Connect with us

Asia

iCandy Acquires Renowned Lemon Sky Studios, To Form Largest Game Development Company in Australia and Southeast Asia

Published

on

Reading Time: 3 minutes

 

iCandy Interactive Limited announced its 100% acquisition of the leading Southeast Asian gaming studio, Lemon Sky Studios. This acquisition adds strategic value and significant scale to iCandy’s existing capabilities. It will form the largest pure-play game development company on the Australian Stock Exchange, and in Australia and Southeast Asia too, with more than 450 employees while generating no less than A$17 million (US$12.36 million) revenue per annum.

With significant interest and best-regarded growth in gaming driven by the metaverse concept, iCandy Interactive and Lemon Sky will be a leading powerhouse through its regional expansion plans in developing casual and AAA gaming on blockchain for the open metaverse.

The metaverse is a virtual world that allows work and play, shared by millions (or billions) of people. It is built with next-generation technology encompassing Virtual Reality, Augmented Reality and Video and Gaming technologies.

Advertisement
European Gaming Congress 2024 (Warsaw, Poland)

iCandy Interactive’s core business is in game development, game publishing, and esports. The company is the co-founder of the global esports league and platform, Esports Players League (ESPL), fast-growing across 17 countries in Southeast Asia, South Asia, Latin America and Europe.

Games on the iCandy network are played by over 360 million mobile gamers worldwide. The gaming studios based in Malaysia, Singapore and Indonesia have won multiple awards, including Google Play’s Best of 2016 and 2017 New Android Excellence Game Award* Games Award for Crab War and other various coveted international events.

Its latest game release, Claw Stars, is a top-rated mobile game with over 1 million downloads since its initial release in July 2021. It has received more than 50,000 4-star and 5-star reviews on Google Play and App Store.

Founded in 2006, Lemon Sky Studios is an award-winning video game and animation studio world-renowned for providing innovative visual art solutions for critically acclaimed

AAA gaming titles ranging from Overwatch 2, Call of Duty – Infinite Warfare, to SimCity, Diablo 3, StarCraft: Remastered, amongst many other illustrious titles.

Advertisement
European Gaming Congress 2024 (Warsaw, Poland)

The studio has amassed an incredible clientele over its 15-year history, working with gaming industry leaders such as Blizzard Entertainment, Naughty Dog, 2K Games, Square-Enix, Bandai Namco, Microsoft Studios, EA Entertainment, Disney and Nickelodeon.

“Lemon Sky Studios is a phenomenal acquisition and an excellent addition to iCandy Interactive. We now have this unparalleled capability in the region, we will focus a fair bit of our newly gained superpower to make high-quality games for the metaverse, arguably the most important development for the gaming world.” says Kin W. Lau, Chairman of iCandy Interactive.

He adds, “Lemon Sky Studios’ track record in creating world-class visuals for AAA games is highly regarded in the industry. To merge our expertise with a studio like Lemon Sky is truly phenomenal, and we cannot wait to see the outcome of integrating our teams,”

“Collaborative partnerships in the creative industry are pertinent to keeping things fresh and innovative. We are positive that this merger will encourage creative working methods and bring about new ideas. We are extremely excited about the possibilities that lie ahead,” said Cheng-Fei Wong, CEO of Lemon Sky Studios.

The acquisition will be at a valuation of MYR135 million (A$44.5 million, US$32.4 million), to be fulfilled together with cash and newly issued iCandy shares.

Advertisement
European Gaming Congress 2024 (Warsaw, Poland)

Concurrent with the acquisition, iCandy has also announced that it has raised A$40 million (US$29.1 million) from institutional investors via a placement that is heavily oversubscribed.

Leading iCandy’s latest fundraising round is another gaming heavy-weight, Animoca Brands, iCandy’s cornerstone investor. Animoca is a global leader in gamification technology and blockchain gaming with an extensive portfolio of over 100 investments in NFT-related companies and decentralised projects contributing to building the open metaverse. They raised more than US$200 million in 2021 and is currently valued by investors at US$2.2 billion. Separately, The Sandbox – Animoca’s subsidiary raised US$93 million recently, in a round led by Softbank Vision Fund 2.

The global video game industry is estimated to be worth A$214.33 billion (US$155.95 billion) in 2020**. With the APAC region leading the industry at 49% of the worldwide market, there is a clear pathway for growth with enormous upside potential expansion.

Powered by WPeMatico

Advertisement
European Gaming Congress 2024 (Warsaw, Poland)
Continue Reading
Advertisement

Asia

Xailient and Konami to Debut Privacy-Safe Biometric Innovation for Table Games at G2E Asia 2025

Published

on

xailient-and-konami-to-debut-privacy-safe-biometric-innovation-for-table-games-at-g2e-asia-2025
Reading Time: 2 minutes

 

Xailient Inc., the world leader in privacy-safe computer vision AI, announced the debut of a groundbreaking biometric innovation in partnership with global gaming leader Konami Gaming Inc. At G2E Asia 2025, Konami will unveil SYNK Vision Tables, a new addition to its award-winning SYNKROS casino management system, powered by Xailient’s privacy-preserving facial recognition AI technology.

Attendees of G2E Asia 2025 will be among the first to experience SYNK Vision Tables in action, as Konami showcases the new technology at Booth #B1303 at The Venetian Expo in Macau. The solution delivers seamless player recognition, real-time rating and instant rewards—marking a transformational step in the convergence of biometric technology and gaming operations.

