Canada
Evolution Championship Series (Evo) 2022 Returns With Nine Game Lineup Headlined by Street Fighter V, TEKKEN 7 and Guilty Gear -Strive-
Evolution Championship Series (known as Evo), announced today the event is officially back and welcoming fans to its iconic home in Las Vegas with a combination of new and returning fighting games. The nine fighting games that will be featured at Evo on August 5-7, 2022 at the Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino are:
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Street Fighter V: Champion Edition – PS4 (Capcom)
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Guilty Gear -Strive- PS4 (Arc System Works)
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Mortal Kombat 11: Ultimate – PS4 (Warner Bros. Games)
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TEKKEN 7 – PS4 (BANDAI NAMCO Entertainment)
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THE KING OF FIGHTERS XV – PS4 (SNK)
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MELTY BLOOD: TYPE LUMINA – PS4 (Project LUMINA)
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DRAGON BALL FighterZ – PS4 (BANDAI NAMCO Entertainment)
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Granblue Fantasy: Versus – PS4 (Cygames and XSEED)
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Skullgirls: 2nd Encore – PS4 (Autumn Games)
“We are thrilled to present a slate of fighting games representing so many of the genre’s player-bases for Evo 2022,” said Rick “TheHadou” Thiher, General Manager of Evo. “Our team is incredibly excited to once-again host them in offline competition at Evo this August. There is nothing like the global Fighting Game Community’s energy when we gather for Evo, and I’m greatly looking forward to seeing what happens when we start the event series’ next chapter together later this year.”
As the largest and longest-running fighting game tournament, Evo’s storied history includes celebrating some of the best fighting game titles and players on the planet.
Street Fighter V: Champion Edition and TEKKEN 7 have been staples at Evo the last few years as two of the premier fighting games in the world. The popular newest entry in the series, Guilty Gear -Strive-, will be featured in the lineup at Evo along with the just-released THE KING OF FIGHTERS XV.
This year’s Evo will also mark the first appearances for Skullgirls: 2nd Encore, Granblue Fantasy: Versus and MELTY BLOOD: TYPE LUMINA in the lineup. Mortal Kombat 11 Ultimate returns for the third time at Evo and DRAGON BALL FighterZ will once again feature unique true-to-the-anime gameplay and team vs. team matches.
Registration is open now and fans can purchase tickets at evo.gg. Hotel rooms will be available at the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino. For those who want to watch, tournaments will be streamed live for the entirety of the event.
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Canada
Soft2Bet granted Ontario Certification of Registration and readies for imminent launch
Ontario Certificate is hugely promising as Soft2Bet continues its regulatory expansion
Soft2Bet, a leading provider of online betting and gaming solutions to regulated operators worldwide, is delighted to announce that it has been granted a Certificate of Registration in Ontario, Canada’s largest province, moving it one step closer to being able to launch its Tooniebet.com iGaming brand.
Obtaining its Certificate of Registration (Nbr: OPIG1280338) from the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) will enable Soft2Bet to continue its expansion into the world’s largest regulated jurisdictions.
Ontario has been a major success story for regulated online sports betting and casino in North America in the past two years. The province launched its regulations in April 2022 and latest figures for the fourth quarter of 2023 showed that operators recorded a 21% rise in wagers to CA$17.2bn and a 22% increase in gross gaming revenues to CA$658m, the highest ever revenue total in Ontario’s wagering history. Online casino was the main driver of this growth and generated CA$13.7bn of the total stakes and CA$471m in GGR.
Elisabeth Isaksson, Head of Regulatory Compliance at Soft2Bet, commented: “Being registered with the AGCO in Ontario is testament to the work our compliance and regulatory teams are doing daily to enable our continued expansion in the world’s largest regulated markets. We’re immensely excited about taking our first steps in North America and look forward to licensing and launching in more jurisdictions in the region.”
Chief Business Development Officer Martin Collins added: “This Ontario certification is another significant and important step in our corporate expansion plans. It fits perfectly with our stated aim of growing our regulatory footprint and we very much look forward to continuing forward on this path.”
Soft2Bet is also actively working to obtain a licence in New Jersey and continue its expansion in the Americas. This activity comes after the group obtained B2C licences in Italy, Greece and Romania in 2023.
