Gaming

Nominations announced for first-ever Scottish Games Awards

Published

2 years ago

October 13, 2022

George Miller

Reading Time: 3 minutes

The longlist covers achievements in Art and Animation, Audio, Best Small Budget Game, Best Big Budget Game, and many more!
Winners will be announced on Thursday 27th October, as part of Scottish Games Week

The long list of nominees for the first-ever Scottish Games Awards has been released, celebrating the best games talent in Scotland. The awards – taking place at the Malmaison in Dundee on the 27th of October – will bring together a wide range of disciplines and specialities from across the games ecosystem and beyond, acting as a show of appreciation for those leading the charge across the growing and thriving sector.

The Scottish Games Awards ceremony is the culmination of the first ever Scottish Games Week, a first of its kind suite of events that will take place across Scotland from the 24th – 27th of October. Winners will be announced at the ceremony on Thursday 27th of October, tickets are available now via Citizen Ticket.

The award nominees are as follows:

European Gaming Congress 2024 (Warsaw, Poland)

Art and Animation

Just Take Your Left (Mehrdad Rezaei)
Cloudpunk (ION LANDS)
Galaxy Fight Club (Interference Pattern)
Train Sim World 2: Island Line 2022 (Rivet Games)
Autonauts vs Piratebots (Denki)

Audio

SOLAS 128 (Amicable Animal)
Train Sim World 2: Island Line 2022 (Rivet Games)
A Bonnie Odyssey (Astrodreamer Studio)
Agatha Christie – Hercule Poirot: The First Cases (Blazing Griffin)
Autonauts vs Piratebots (Denki)

Best Educational Programme

Glasgow Caledonian University: 3D Art and Animation
University of the West of Scotland Games Development Programme
Robert Burns’ Farm at Ellisland in Minecraft
Dundee & Angus College: HN Games Development
Glasgow School of Art: MSc Visualisation

Best Educator

Daisy Abbott
Dr Thomas Methven
Jane Draycott
Erin Hughes
Dr Lynn Love

Best Large-Budget Game

From the Depths (Brilliant Skies Ltd.)
Cloudpunk (ION LANDS)
Mystery Match Village (Outplay Entertainment Ltd)
Autonauts vs Piratebots (Denki)
Island Saver (Stormcloud)

Best Small-Budget Game

Temple of Snek (Aetheric Games)
The Black Iris (Jamie Ferguson)
SOLAS 128 (Amicable Animal)
The Baby in Yellow (Team Terrible)
Ultimate Supremacy (GameExplosion)

Creativity

SOLAS 128 (Amicable Animal)
Cloudpunk (ION LANDS)
Playhead (Lowtek Games)
Temple of Snek (Aetheric Games)
Strange Sickness (Common Profyt Games)

Diversity Champion

Joanne Lacey
Searra Dodds
Tanya Laird
Lauren Aitken
Charly Harbord

Lifetime Achievement

Colin Anderson
Tanya Laird
Stuart Martin
Dave Jones
Chris Sawyer

Stewart Gilray Award (Community Spirit)

Malath Abbas
Colin Macdonald
Colin Anderson
Dr Amanda Ford
Paddy Burns

Technical Achievement

Conquest.eth (Etherplay)
Monstrum 2 (Team Junkfish)
Ultimate Supremacy (GameExplosion)
A Bonnie Odyssey (Astrodreamer Studio)
From the Depths (Brilliant Skies Ltd.)

Tools and Technology

Dislectek
Murder Mystery Machine
Kythera AI
Zappaty
AdInMo

The long list of entries will now go to the judging panel, chaired by Chris Scullion, and comprising of:

Brian Baird: Technical Director at Bethesda Games Studios Austin
Joe Donnelly: Feature Writer at GamesRadar+
Alisdair Gunn: Director at Glasgow City Innovation District
Steven Hamill: COO at Scottish Edge
Keza MacDonald: Video Games Editor at The Guardian
Jim Trinca: Games journalist and video producer
Jo Twist: CEO of UKIE

The judges will be tasked with picking a shortlist and winners from each of the categories.

Brian Baglow, Director of Scottish Games Week and Founder of the Scottish Games Network said: “As the founder and director of the Scottish Games Network, I am lucky enough to see on a daily basis, the incredible work being carried out in Scotland and meet the people, the pioneers and the games which are shaping the future of the games ecosystem.

