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Exclusive Q&A w/ Antoine Jullemier, VP of Gaming at Bidstack

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Tell us about your career to date and how you came to join Bidstack? (highlights and stories)

I’ve been immersed in the video games industry, digital environment and ad tech for the last 7 years, and specialise in advertising and monetisation. In 2016, I left my dear France to join the London branch of the French ad-exchange Mozoo and develop the Surikate product in Europe, which was the direct performance arm of the business (UA) for leading games and lifestyle apps. Following a period of significant growth, Mozoo acquired AdinCube in 2017, a leading ad mediation platform for game app developers. Here I was given the opportunity to join the new team, where I utilised my expertise to secure publisher partnerships across the EMEA region. A year later, in 2018, following a rapid period of expansion, AdinCube was acquired by Ogury, where I successfully built the gaming publisher portfolio from the ground up. Here I was able to onboard game studios such as Miniclip, Kwalee, Outfit7, Crazy Lab Games, Good Job Games and many more. In 2021 I was given the opportunity to join Bidstack to scale up the publisher portfolio across mobile, PC, and console and I am now responsible for the supply side of the business in Europe and in various other markets globally.

 

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What does your role as ‘VP of Gaming’ at Bidstack entail?

Primarily it is focused on managing and working with a young and entrepreneurial team who are passionate about gaming and helping game developers and publishers to unlock a new, incremental revenue stream that protects the gaming experience for the end user.

Reporting to our US-based SVP Gaming, my role is essentially to lead business development for Europe with game developers and publishers across the UK, EMEA and other international territories.

Our mission is to educate studios on the benefits of integrating Bidstack’s monetisation technologies, regardless of platform and structuring deals with AAA publishers, leading game studios, and AAA titles.

 

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What drew you to the games industry?

My path into gaming was carved out quite naturally. If I take a step back, I’ve always been passionate about gaming and have been a player myself for as long as I can remember. I can still see myself playing the SEGA Mega Drive with my brothers and spending hours on my Gameboy or Nintendo DS before evolving with each generation of new consoles like the PS1, PS2, the Xbox 360 etc.

When I started my career, I began in digital and advertising on mobile, first on the UA side of things at Surikate from Mozoo and then on the in-game monetisation side through various ad mediation platforms and ad networks; this gave me the opportunity to engage with game studios for the very first time.

The creativity, genuine talent, and passion surrounding these individuals really made an impression on me, and I found it amazing to discover more about programmatic exchanges and all the rules, processes and technical considerations that were happening in the background of the games themselves in order to drive revenue for those studios.

Today, I’m very grateful to work within such a fast-growing and ever-evolving industry. The gaming market is a multi-billion dollar industry that engages around 3 billion gamers yearly, and that number only looks set to grow.

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The industry is no longer a niche interest; video games are now mainstream and very much a part of everyday life for billions. Advertisers have started to pay more attention to that in addition to their traditional media mix like TV, Print or Social Media, which makes it the best place to be, in my opinion.

What’s super exciting in our industry is that you can never get bored. From new user privacy and data protection laws, new monetisation formats and gaming platforms to record-breaking mergers and acquisitions, there is always something new happening.

 

Are you a gamer in your downtime/what do you play?

I’m still a gamer myself, mainly on console. I’m a big fan of my PS5, and if you don’t find me hitting some COD Modern Warfare 2 these days, I will probably be trying to finish Elden Ring!

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Bidstack is an in-game advertising and video game monetisation platform. What does this mean in practice?

Bidstack’s mission is to empower game developers to dynamically control and monetise space within and around their gaming environments.

Our programmatic platform pioneered how brands deliver ads into natural spaces within video games – with these brand experiences varying from trackside banners and cityscape billboards to pitchside LED boards, skins and other contextually relevant surfaces within a gaming environment.

The platform was designed with performance in mind, and all of our products ensure stability and security for our partners across their in-game, rewarded video, and in-menu inventory. Our proprietary technology also ensures that the realism of a game is maintained by rendering effects on top of creatives to make them a seamless part of the experience.

