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GameRefinery unveils the finalists for its annual Mobile GameDev Awards, celebrating the best in mobile game design

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The 2022 Mobile GameDev Awards finalists announced in seven categories covering different aspects of mobile game innovation and feature design, in USA, Japan and China.

Today, mobile game analytics specialist GameRefinery, a Liftoff company, is excited to announce that its jury has decided on the finalists for its second annual Mobile GameDev Awards. The awards recognise and celebrate innovation in mobile game design amongst developers in the USA, China and Japan.

The seven categories are:

Innovation and Excellence in Core Gameplay, (all regions)

Most Promising Soft Launch Game, (all regions) Biggest Evolver individually in USA, Japan, China Best Newcomer individually in USA, Japan, China

Best Feature Innovation, Best Event individually in USA, Japan, China and

Best Use of IP in Collaboration Events (all regions).

GameRefinery will announce the winners on the 24th of May 2022.

The 2022 Mobile GameDev Awards finalists have been selected by a panel of GameRefinery analysts, drawing on their extensive experience and expertise in games analysis.

GameRefinery’s platform tracks over 100,000 mobile games for market research, competitor intelligence, and player insights while providing more than 2,500+ in-depth game feature deconstructions and analyses.

 

Mobile GameDev Awards 2022 Finalists

Innovation & Excellence in Core Gameplay

The most innovative and well-executed core gameplay seen in 2021:

  • 无尽的拉格朗日 (Infnite Lagrange, China)
  • Gold and Goblins: Idle Merge
  • 哈利波特:魔法觉醒 (Harry Potter Magic Awakened, China)
  • Kingdom Guard: Tower Defence
  • ウマ娘 プリティーダービー (Umamusume Pretty Derby, Japan)
  • The Ants: Underground Kingdom
  • League of Legends: Wild Rift

 

Most Promising Soft Launch Game

The 2021 soft launch game most likely to be a breakout launch success based on gameplay:

  • Apex Legends
  • Clash Mini
  • Star Blast
  • Tower of Fantasy
  • Diablo Immortal
  • Honkai: Star Rail
  • Star Wars: Hunters

 

Biggest Evolver

The game that has developed the most during 2021 in terms of gameplay:

USA Finalists:

  • Merge Dragons!
  • Clash Royale
  • Garena Free Fire
  • Lords Mobile: Tower Defense
  • Rise of Kingdoms
  • Yahtzee® with Buddies
  • Cookie Run: Kingdom

 

Japan Finalists:

  • ステート・オブ・サバイバル (State of Survival)
  • Shin Sangokushi
  • ドラゴンクエストタクト (Dragon Quest Tact)
  • パズル&ドラゴンズ (Puzzle & Dragons)
  • プロ野球スピリッツA (Pro Yakyuu Spirits A)

 

China Finalists:

  • 植物大战僵尸2 (Plants vs. Zombies 2)
  • 谕 (Revelation)
  • 原神 (Genshin Impact)
  • 跑跑卡丁车官方竞速版 (PopKart Mobile)
  • 魂斗罗:归来-特战集结 (Contra Returns)

 

Best Newcomer

The best new entry into the market during 2021:

 

USA Finalists:

  • Beatstar
  • The Ants: Underground Kingdom
  • Royal Match
  • Kingdom Guard: Tower Defence
  • Family Farm Adventure
  • Zen Match – Relaxing Puzzle
  • The Lord of the Rings: Rise to War
  • No Limit Drag Racing 2
  • Idle Lumber Empire
  • League of Legends: Wild Rift

 

Japan Finalists:

  • ウマ娘 プリティーダービー (Umamusume Pretty Derby)
  • 二ノ国:Cross Worlds (Ni No Kuni: Cross Worlds)
  • ガーディアンテイルズ (Guardian Tales)
  • グランサガ(Gran Saga)
  • Nier Re[in]carnation

 

China Finalists:

  • 哈利波特:魔法觉醒 (Harry Potter: Magic Awakened)
  • 王牌竞速 (Ace Racer)
  • 幻塔 (Tower of Fantasy
  • 无尽的拉格朗日 (Infnite Lagrange)
  • 英雄联盟手游 (League of Legends: Wild Rift)
  • 重返帝国
  • 铲铲之战 (Battle of the Golden Spatula)

