
Designed by Mors, Operius is set in a world where all of the world’s computers simultaneously lose their connection to the internet, with a strange UFO that is hovering in the sky appearing to be the cause of the outage. The only way to restore the planet’s internet is to navigate through the inner workings of the UFO and take it down from the inside, a task that involves shooting hordes of alien invaders and dodging obstacles to advance to the next level.
In July, Opera GX launched its “No Internet” Game Jam to find the game that would keep its audience of more than 10 million gamers entertained whenever they lose their connection. With more than 900 entries, all created in GameMaker Studio 2, the competition was ferocious. But one game, Operius, elevated itself above the rest and emerged triumphant after topping the public polls that saw eight hand-picked games garner over 100,000 votes from the Opera GX and GameMaker communities.
Operius features razor-sharp, retro-inspired vector graphics which pay homage to the great space-based arcade shooters of the eighties with a pulsating high-adrenaline soundtrack written by Catonator. Being offline doesn’t mean you can’t play together: Operius features an offline two player mode: all you need to do is share your keyboard with another person and enter the two player mode.
‘We believe gamers deserve a better game than jumping dinosaurs or surfers. That’s why we started the Opera GX game jam and found Operius. Operius is a highly addictive ultimate offline game to rule them all,” said Maciej Kocemba, Head of Opera GX.
“With Operius, I wanted to make a fun arcade-inspired shooter to take the players’ minds off being offline and perhaps even make them forget they were supposed to get back online in the first place,” said Mors.
‘In creating the shortlist, we were looking for a game that’s fun to play, looks and sounds fun and, most importantly, that you want to play over and over again,’ added Kocemba.
Alongside becoming the new offline game in Opera GX and saving many a gamer from what is otherwise an incredibly frustrating experience, Operius developer Mors, also receives a $10k cash prize. Two runners up Aliens Stole My WiFi and Nettie & Settie Save the Internet also each receive cash prizes of $7k and $3k respectively.
Luckily, users won’t have to rip out their router to play Operius, as it is available to play when you don’t have connection issues in GXC. GXC is Opera’s upcoming self-publishing platform and will allow indie game makers to publish their GameMaker Studio creations directly to the platform and for free – for other users to enjoy and give instant feedback. Operius, as well as Aliens Stole My WiFi and Nettie & Settie Save the Internet will be available in GXC.
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Battle of the Tribes
POLYTOPIA WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP 2025 BREAKS RECORD PARTICIPATION AS FINALS DRAW CLOSER
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Celebrated strategy game The Battle of Polytopia confirms its first ever World Championships has exceeded expectations with over 10,000 sign-ups in its qualifying rounds. While no stranger to tournaments, previously hosting smaller scale, local tournaments called ‘Polysseums’, developer Midjiwan’s first step into global esports has been met with extreme success. The inclusive esports event has a $10,000 prize pool and will conclude on 6 December 2025, 14:00-21:00.
The finals will take place in front of a live-studio audience, with expert commentary and a chance to peek behind the scenes at Midjiwan itself. First place will receive $4,000, the runner-up will take away $2,000, the third and fourth place finishers will get $1,500, and the fifth and sixth place $500.
The Polytopia World Championship 2025 is being hosted by eSports platform, Challengermode, who Midjiwan has relied on for its monthly local tournaments since 2022. Midjiwan also partnered with Black Molly Entertainment to help organise and manage the event. Black Molly Entertainment have years of experience managing eSports tournaments, with notable events including the Geoguesser World Cup and CS:GO Pinnacle Cup Championship.
Midjiwan has worked closely with its community to ensure engagement is high with each round, building a bespoke ‘Spectator Mode’ into the game so fans can watch each game live through the game itself. In the spectator mode the viewer has visibility of all players simultaneously, with stats on how many cities, technologies, kills and more available for quick access.
Christian Lovstedt, CEO of Midjiwan commented:
“Polytopia has always been about welcoming all kinds of players into the world of 4X strategy. That’s why our championship is open to everyone – not just pros with sponsors. We’ve been thrilled at the amount of interest this tournament received from our community, reaching participation numbers way beyond our expectations. We’re excited to bring the finalists to Stockholm and can’t wait to see the strategies that emerge.”
The Polytopia World Championship 2025 kicked off in September, with its ‘Battle of the Tribes’ qualifying round – weekly battles where players competed to be the best in each of the game’s 12 tribes. After an exciting six weeks, the top player from each tribe faced-off, reducing the qualifiers to six finalists. These six winners are listed down below.
|
Tribe |
Qualifying Player |
|
IMPERIUS |
ArthurL248 |
|
BARDUR |
slimmingboy |
|
OUMAJI |
Dreamlander3000 |
|
HOODRICK |
Theetat |
|
XIN-Xi |
LeLiberateur |
|
LUXIDOOR |
Meisterlampe |
Recaps of each round of the tournament prior to the finals can be watched on the official Battle of Polytopia YouTube channel.
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Part 1: Polytopia World Championship 1st Qualifiers Wrap-Up – BARDUR, IMPERIUS, KICKOO, ZEBASI
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Part 2: Qualifiers Wrap-Up – Oumaji Hoodrick Yadakk & Quetzali – World Champoinship 2025
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Part 3: Final Qualifiers Wrap-Up – Xin-Xi, Luxidoor, Ai-Mo & Vengir – World Championship 2025
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Face-off stream: https://youtube.com/live/GnU6mWPoJiY?feature=share
To watch the finals live on December 6,visit here: https://polytopia.io/stream/
To stay up to date on the Polytopia World Championship 2025, or purchase one of the limited tickets for the live event, visit the official website or join the Official Polytopia Discord.
The post POLYTOPIA WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP 2025 BREAKS RECORD PARTICIPATION AS FINALS DRAW CLOSER appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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Leading iGaming supplier Delasport teases a one-of-a-kind sports betting crash game called Betiator – a new in-play experience that merges live sports with the tension and excitement of crash games.
Inspired by the groundbreaking casino genre, the company once again pushes the whole industry to a new phase in evolution by allowing sports bettors to play in the same easy and fun way as fellow casino players. Crash games are booming in the casino world, showing that players crave more emotional, fast, and visually engaging formats – and Betiator brings that same adrenaline-charged energy to the sportsbook.
It changes the scene by introducing a truly innovative way to bet on sports, keeping players at the edge of their seats during the game. Designed to excite both sports bettors and casino players, it marks a defining moment for innovation.
This product comes as a logical next step in the evolution of live betting and the company’s goal to disrupt the iGaming industry. It demonstrates Delasport’s successful commitment to unique innovation: a strategy they call “Going Beyond Content” –building on the success of products and features like SuperPot, My Sportsbook, My Combo, Double My Winnings, and many more.
“Sports bettors deserve the same level of innovation and excitement that casino players get all the time,” Delasport’s CEO Oren Cohen Shwartz says. “At Delasport we’re taking the whole game to a new playing field with Betiator. Live betting won’t feel outdated anymore as we’re bringing in the thrill of the casino to sports betting.”
While details about Betiator remain under wraps for now, Delasport promises a completely new way to experience live sports. Operators and partners eager to see it in action can schedule exclusive demos and discover more at ICE Barcelona 2026, taking place January 19–21, where Betiator will make its official debut.
The post Delasport Unveils a Crash Game for Sports Betting appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
Central Europe
game’s 2026 industry barometer – the mood in the German games industry is beginning to brighten
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The post game’s 2026 industry barometer – the mood in the German games industry is beginning to brighten appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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