This latest innovation extends the success of SYNK Vision Slots to the live table games environment, providing casinos with a unified biometric ecosystem that automatically recognizes players as they sit down—without the need for loyalty cards. For players, the experience is frictionless, secure, and personalized. For operators, it offers powerful real-time insights, reduced fraud risk, and improved player engagement.

Advertisement
European Gaming Congress 2024 (Warsaw, Poland)

“SYNK Vision Tables represents a major leap forward in biometric player tracking. By combining Xailient’s real-time, privacy-safe AI face recognition with Konami’s SYNKROS system, we’re delivering next-generation capabilities that enhance the player experience while upholding the highest standards of privacy and data protection,”said Lars Oleson, CEO of Xailient.

Mallika Patel, VP of Product at Xailient, said: “Face Recognition AI provides triple benefit from a single technology. Responsible gaming, anti-money laundering, and patron loyalty programs all benefit from robust and reliable replacement to carded play.”

“Together with Xailient, we’re enabling operators to unify their slots and tables under a single intelligent ecosystem. With SYNK Vision Tables, operators can improve the accuracy and efficiency of their loyalty programs while providing players with a streamlined, personalized, and cardless experience,” said Joe Mayer, Systems Sales & Operations Manager at Konami Australia Pty Ltd.

The post Xailient and Konami to Debut Privacy-Safe Biometric Innovation for Table Games at G2E Asia 2025 appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

Advertisement
European Gaming Congress 2024 (Warsaw, Poland)
Continue Reading

Asia

DigiPlus Officially Incorporates Singapore Hub to Power Global Growth

Published

on

digiplus-officially-incorporates-singapore-hub-to-power-global-growth
Reading Time: < 1 minute

 

DigiPlus Interactive Corp, the Philippines’ leading digital entertainment company, has taken a step forward in its international growth strategy with the official incorporation of DigiPlus Global Pte Ltd in Singapore.

Fully owned by Diginvest Holdings Inc, a 100% subsidiary of DigiPlus Interactive, the newly established DigiPlus Global will serve as the company’s international hub—driving its global ambitions through strategic partnerships, talent acquisition and corporate support. The entity is formally registered under Singapore’s business activity classification for head and regional offices, acting as DigiPlus Interactive’s centralised administrative and management office.

While the Singapore entity will focus solely on regional support services, it will not operate any gaming platforms in Singapore, in full respect of the country’s regulatory framework.

Advertisement
European Gaming Congress 2024 (Warsaw, Poland)

“This is not just an expansion; it’s a foundational step in our growth strategy. By anchoring our international presence in Singapore—one of the world’s most advanced business ecosystems—we are accelerating DigiPlus’ transformation into a globally recognized force in digital entertainment,” said DigiPlus Interactive Chairman Eusebio Tanco.

The move enables DigiPlus to deepen its access to global expertise, strengthen cross-border collaboration and build high-value relationships in key markets. It will also accelerate the company’s ability to pioneer the next wave of digital entertainment innovations as it continues to grow its digital platforms—BingoPlus, ArenaPlus and GameZone—which already dominate the Philippine market.

The post DigiPlus Officially Incorporates Singapore Hub to Power Global Growth appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

Continue Reading

Asia

KONAMI GROUP CORPORATION Named “Most Honored Company” in the Gaming Sector in Extel’s “2025 Japan Executive Team” Survey

Published

on

konami-group-corporation-named-“most-honored-company”-in-the-gaming-sector-in-extel’s-“2025-japan-executive-team”-survey
Reading Time: < 1 minute

 

KONAMI GROUP CORPORATION has been named “Most Honored Company” in the gaming sector in Extel’s (formerly Institutional Investor) “2025 Japan Executive Team” survey.

This survey is conducted by Extel to select listed Japanese companies with outstanding IR activities based on votes from 541 investors and analysts from 237 firms, nominating a total of 533 companies.
In the gaming sector, KONAMI GROUP CORPORATION ranked first in the categories of “Best CEO” (Sell-Side), “Best Investor Relations Professional,” “Best Investor Relations Program,” and “Best Company Board,” and as a result, the company has been named the “Most Honored Company.”

To increase our corporate value, KONAMI GROUP CORPORATION places high priority on constructive dialogue with shareholders and investors to deepen mutual understanding. In FY2025, the company held over 400 IR meetings, with our top management actively participating in quarterly financial results briefings and overseas IR roadshows. The “Most Honored Company” designation is in recognition of these efforts.

Advertisement
European Gaming Congress 2024 (Warsaw, Poland)

KONAMI GROUP CORPORATION will continue to work to achieve sustainable growth and enhance our corporate value over the medium-to-long-term through our IR activities.

The post KONAMI GROUP CORPORATION Named “Most Honored Company” in the Gaming Sector in Extel’s “2025 Japan Executive Team” Survey appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

Continue Reading

Trending

Get it on Google Play

Fresh slot games releases by the top brands of the industry. We provide you with the latest news straight from the entertainment industries.

The platform also hosts industry-relevant webinars, and provides detailed reports, making it a one-stop resource for anyone seeking information about operators, suppliers, regulators, and professional services in the European gaming market. The portal's primary goal is to keep its extensive reader base updated on the latest happenings, trends, and developments within the gaming and gambling sector, with an emphasis on the European market while also covering pertinent global news. It's an indispensable resource for gaming professionals, operators, and enthusiasts alike.

Contact us: [email protected]

Editorial / PR Submissions: [email protected]

Copyright © 2015 - 2024 - Recent Slot Releases is part of HIPTHER Agency. Registered in Romania under Proshirt SRL, Company number: 2134306, EU VAT ID: RO21343605. Office address: Blvd. 1 Decembrie 1918 nr.5, Targu Mures, Romania