 

Best Feature Innovation

The most innovative new feature introduced in a game during 2021

  • 松松总动员 (Song-song Zong-dong-yuan, China) – Login calendar meets IAP offers
  • 松松总动员 (Song-song Zong-dong-yuan, China) – Innovative limited-time gacha event
  • Garena Free Fire – Special PvP modes
  • Cooking Diary – Social hangout areas
  • Yahtzee® with Buddies – Kingdom feature
  • Rise of Kingdoms – MOBA mode
  • Puzzle & Dragons (Japan) – Synchronous PvP mode
  • PUBG MOBILE – RP Activity Packs in Battle Pass
  • Highrise – NFT cosmetics
  • XFLAG’s Kotodaman and Monster Strike (Japan) – New gacha type with a social twist
  • Ensemble Stars!! Music (Japan) – Music co-op newcomer tasks

 

Best Event

 

The best in-game event held during 2021:

 

USA Finalists:

 

  • Yahtzee® with Buddies – Derby event

 

  • POP! Slots™ Vegas Casino Games – Win Zone event

 

  • Gardenscapes – Klondike Expedition event

 

  • Genshin Impact – Midsummer Island Adventure

 

  • Call of Duty®: Mobile – Anniversary event

 

  • Garena Free Fire – Pet Mania event

 

  • Mobile Legends: Bang Bang – Aspirants Unite event

 

  • State of Survival – 2nd Anniversary Airship Building event

 

Japan Finalists:

 

  • プロジェクトセカイ カラフルステージ! 初音ミク (Project Sekai Colorful Stage feat. Hatsune Miku) – New Year’s event

 

  • ドラゴンボール レジェンズ (Dragon Ball Legends) – Legends Festival

 

  • 妖怪ウォッチ ぷにぷに (Youkai Watch Punipuni) – Collaboration event with Neon Genesis Evangelion

 

  • 二ノ国:Cross Worlds (Ni No Kuni: Cross Worlds) – General events

 

  • NieR Re[in]carnation – Collaborations events with the earlier titles in the series (NieR Automata (launch), NieR Replicant and Drakengard 3)

 

China Finalists:

 

 

  • 松松总动员 (Song-song Zong-dong-yuan) – June 2021 Gacha event

 

  • 龙在天 (Legend of Yulong) – Fight the Landlord-card game event (doudizhu) in Jan

 

  • 神武4 (Shén wǔ 4) – Event with a real-life map to beat monsters and get points

 

  • 阴阳师 (Onmyoji) – recurring event with event-only customizable character

 

  • 富豪麻将 (Fuhao Majiang) – collaboration event with China Mahjong Masters Tournament

 

Best Use of IP in a Collaboration Event

 

Finalists:

 

  • 跑跑卡丁车官方竞速版 (PopKart Mobile) & Ali the Fox (China)

 

  • 肠派对 (Sausage Man) & Pizza Hut (China)

 

  • Top War: Battle Game & Transformers

 

  • 江南百景图 (Canal Towns) & Kentucky Fried Chicken (China)

 

  • Mobile Legends: Bang Bang & Hello Kitty (Sanrio Characters)

 

  • Roblox & 24kGoldn Concert Experience

 

  • PUBG MOBILE & Arcane (League of Legends)

 

  • 獅子の如く~戦国覇王戦記~ (Shishi no Gotoku – Sengoku Haousenki) & Rurouni Kenshin (Japan)

 

  • State of Survival & The Walking Dead (US)

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Soft2Bet Introduces MEGA11, a Football Manager Experience Designed to Elevate Sportsbook Activity

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Soft2Bet has revealed the debut of MEGA11, a football management game aimed at enhancing sportsbook interaction and improving player loyalty. Acknowledging that football manager and fantasy games rank among the most favored genres with the longest typical gameplay durations, MEGA11 provides a progression-oriented and captivating football manager experience focusing on fantasy league team construction, allowing players to tactically oversee their own teams and make important choices while competing in leagues and matches.