“However, not every game – or person – doing this work gets the visibility they need or deserve. The Scottish Games Awards are designed to address this and showcase the people, the organisations and the games which make Scotland such a wonderful place to create, publish, teach, learn, love (or even play!) games.

“We were thrilled to get such a wide range of entries and such a high level of excellence across each of the categories. I don’t envy the judges trying to select the winners from such a superb range of entries.

“Good luck to every entrant!”

Gaming

Portside Game Assembly: Studios behind Dead Cells, Dungeon Clawler, Dorfromantik, Blasphemous on board and ticket sales for brunch and party launched

Published

3 weeks ago

February 6, 2025

George Miller

portside-game-assembly:-studios-behind-dead-cells,-dungeon-clawler,-dorfromantik,-blasphemous-on-board-and-ticket-sales-for-brunch-and-party-launched

Reading Time: 2 minutes

With Portside Game Assembly, Gamecity Hamburg is welcoming studio heads and directors from successful indie game studios on a conference ship and other extraordinary locations in Hamburg on June 27. Benjamin Laulan, Co-Founder of Evil Empire, (Dead Cells, The Rogue Prince of Persia) will give a keynote on the Triple-i Initiative started by the French studio. At the Triple-i Showcase 2024, over 30 “iii games” were announced in 45 minutes, and 150,000 views were achieved on YouTube alone. Further speaker on board is Philomena Schwab, Founder of Stray Fawn Studio (Dungeon Clawler, The Wandering Village).

Portside Game Assembly celebrates its premiere as B2B-conference for international indie game leaders on June 27. There will be no direct ticket sales for the conference; instead, a curated list of participants will ensure that only studio heads and decision makers attend the conference on board a ship sailing through the port of Hamburg.

At the same time, the Networking Brunch and the Games Industry Party are open as networking events for interested contacts from the games industry to bring platform holders, publishers, and game companies into contact with the international conference participants. Studio leads from Denmark, Sweden, Switzerland, the UK, France, Spain, Canada, the USA, and Germany are already on board for the conference.

Portside Game Assembly is set to be a platform for decision makers and studio leads to exchange ideas, learn from each other, and face the challenges of the games industry through collaboration.

As the first announced talk of the conference, Benjamin Laulan (Co-Founder of Evil Empire) will present a keynote on the Triple-i Initiative and how to create your own announcement space and talk directly to your audience when you can’t really relate to other existing showcases. In addition, Philomena Schwab (Founder of Stray Fawn Studio & Publishing) will give a short talk about ways for game idea validation.

The program of the Portside Game Assembly will consist of keynotes, short talks, and roundtables.

Selection of already confirmed participants:

Evil Empire (Dead Cells, The Rogue Prince of Persia) / France
Stray Fawn Studio (Dungeon Clawler, The Wandering Village) / Switzerland
The Game Kitchen (Blasphemous I & II) / Spain
Toukana Interactive (Dorfromantik)/ Germany
Ghostship Publishing (Deep Rock Galactic) / Denmark
Landfall Games (Content Warning, Totally Accurate Battle Simulator) / Sweden
Chasing Carrots (Halls of Torment) / Germany
Foulball Hangover (Hydroneer) / UK
Siege Camp (Foxhole) / Canada

The post Portside Game Assembly: Studios behind Dead Cells, Dungeon Clawler, Dorfromantik, Blasphemous on board and ticket sales for brunch and party launched appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

Fourth Star

Fourth Star Launches Immersive Media Streaming Platform

Published

4 weeks ago

January 30, 2025

GamingAmericas.com

fourth-star-launches-immersive-media-streaming-platform

Fourth Star, the cutting-edge virtual reality immersive media streaming platform, is officially available to the public. This innovative platform transforms traditional entertainment by enabling users to seamlessly watch standard 2D, 180 and 360 immersive media content and movies. Fourth Star redefines how audiences engage with immersive storytelling, offering an unparalleled first-person centric perspective on entertainment.

“Fourth Star is more than just a platform – it’s a revolution in entertainment,” said Greg Simon, Co-Founder & CEO of Fourth Star. “We’ve created an immersive experience where users can not only consume content but also actively participate in it. Our vision is to transform how people experience media content and movies in a way that has never been done before.”

