Gaming

Former Findex Financial Adviser joins Balthazar

Published

4 years ago

March 2, 2022

Reading Time: 3 minutes

Esteemed financial adviser Terry Vogiatzis has joined NFT gaming platform Balthazar, as Chief Investment Officer, leading the organisation’s investment strategy.

Vogiatzis was formerly one of the youngest Associate Partners at investment management firm Findex, responsible for $100 million in funds under management. His passion for building wealth through innovative strategies led him to explore, and now join, the cryptocurrency industry.

“I’m excited to apply learnings and principles of traditional finance and markets to the cryptocurrency space, and help build a cryptocurrency and DAO (Decentralised Autonomous Organisation) from the ground-up,” said Vogiatzis.

“I’m also excited to manage Balthazar’s internal treasury, implementing cryptocurrency strategies which are already proving successful.”

Built for the NFT gaming community

Balthazar’s mission is to empower the biggest gaming community to create a self-sustaining, wealth-building ecosystem. Through its scholarship program, Balthazar invests in NFT gaming assets for players to use to earn in-game reward tokens. The yields from these NFTs are shared between Balthazar and the players – known as “scholars”, or as Balthazar terms its “Wizards”.

Balthazar is innovating further than a traditional gaming guild, developing technology to gain a competitive advantage. This includes a platform for NFT asset holders to lend their NFTs to Balthazar and earn a yield, and a launchpad for gaming developers to access the Balthazar community.

Early success

Following its launch in September 2021, Balthazar has seen rapid growth with over 70,000 people in its Discord community and over 35,000 people on its waitlist for its scholarship program.

Last month, Balthazar closed its first token sale of US$3 million led by Animoca Brands. It is soon to close a Private Token Sale round of US$8 million with a valuation of US$150 million.

“We are thrilled to have Terry on board,” said John Stefanidis, Balthazar CEO. “With his experience and background in traditional finance, coupled with a deep understanding of the cryptocurrency market, Terry brings a unique and highly valuable strength to Balthazar.”

Following Terry’s appointment, Balthazar recorded a 90% return (US$300,000 profit) in one month from a combination of investing in Pegaxy governance tokens (PGX) and in-game rewards (yields). Pegaxy is a blockchain-based digital horse racing game.

The explosive NFT gaming space

The play-to-earn market has seen explosive growth over the past year. In fact, the most popular NFT game, Axie Infinity, generated over US$1.3 billion in revenue, more than any other dapp/blockchain behind ethereum, according to Token Terminal.

Other gaming guilds such as Yield Guild Games, Merit Circle and Crypto Gaming United, all hold fully diluted valuations of more than US$2 billion.

Strength in Balthazar’s financial expertise

In his new role, Vogiatzis will be responsible for developing Balthazar’s internal investment strategy and tokenomics.

“Launching a cryptocurrency requires far more thought than one may think, especially when trying to parallel fundamentals to traditional investments,” said Vogiatzis. “For example, the most difficult thing about monetising on fully diluted valuations is building liquidity and market depth, as the majority of tokens adding to this valuation have not yet vested. Various strategies need to be considered when incentivising liquidity such as offering “staking rewards” for investors that provide liquidity to the market, and tying this into the gradual vesting of investor tokens.”

Vogiatzis will also conduct regular virtual workshops, teaching the Balthazar community about financial literacy.

“I’m humbled to have the opportunity to make a difference in our community by helping people learn not just about the benefits of cryptocurrency strategies but also the risks involved and the importance of diversifying into other asset classes,” said Vogiatzis. “I believe NFT gaming will make a positive impact for many people, particularly in developing countries.”

Balthazar’s management team includes six other highly accomplished executives:

John Stefanidis, CEO: one of Australia’s leading digital marketing and ecommerce experts, he has developed and scaled several businesses including digital marketing agency, Covert.
Hairul Lutfi, CFO: Over 15 years experience in accounting and compliance, specialising in fintech and fast growth startups.
Bijan Abdollahi, COO: Skills and qualifications in engineering, business, and complex project development.
Kristian Bortnik, CTO: Deep information architecture (IA) and tech strategy skills, having managed large teams across multinational clients.
Peter Nay, CMO: Experienced in brand building, marketing and scaling e-commerce brands.
Michelle Hutchison, CCO: Over 16 years experience in international media and communications, including digital marketing, cryptocurrency compliance and fintech.
Nicholas Korsgård, CGO: Game Strategy E-Sports coaching phenomenon. Professional gamer at the highest level for both LoL and Starcraft.

Big Time Gaming

BTG Launches the High-Stakes Thriller, Millionaire Megapots™

Published

17 hours ago

March 10, 2026

Wladimir P.

btg-launches-the-high-stakes-thriller,-millionaire-megapots

Step into the Hot Seat and chase life-changing wins in Millionaire Megapots, the latest prime-time release from Big Time Gaming.

This isn’t a game for the faint-hearted. Players take centre stage on the studio floor, facing the electrifying reels where every spin could change everything.