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Bidstack gives publishers total control over what appears in their games via our AdConsole – here; they are able to approve or reject ads in real-time before they appear in their gaming environments. We further bolstered our ad quality capabilities with the acquisition of Pubguard (a malvertising and ad quality platform) in 2019, with their suite of tools ensuring that we deliver a premium advertising experience for our partners and maintain strict category exclusions.

Bidstack delivered the world’s first programmatic in-game campaign in 2018. Since then, we have grown from a team of 4 staff to more than 80 across 5 international locations and became a public company listed on the London Stock Exchange. We also have a unique sales footprint thanks to our strategic partners and secured a strong portfolio of +150 games across Mobile, PC and Console.

However, Advertising represents just one use case for our technology, with many of our gaming partners utilising the platform as a content management tool to reduce dev cycles and manage brand licensing relationships across their titles.

 

What are the benefits of in-game advertising for developers and players?

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The benefits are numerous. Our technology unlocks a new, sustainable route to revenue for publishers, which is non-intrusive and can work alongside existing monetisation strategies.

Developers can now authentically recreate real-world environments in which audiences have come to expect the presence of realistic advertising, including billboards, banners or product placements across in-game, in-menu and rewarded video formats.

We are the leading solution when it comes to helping developers across all platforms (Mobile, PC, Console, Metaverse) navigate the waves of the medium successfully, opening this new incremental revenue and reducing ad pressure with a better user experience.

In a world where the vast majority of gaming ads are performance-based, the brand advertising we offer reduces churn rates and increases user retention for developers, making the game a more premium and safe environment.

This leads me to the player benefits. Unlike other digital ad types, in-game advertising also sits better with consumers. Seven in 10 UK gamers feel positive or neutral towards organically embedded in-game advertising. Among console gamers, 22% are more likely to buy brands advertised in games.

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While some existing and well-established ad formats can be intrusive (full-screen unskippable ads etc.), when done well, in-game advertising, fully native and blended in the environment in a non-clickable way, can really increase the immersion and make the game a more realistic experience. I would personally love to stumble across a billboard promoting the latest smartphone from a real brand when walking around Night City in CyberPunk. This would look awesome and make me feel this is kind of real!

 

What’s the best in-game ad you’ve seen lately?

Probably our campaign with Paco Rabanne and Starcom into Rezzil, which won the Best Regional Campaign – North America at the TheWires 2022 ceremony recently. It delivered impressive results through the use of contextual and virtual reality, leading the way for future opportunities in that space.

 

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What are some of in-game’s challenges, and how can they be overcome?

One key challenge is the fact that every player is different, especially within the free-to-play arena, and will react to a game’s experience in their own way, so it’s important to explore different ways to monetise your titles.

Harmony between in-app purchases and in-game advertising is key. Both solutions are complementary and need to work in the right balance. As I was saying earlier, there are so many innovative formats in the market now that game developers have a real opportunity to support the development of their games whilst enhancing the experience for players.

Another challenge is keeping up with the new innovations that are driving value in a constantly evolving market. To stay ahead of the game, I think you have to build trust with your players and show them respect by leveraging quality branding ads in formats that are designed to enhance their playing experience rather than polluting the game experience with overly intrusive, non-relevant advertising that will damage the whole experience.

So with players now less accustomed to paying for accessing their favourite games and increasingly frustrated with intrusive monetisation methods, many developers are now turning to in-game advertising as an option that works for game creators and players alike.

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Looking forward, what can we expect to see from Bidstack – and you – in 2023?

Bidstack is in a stage of exciting growth. We recently announced some huge hires in the US and 2023 shows no sign of slowing down. Next year, we anticipate expanding our range of products and ad formats, bringing on board more games studios and brands, and further growing our talented team. For me personally, a part of my job that I love is attending amazing technology conferences and gaming events. With the world now fully opened up again, 2023 presents amazing opportunities for us to get our technology in front of the world’s best publishers and brands.