Users of sportsbooks are inherently used to waiting before making their next wager. That inactivity naturally leads to a decrease in daily engagement, even among bettors who are very focused on football. MEGA11 addresses this issue by providing users with a football management game seamlessly connected to the sportsbook experience. Rather than waiting for the upcoming kickoff, players can remain engaged by forming their team, modifying lineups, and battling in their personal matchups or leagues. This establishes a distinctive two-way interaction cycle, effortlessly integrating real-money wagering with social, engaging gameplay, transforming these calmer times into organized activity with defined objectives, advancement, and a motivation to come back.

MEGA11 is developed as an independent game featuring its own soft-currency system, without any direct links to sportsbook deposits or casino operations. The main experience is free-to-play, enabling players to advance at their own speed. For players seeking to advance quickly or enhance their team, MEGA11 provides optional purchases, such as more powerful player cards and boosters that speed up progress and offer a strategic advantage.

The engagement of the sportsbook is fueled by a straightforward, quantifiable mechanism. Each wager allows players to accumulate points that enhance their advancement in the football manager game. This advancement, consequently, activates sportsbook bonuses, actively encouraging ongoing involvement and strengthening consistent engagement. Advancement is organized via a five-level loyalty and gamification framework that reflects a football career trajectory: Beginner, Amateur, Professional, World Class, and Legend. The tiering aims to maintain motivation over time, providing a consistent feeling of progress that fosters longer-term retention instead of brief spurts of engagement.

The new engine enhances Soft2Bet’s larger MEGA portfolio, which currently features mechanics like MEGA Chance, MEGA Round, and MEGA Clawee. It further enhances Soft2Bet’s sportsbook offering with instant payouts, 24/7 support, and over 200 pre-match football markets, by introducing a perpetual football format designed to maintain fan engagement beyond the live match calendar.

The design of the product continues to prioritize player protection and compliance. MEGA11’s soft-currency, non-deposit model promotes secure and compliant interactions, emphasizing entertainment and advancement while adhering to responsible gaming standards in regulated regions.

Yoel Zuckerberg, CPO at Soft2Bet, stated: “MEGA11 is built to keep football fans engaged between matchdays, pairing a manager-style progression loop with a soft-currency model that supports compliant, long-term sportsbook loyalty. Football manager games are renowned for having the highest player immersion and longest session times in the industry. By bringing this experience to our partners, we are combining real betting with social gameplay to deliver authentic player experiences that resonate with fans and drive sustainable engagement.”

The introduction of MEGA11 enhances Soft2Bet’s emphasis on product-driven engagement, merging game design, loyalty strategies, and a robust regulatory framework to assist operators in achieving more reliable retention during the football season. The technology has received significant industry awards and is eliciting a strong positive reaction from players, confirming its influence on engagement and long-term value generation.

The post Soft2Bet Introduces MEGA11, a Football Manager Experience Designed to Elevate Sportsbook Activity appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

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58% of respondents like the“warmy” archetype. Rocket Match by RocketPlay became “ Valentine’s Tinder in Gaming”.

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58%-of-respondents-like-the“warmy”-archetype-rocket-match-by-rocketplay-became-“-valentine’s-tinder-in-gaming”.

This Valentine’s, RocketPlay tested a playful idea: players who seek thrills in gaming don’t necessarily want intensity in everything — including relationships. Instead of asking users to pick a “perfect partner,” RocketPlay launched Rocket Match, a fast, flirty quiz that matches players with a vibe: Bold, Sunny, Dreamy, or Adventurous.

Early Results Flip the Stereotype

Around 58% of participants matched with the Sunny archetype — defined by warmth, charm, and easy-going fun. The experiment suggests that when it comes to Valentine’s, RocketPlay’s community prefers light-hearted connection over drama or high stakes.

What Rocket Match Is

Rocket Match is a Valentine’s matchmaking quiz built inside the RocketPlay Universe. Players answer five simple, no-wrong-answer questions and instantly discover their match vibe.

The goal: move away from typical Valentine’s content that swings between overly serious romance or clichéd tropes. Rocket Match keeps it flirty, playful, and moment-focused, letting players discover a vibe rather than a label.