The tension ramps up when six or more Coin symbols land anywhere on the reels, triggering the thrilling Hold and Spin feature with three respins to start. Each symbol position becomes its own reel, revealing additional Coins holding prize amounts, multipliers, or coveted Megapots icons. Every time new Coins land, respins reset to three, keeping the stakes high as the total prize climbs. At the end of the respins, total prizes are multiplied by all revealed multipliers. Collect three matching Megapots icons to win the corresponding jackpot.

For the ultimate thrill, if every reel position reveals a Coin, the Hold & Win bonus doubles the total prize—delivering a show-stopping finale. The Mini, Midi, and Mega Megapots, displayed above the reels, showcase dynamic jackpots that change with every spin and can only be won during the Hold and Spin feature.

Inspired by the iconic Hot Seat from Who Wants to Be a Millionaire, the Hot Seat Free Spins Gamble replicates the same heart-pounding risk-versus-reward excitement. Players can climb the ladder for up to 50 Free Spins, with unsuccessful gambles risking lost spins. Rungs two and seven act as safety nets, guaranteeing 10 and 20 Free Spins, while classic Lifelines—50:50, Phone a Friend, Ask the Audience—offer support at every stage.

Free Spins are triggered by landing three or more Millionaire Scatters, awarding 10 spins and entry to the Hot Seat Gamble ladder. Each Scatter moves players up the ladder, and during Free Spins, win multipliers start at 1x and increase with every Coin that lands. Additional Scatters extend spins, building tension and potential.

For instant intensity, Bonus Buy offers direct access: Hold and Spin for 65x stake, 12 Free Spins for 125x, or 20 Free Spins for 250x. Power Play, available for 8x stake, guarantees at least 10,000 Megaways per spin.

With up to 200,704 Megaways, high volatility, and a maximum win of 91,000x the stake, Millionaire Megapots delivers the drama, spectacle, and life-changing ambition of the Hot Seat—all powered by BTG’s signature gameplay innovation.

Nik Robinson, Founder and CEO of Big Time Gaming, said:
“With Millionaire Megapots, we wanted to capture the raw, edge-of-your-seat tension of the Hot Seat. By combining our Megaways engine with Megapots and the Hot Seat Free Spins Gamble, players truly feel the heat of the studio floor. It’s all about the big risk, rising stakes, and life-changing reward.”

The post BTG Launches the High-Stakes Thriller, Millionaire Megapots™ appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

Asia

GodLike Esports’ gaming creator Sharkshe unveils upgraded gaming room powered by Red Bull

Published

17 hours ago

March 10, 2026

Wladimir P.

godlike-esports’-gaming-creator-sharkshe-unveils-upgraded-gaming-room-powered-by-red-bull

GodLike Esports star Sharkshe has revealed her newly upgraded gaming room, created in partnership with Red Bull to deliver a premium streaming and content production setup.

Sharkshe, one of India’s leading female gaming creators, boasts over 500,000 YouTube subscribers and is known for her lifestyle content and livestreams featuring games like Battlegrounds Mobile India (BGMI).

The revamped room is designed to elevate both her streaming and content creation. It features moveable custom studio lights for flexible shooting angles, allowing Sharkshe to produce a variety of content without leaving her room.

Red Bull branding is integrated throughout the setup, including a Red Bull cooler, custom can holders, and a mesh wall for hanging memorabilia and personal items. The layout doubles as a fully functional content studio.

The upgraded space will now serve as Sharkshe’s central hub for livestreams, videos, and other creative content, enhancing the experience for her audience.

The post GodLike Esports’ gaming creator Sharkshe unveils upgraded gaming room powered by Red Bull appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

Edvardas Sadovskis CPO at ICONIC21

Drive player engagement higher with ICONIC21’s Mines

Published

20 hours ago

March 10, 2026

Wladimir P.

drive-player-engagement-higher-with-iconic21’s-mines

Provider introduces an additional arcade game to its expanding collection, enabling operators to capitalize on the increasing demand for dynamic content.

A single action transforms everything in Mines, the newest virtual game from sought-after iGaming content creator, ICONIC21.

Mines operates on a clear grid where each successful uncovering of a safe location immediately increases the multiplier. Enabling the user to choose both the grid dimensions and the count of hidden mines grants them greater control over the unpredictability and possible expansion of their session.

This style of play focuses on the “Cash Out,” a moment of heightened control where the player chooses precisely when to lock in their progress before a mine resets the game board.

The essence of the experience is influenced by managing risk and timing. Players have the option to choose from 3×3, 4×4, or 5×5 grids, in addition to deciding how many mines can show up, effectively creating their own risk-to-reward ratio on the spot.

Mines secures complete market reach with one product, enhancing lifetime value as users revisit to explore new strategies amid various volatility levels, fostering deeper and more meaningful engagement.

This changes the game into a high-efficiency, streamlined format that seamlessly accommodates all player groups.

Edvardas Sadovskis, CPO at ICONIC21, said: “Mines is the perfect balance between simplicity and strategy. Players choose their grid, define their own risk-reward level, and decide how far they want to push their luck.

With the option to use autoplay for fast gameplay and the potential for extremely high multipliers, it creates a thrilling experience where every click matters.

In addition, ICONIC21 provides flexible real estate for custom branding, allowing operators to deliver a bespoke experience that aligns with their specific market identity and target audiences.“

The post Drive player engagement higher with ICONIC21’s Mines appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.