Canada

Unity Releases New Report Highlighting Massive Global Demand for Multiplayer Gaming And New Insights on Player Preferences

Published

3 years ago

September 23, 2022

Unity, the world’s leading platform for creating and operating real-time 3D (RT3D) content, today released the Unity 2022 Multiplayer Report, to help developers better understand both player demand and preferences for multiplayer games. This report shows that more than half of the global population (52%) now play games and a majority of those gamers (77%) play multiplayer games. Additionally, it also reveals the importance of social factors in both influencing purchase decisions and fueling engagement in games. To give studios of all sizes immediate access to foundational building tools that will help accelerate multiplayer development and deliver the best connected gaming experiences, today Unity launched new self-serve features for Game Server Hosting and Matchmaker. These additions bolster an already robust portfolio of multiplayer solutions offered through Unity Gaming Services (UGS).

The 2022 Multiplayer Report reinforces that social factors play a critical role in driving purchasing decisions and overall engagement for a multiplayer game. When it comes to choosing a game, after genre, the most important considerations are whether friends are playing the game (34%) and the ability to chat with friends in game (31%). The most important features for the enjoyment of a game are the ability to quickly join a game with others (36%) and matchmaking with others at the same skill level (33%). The report also spotlights other key areas of player preferences:

Multiplayer gamers are playing without walled gardens – 91% of real-time multiplayer gamers play crossplay games.
Both core and casual gamers will invest in their games – Over half of all multiplayer gamers (61%) purchased game downloadable content in the thirty days before being surveyed.
Genre does not determine whether a game reaches a core or casual audience – While core audiences index slightly higher on traditional multiplayer genres, casual gamers aren’t restricted to specific game types like card and puzzle games.

“Multiplayer games are not only tremendously popular but they’re also more varied and diverse than ever before,” said Jeff Collins, SVP of Engineering, Operate Solutions, Unity. “From small-scale co-op to large scale battle royales, to everything in between, gamers are gravitating towards different ways to engage and play with one another, making a seamless social experience table stakes for any multiplayer game. With UGS’ multiplayer solutions, we are equipping developers and studios of all sizes with the best service offerings to deliver stable, scalable, and customizable experiences to connect players across any type of multiplayer game.”

The new self-serve features for both Game Server Hosting (Multiplay) and Matchmaker will help developers more quickly and effectively build and launch multiplayer games. Game Serving Hosting is a hassle-free dedicated game server hosting service that helps creators effectively scale their game to millions of players in minutes. Matchmaker allows developers to tailor their matches with rules-based matchmaking, enabling a better multiplayer experience with fast matches and low latency. Additionally, Netcode for GameObjects also officially launches today. This is a foundational framework and networking library built for the Unity game engine that simplifies the development of small scale cooperative games. To give developers hands-on learning with the new features and with multiplayer networking across different types of games, Unity also released three new and updated multiplayer game samples, including a large-scale Battle Royale sample developed with Photon Fusion. Learn more about the new self-serve features and game samples on our Unity blog.

The Unity 2022 Multiplayer Report draws on data collected by Unity in Q3 2021 and again in Q3 2022 through an online survey of multiplayer gamers in the US, UK, Korea, and Japan, which represent four of the top six countries in gaming revenue. Responses were collected from approximately 1500 gamers, with the data set consisting of 50% core gamers (gamers who spend at least four hours per week playing multiplayer games in any combination of the following traditionally multiplayer genres: Shooter, MOBA, MMO, racing, sports, or fighting), and 50% casual gamers (gamers who spend at least two hours gaming per week, of which at least 30 minutes is playing multiplayer). For a free copy of the Unity 2022 Multiplayer Report please visit https://create.unity.com/multiplayer-report-2022.

European Gaming Congress 2024 (Warsaw, Poland)

AGCO

INCENTIVE GAMES SECURES ONTARIO GAMING LICENSE

Published

2 days ago

August 4, 2025

GamingAmericas.com

incentive-games-secures-ontario-gaming-license

Incentive Games, a leading B2B games provider, is proud to announce that it has been awarded an Ontario Gaming License by the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO), effective today. This achievement enables the company to offer its portfolio of real-money games to licensed operators and players across the province.