Boxes
Hacksaw Gaming and DraftKings Score Again in Ontario
2023 saw Hacksaw Gaming go live in West Virginia and New Jersey and now we have made our long-awaited entry in Ontario, Canada. Securing this trio has hit new heights and hopes for further successes throughout the rest of this year.
DraftKings Casino entered the iGaming market in Ontario in May of 2022 and partnered with Hacksaw Gaming in the back end of the same year. As Ontario’s regulated iGaming market only went live in April of 2022, the pair have given an outstanding performance with effective launch strategies and expansive footing in North America.
Apart from gaining an unprecedented reach across regulated markets, the mobile-friendly format of Hacksaw Gaming games can be visited on phone or tablet via the DraftKings Casino app. Boasting an impressive online casino’s selection of over 300 games, DraftKings now welcomes Hacksaw Gaming favourites such as Chaos Crew, Mines, Omnom and Boxes.
“The benchmarks we have set as a partnership are remarkable and we are ready to take on more challenges continuing into 2024,” the Chief Executive Officer for Hacksaw Gaming, Marcus Cordes, said.
BetVictor
Exploring Canada’s video Game Market: Survey Insights
Technology has become a great source of entertainment to many. Video games particularly have garnered interest from all demographics. In Canada, the gaming industry has experienced significant growth, fuelled by increased accessibility to gaming platforms and the growth of online gaming communities.
Statistics indicate that a large percentage of Canadians are engaged in gaming activities, whether it be playing console or PC games, mobile games, or online multiplayer games. The popularity of video games extends beyond leisure pastimes, with many Canadians participating in gaming competitions, attending gaming conventions, and consuming gaming-related content on platforms like Twitch and YouTube.
The number of video game users in Canada reflects how broad the sector is, from mobile games to digital video games, download games and live streaming. In 2024, the gaming sector will see millions of users in each of these categories. Statista projects 13.38 million users for digital video games and 7.35 million users for online games respectively. It estimates that revenue in the Canadian video game market is expected to reach US$3,925.00m in 2024, so it is no surprise to observe the increasing popularity of the sector.
Well-known online casino provider BetVictor has compiled some key points from major surveys detailing the video game market to give further insight into its makeup and potential. The gaming culture in Canada is growing, which means the type of games and genres will grow along with the sector. Statista recently conducted a survey of 1 576 respondents aged 18 – 64 who are avid video game players, with telling results. In December 2023, a survey about preferred video game genres in Canada revealed the top four genres as being Action, Action – adventure, Adventure and casual games accounting for 31% of respondents’ preferences.
David Winter, Marketing Manager at BetVictor notes that “We’ve seen a steady increase in the popularity of action-themed and adventure-themed slots and many providers are exploring how to expand further into this market.”
The popularity of Action games such as platform and fighting games can be attributed to various factors, such as: social interaction, accessibility and inclusivity, social appeal, and cultural influence. With such a diverse audience, all these factors are crucial to understand the appeal of Action games.
In the digital age, gaming has transcended mere entertainment to become a cornerstone of culture, and nowhere is this more evident than in Canada. From coast to coast, a diverse community of gamers is thriving, reflecting the country’s inclusive spirit and passion for technology. Whether it’s the casual gamer enjoying a quick session on their smartphone or the dedicated enthusiast meticulously building a custom gaming PC, Canada offers a welcome haven for all kinds of gamers.
Diving deeper into the Statista results, Strategy games accounted for 29%. This shows us that players have a strong interest in tactical and decision-making games. While role-playing (RPG) and sports games garnered 22% each, simulation and shooters trailed slightly behind at 21% and 20% respectively.
MMO (massively multiplayer online games), as well as MMORPGs (massively multiplayer online role-playing games) and MOBA (multi online battle arenas) came in at 13% and 8% respectively, representing a significant but niche following. With such a diverse array of preferences, the survey underscores the multifaceted nature of interests among Canadian gamers. It highlights the need for game developers to cater for a wide range of genres and gameplaying styles in the Canadian market.
From action shooter games to role-playing adventures, the industry has something for every gaming enthusiast in the Canadian market. Overall, the popularity of video games in Canada reflects a growing cultural phenomenon, where gaming has become a mainstream form of entertainment and a significant aspect of modern-day leisure activities.
Statistics anticipate a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 7.10% for 2022-2027, resulting in a projected market volume of US$24.52bn by 2027. Canada’s online gaming market is experiencing a surge in popularity, with a surging number of Canadian players engaging in immersive virtual reality experiences.
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