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Global release of Trophy Hunter – test your skills in the next evolution of hunting games

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On July 3, 2025, Trophy Hunter – the latest game developed by the Ten Square Games team – launched globally across major markets. With this title, the company expands its presence in the fast-growing hunting game segment, where it already has solid experience. Trophy Hunter is the third Ten Square Games project in this genre – this time designed as a skill-based game, offering an accessible yet competitive experience for a broad player base.

“- Ten Square Games was one of the pioneers in the mobile hunting games segment. Since the release of Hunting Clash, the market has grown significantly, and players’ expectations have evolved. Trophy Hunter is our response to those changes – a skill based game that emphasizes fast-paced gameplay, reflexes, and strategic decision-making. We’re building on a world we know well, but offering a new style of play that opens up fresh growth opportunities,” says Jakub Noganowicz, Product Owner of Hunting Clash and Trophy Hunter.

About Trophy Hunter

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Trophy Hunter is a hunting game designed for players who enjoy quick, dynamic gameplay and competitive PvP action. Its core mode features three-round duels where precision, reaction time, and decision-making under pressure matter most – rather than exploration or resource management. Players can upgrade their personal base (Hunter’s Lodge), customize weapons, and compete in a structured league system.

“- The launch of Trophy Hunter is a test for both an alternative gameplay model and a more hybrid approach to monetization. We see this moment as the conclusion of the game’s first development phase. Now begins the most important stage – one driven by player feedback. The success of the project will depend not only on how the game is received but also on our ability to scale the title and consistently grow its player base,” says Andrzej Ilczuk, CEO of Ten Square Games.

Trophy Hunter follows a free-to-play model with microtransactions that let players upgrade weapons and ammo. It also features rewarded video ads**, allowing revenue generation from non-paying users. Thanks to hybrid monetization and a lower entry threshold, Trophy Hunter is aimed at a broader audience. Its lower cost per acquisition offsets the lower ARPU* compared to other Ten Square Games titles. The hybrid business model allows room for scalable growth and expanding the game’s reach.

From prototype to global release

Development on Trophy Hunter began in Q1 2024. In the final production phase, the core development team included 10 directly involved contributors.

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In late June 2025, as part of pre-launch preparations, Ten Square Games removed the test version of the app from Google Play and the App Store, replacing it with the final version and opening preregistration. Over 500,000 players only on Google platform used the opportunity to ensure the fastest possible access to the game on global launch day. Those who preregistered received an exclusive in-game reward – a replica of the Beretta BRX1 rifle and 10 rounds of special ammunition. This was made possible thanks to Ten Square Games’ collaboration with the globally recognized Beretta brand, originally established for Hunting Clash.

What’s next

At launch, the game includes 9 playable arenas. The release marks the beginning of a new development chapter for Trophy Hunter. The roadmap includes progressive content expansion and ongoing testing of the game’s global scalability. If this proves successful, future updates will bring more arenas, new gameplay modes, a LiveOps system, Battle Pass, and additional features to boost player engagement and expand challenge variety.

* ARPU – average revenue per user
** Rewarded video – an ad format where players voluntarily watch a video ad in exchange for an in-game reward.

The post Global release of Trophy Hunter – test your skills in the next evolution of hunting games appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

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THE BATTLE OF POLYTOPIA ANNOUNCES GLOBAL WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS WITH $10,000 PRIZE POOL

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Midjiwan, the award-winning independent studio behind The Battle of Polytopia has today announced The Polytopia World Championship with a prize pool of $10,000 USD and a live final broadcast from Stockholm.

The Polytopia World Championship is set to launch this fall, uniting players from across the globe in an epic showdown of fast-paced strategic mastery. The tournament will be themed to Battle of the Tribes. Players will choose to compete with one of Polytopia’s 12 in-game tribes; each with a unique regional theme and skillset.

The tournament will begin with open qualifiers, giving everyone a chance to prove themselves. From there, players will advance through tribe-specific playoffs and head-to-head elimination rounds, each match bringing them one step closer to glory.