The license underscores the Incentive Games’ commitment to meeting the highest standards of compliance, security, and operational excellence. The rigorous application process demands robust security protocols and comprehensive responsible gaming measures and affirms the company’s readiness to enter one of Canada’s most dynamic iGaming markets.

The North American market is a strategic focus for Incentive Games, and this milestone follows closely on the heels of the company receiving its Provisional Michigan gaming licence from the Michigan Gaming Control Board earlier this month.

Incentive Games will distribute its real-money gaming content in Ontario through Incentive Studios, the company’s dedicated Real-Money Gaming division, ensuring a focused and tailored approach to the market.

“Ontario represents a huge opportunity for us, and securing this license is a proud moment for the whole team,” said John Gordon, Chief Executive Officer at Incentive Games. “It reinforces our dedication to meeting the highest standards while delivering compelling real-money content. We’re looking forward to building strong relationships in the region and continuing our momentum across regulated markets worldwide.”

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AGLC

AGLC Announces New Board Chair

Published

1 week ago

July 28, 2025

GamingAmericas.com

Alberta Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis (AGLC) has announced the appointment of Larry Spagnolo as the new Board Chair, effective August 15, 2025. This announcement follows the official Order in Council issued by the Alberta Government and marks a new chapter in AGLC’s ongoing commitment to support communities, encourage responsible choices and position Alberta as the best place to do business.

Larry brings a wealth of experience in technology and business leadership to the AGLC Board and will play an integral role in guiding AGLC’s strategic direction. He is currently serving as VP and GM of Emerson’s SaaS SCADA business and has held senior roles at Zedi and Telus, driving innovation, growth, and global success.

A strong advocate for education and community, Larry serves as Vice Chair of Athabasca University’s Board of Governors and has held board roles with NAIT and Polytechnics Canada. He was awarded the King Charles III Coronation Medal for his community contributions.

AGLC and the Board of Directors extend their heartfelt thanks to Len Rhodes for his leadership and dedication as Board Chair since August 2019. He decided not to seek a third term and will continue to serve in this role until August 14, 2025. Len led AGLC through some significant milestones, including reducing red tape by 51%, growth of the emerging cannabis industry and ensuring AGLC delivered a balanced approach to business development, social responsibility, and regulatory oversight.

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Bonus Guardian

Pinnacle Ontario live with CasinoEngine in North America debut

Published

2 weeks ago

July 24, 2025

GamingAmericas.com

pinnacle-ontario-live-with-casinoengine-in-north-america-debut

EveryMatrix has expanded its partnership with tier-1 operator Pinnacle powering its new casino in Ontario, Canada, using CasinoEngine platform technology – the first time its platform solution has gone live in North America.

The latest agreement builds on the two companies’ previous collaboration that saw EveryMatrix’s CasinoEngine productivity platform power the well-known brand’s global casino offering.

The new launch takes the relationship to North America, marking EveryMatrix’s debut CasinoEngine platform integration in that market.

BonusEngine, EveryMatrix’s cross-vertical bonusing tool will be integrated in the second phase of launch. This will equip Pinnacle Ontario with a host of bonus types as well as AI-powered bonus abuse solution Bonus Guardian.

BonusEngine is the first of multiple engagement tools from EveryMatrix’s EngageSuite that Pinnacle plans to integrate.

With this comprehensive toolkit at its disposal, and the opportunity to add even more casino products in the future, Pinnacle Ontario can tailor campaigns, segment audiences, and reward players more effectively, creating a world-class digital entertainment experience for its customers.

EveryMatrix has more than 300 global customers and holds North American licences in Ontario, New Jersey, Michigan, West Virginia, Connecticut and Pennsylvania.

Stian Enger Petersen, CEO, Casino, EveryMatrix, said: “This launch marks a key milestone for EveryMatrix as we bring our market-leading CasinoEngine platform to Canada for the first time.

“We’re delighted to expand our partnership with Pinnacle and support their ambitions in Ontario with a powerful combination of platform, content, and engagement tools that are proven to drive success.”

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