The four vibes include:

  • Bold – confident, high-energy, loves bigger sparks

  • Sunny – easy-going, playful, social, effortlessly charming

  • Dreamy – soft, romantic, focused on atmosphere and emotion

  • Adventurous – playful risk-taker, spontaneous, curious

Community Insights from Rocket Match

The quiz quickly gained traction, with 7,000+ completions, revealing a strong preference: Sunny, the archetype defined by warmth, lightness, and charm.

Alex Martin, PR Lead at RocketPlay, said:

“What we liked most about Rocket Match is how clearly it captured the mood people actually want on Valentine’s. It wasn’t about labels or big statements — it was about light energy, easy chemistry, and a feel-good kind of connection. That’s the vibe we try to build across the brand: simple to join, fun in the moment, and positive without the drama.”

Why It Matters

Rocket Match was more than a Valentine’s gimmick. It offered a snapshot of what RocketPlay’s community enjoys most: light energy, playful interaction, and feel-good connections. By turning a pop-culture moment into a small experiment, RocketPlay gained insight into player preferences, informing how the brand continues to design engaging, fun, and positive experiences.

The post 58% of respondents like the“warmy” archetype. Rocket Match by RocketPlay became “ Valentine’s Tinder in Gaming”. appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

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58% of respondents like the“warmy” archetype. Rocket Match by RocketPlay became “ Valentine’s Tinder in Gaming”.

Published

on

58%-of-respondents-like-the“warmy”-archetype-rocket-match-by-rocketplay-became-“-valentine’s-tinder-in-gaming”.

This Valentine’s, RocketPlay tested a simple idea: people who come to iGaming for thrill don’t necessarily want the same intensity in everything — including relationships. Instead of asking players to choose a “perfect partner,” we launched Rocket Match, a fast, playful quiz that matches players with a vibe — bold, sweet, dreamy, or adventurous.

Early results flipped the stereotype. Around 58% of participants matched with the same vibe — built around warmth, charm, and easy fun — suggesting that when it comes to Valentine’s, our community prefers light-hearted connection over drama or risk.

What Rocket Match is

Rocket Match is a Valentine’s matchmaking quiz built as a small cosmic adventure inside the gaming RocketPlay Universe. Players answer 5 light questions — no right or wrong answers — and instantly unlock a Rocket Match that compliments themself. The idea was simple: Valentine’s content online often swings between two extremes — overly serious romance or pure cliché. Rocket Match was created to do something different: keep it flirty, keep it playful, and let players discover a vibe that feels like a moment, not a label.

There were 4 vibes to match with:
Bold — confident, high-energy, loves a bigger spark and bolder choices.
Sunny — easy-going, lighthearted, funny, good communicator
Dreamy — softer, romantic, drawn to atmosphere and emotion.
Adventurous — playful risk-taker energy; spontaneous, curious, and always up for something new.

The lightweight Valentine’s experiment quickly gained traction, with 7,000+ players completing the quiz. The unexpected value came after: the answers revealed a clear preference in what players wanted Valentine’s to feel like — and that insight became the story.

Across responses, around 58% of participants landed on the same Rocket Match vibe — the “sunny” archetype. It’s defined by warmth, lightness, and easy charm: playful, social, and effortless to be around.

What it says about RocketPlay’s community

Rocket Match offered a clear read on the kind of Valentine’s energy players gravitate toward — and it’s lighter than the usual “high-stakes romance” stereotype. As Alex Martin, PR Lead, puts it: “What we liked most about Rocket Match is how clearly it captured the mood people actually want on Valentine’s. It wasn’t about labels or big statements — it was about light energy, easy chemistry, and a feel-good kind of connection. That’s the vibe we try to build across the brand: simple to join, fun in the moment, and positive without the drama.”

What started as a fun Valentine’s experiment quickly became a snapshot of what the community enjoys most: light energy, easy chemistry, and feel-good connection. Valentine’s was simply the right moment to test a playful, pop-culture format — and see what kind of “match” people gravitate toward.

The post 58% of respondents like the“warmy” archetype. Rocket Match by RocketPlay became “ Valentine’s Tinder in Gaming”. appeared first on Americas iGaming & Sports Betting News.

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