A New Era of Interactive Entertainment

The largest immersive media streaming platform available on Sidequest, users can explore nearly forty unique environments, interact with AI-driven crew, and experience entertainment in an entirely new way. Fourth Star offers a groundbreaking approach to digital engagement, whether socializing in the Cafe, customizing avatars in private Apartments or Ships, or stepping directly into a movie’s storyline.

“The combination of VR, AI, and blockchain in Fourth Star sets a new standard for immersive entertainment,” said Craig Wiltshire, CTO of Fourth Star. “Our vision is to seamlessly integrate all three technologies into the user experience. We are redefining the entertainment experience from passive observation to active creation.”

Built for Content Partners

Fourth Star is a self-serve platform designed for content partners of all sizes, from individual creators to blockbuster studios. Content partners can set up an account, create content channels, and begin monetizing their work immediately. No integration is required, allowing for seamless onboarding and instant access to a global audience. The Creator Portal empowers partners to distribute and profit from their immersive media with ease, making Fourth Star a truly open and accessible metaverse for digital entertainment.

Key Features of Fourth Star

VR Streaming Platform – Users can access nearly forty environments and own their own luxury apartments and ships all equipped with an immersive media streaming entertainment hub.
Social & Customization – Connect with others in dynamic social hubs, personalize your avatar, and invite your friends to your own luxury apartment and ship.
Player Portal – Users can access the web-based marketplace to explore content, invite friends,
Creator Portal – Set up an account, create content channels, and begin monetizing your work immediately. No integration is required, allowing for seamless onboarding and instant access to a global audience.
Blockchain Integration – The FSTR token, built on the Polygon blockchain, powers the ecosystem, providing secure transactions and exclusive rewards.
AI-Powered Companions – Coming soon

FSTR: The Utility Token Powering Fourth Star

FSTR serves as the primary ecosystem currency within the Fourth Star platform, enabling users to purchase Apartments, Ships, AI Companions, and exclusive content. Token holders benefit from:

VIP Access – Exclusive events, early screenings, and red carpet experiences.
Discounts – 25% savings on in-app purchases (IAPs) and entertainment content.

A New Paradigm in Entertainment

Fourth Star is designed to deliver the future of entertainment through merging cinematic storytelling with interactive gaming, offering:

A seamless transition from passive to interactive experiences.
A thriving community for players, creators, and investors.
Advanced AI integration for interactive AI characters.
Don’t just watch the star in the movie, become the star.

Availability and Access

Fourth Star is now live and available for users worldwide on Sidequest. Whether you’re an explorer, content creator large to small, storyteller, or entertainment enthusiast, Fourth Star provides an immersive space to experience digital entertainment like never before.

The post Fourth Star Launches Immersive Media Streaming Platform appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.

Gaming

Flexion partners with King to launch Candy Crush Solitaire© simultaneously across platforms

Published

1 month ago

January 17, 2025

George Miller

flexion-partners-with-king-to-launch-candy-crush-solitaire-simultaneously-across-platforms

Reading Time: < 1 minute

Significant industry first will see game launch from day one across 5 alternative stores in addition to Apple and Google.

Flexion, the games marketing company, announces a partnership with preeminent developer King to market new game Candy Crush Solitaire^© in alternative app stores.

Expected to be one of the exciting game announcements of the year, Candy Crush Solitaire^© will be available on the Amazon Appstore, Samsung Galaxy Store, Huawei App Gallery, Xiaomi GetApps and ONE store from the get-go thanks to Flexion’s expertise and technology. The game launches globally across platforms on 6 February and is already available for preregistration in all the stores.

Flexion has had a partnership with King since June 2024 to market Candy Crush Saga^© on the alternative stores. With this latest deal, both companies are breaking new ground with concurrent launches, taking them to the leading edge of games marketing.

“This is the first time King will launch simultaneously across such a wide range of platforms,” says Jens Lauritzson, Flexion’s CEO. “King has recognised that mobile audiences come from a more diverse range of markets these days, and we are thrilled to be able to help them reach those markets. Flexion has brought to the partnership the tech, experience and expertise to ensure the ultimate in user choice.”

Commenting on the deal, Benjamin Pommeraud, General Manager of Strategic Initiatives at King, says: “We’re excited to partner with Flexion to make Candy Crush Solitaire available to more players. As our first expansion of the Candy universe into a new genre, this collaboration reflects our ongoing commitment to delivering high-quality experiences that are accessible to everyone, no matter where they choose to play.”

The post Flexion partners with King to launch Candy Crush Solitaire© simultaneously across platforms appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.