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The top six players will earn a spot in the live finals in Stockholm on December 6: an in-person event streamed online for fans worldwide. In addition to live commentary of the tournament, the fan event will also provide behind-the-scenes content from the Midjiwan team.

The winner will be awarded a prize pool of $10,000; making this tournament the biggest competitive event in The Battle of Polytopia’s nine year history.

Christian Lovstedt, CEO of Midjiwan AB, commented: “This marks a major new step for Polytopia’s competitive scene, featuring a fresh tournament format and enhanced broadcasting that makes it even more exciting for viewers to watch, learn, and get inspired by the world’s top players.“

The matches will be played on the Polytopia Official Space on the Challengermode esports Platform.

The planned dates are:

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September:

  • Sep 13–14

  • Sep 20–21

  • Sep 27–28

October:

  • Oct 4–5

  • Oct 11–12

  • Oct 18–19

November:

  • Oct 25–26

  • Nov 1–2

  • Nov 8–9

Nov 22–23

  • Faceoff

  • Final Qualifier

Dec 6

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  • World Championship Live Event

The post THE BATTLE OF POLYTOPIA ANNOUNCES GLOBAL WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS WITH $10,000 PRIZE POOL appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

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Polemos Announces Partnership With Guinevere Capital to Drive Monetisation and Growth Across Gaming Ecosystems

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Polemos, a Web3 gaming infrastructure platform, announces a strategic partnership with Guinevere Capital, a prominent esports and gaming investment firm known for its investments and advisory roles in projects such as GiantX, iTero, Perion, Skybox, and various other projects across the industry. Guinevere Capital has established a strong reputation for its work across global Web2 gaming titles, including League of Legends, Valorant, Rocket League, and many more. This partnership aims to leverage the combined expertise of Polemos.io and Guinevere Capital to enhance and further monetise audiences across publishers, infrastructure players, gaming companies, studios, and platforms.

The collaboration will focus on integrating advanced asset management and engagement tools from Polemos.io’s Forge platform with Guinevere Capital’s extensive network and experience in both Web2 and esports ecosystems. This will create new monetisation opportunities and improve player experiences by bridging traditional gaming with blockchain-enabled innovations.

Carl Wilgenbus, CEO of Polemos.io, stated, “Partnering with Guinevere Capital marks a significant milestone in our mission to expand access to gaming rewards and unlock new revenue streams for the entire gaming industry. Together, we will empower publishers and studios to better engage their audiences and capitalize on the evolving landscape of gaming and esports.”

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“Polemos has built an impressive piece of infrastructure that has plugged a huge gap in the gaming sector. We look forward to working with them to commercialise this.” said Dave Harris, a partner at Guinevere Capital. Dave’s previous experience includes investing in and operating top teams and leagues in the Riot Games and Activision Blizzard ecosystems.

Guinevere Capital’s strategic involvement will accelerate the adoption of blockchain gaming infrastructure while supporting the growth of esports and gaming communities worldwide. This alliance underscores a shared vision to drive innovation, education, and monetisation in the gaming sector by combining Web2’s reach with Web3’s potential.

Today, Polemos also started the official Token Generation Event (TGE) for the $PLMS utility token. The TGE began at 5:00 AM UTC on June 23rd, 2025, marking a step in the platform’s development to integrate blockchain technology within the gaming sector. Now available on MEXC and Uniswap, $PLMS gives users entry into the Polemos GameFi ecosystem.

The $PLMS token is designed to serve as the utility and governance token for the Polemos ecosystem. It is intended to facilitate platform functionalities, including asset management, player incentives, and participation in ecosystem governance. The TGE follows prior development phases and strategic partnerships, contributing to the framework of Polemos’ Web3 gaming offerings.

Details of the $PLMS TGE:

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  • Official TGE Start: June 23rd, 2025, at 5:00 AM UTC.
  • Exchanges: MEXC & Uniswap.

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