Canada

NBA 2K LEAGUE’S FIRST-EVER “WINTER CLA$H” TIPS OFF FRIDAY

Published

6 years ago

December 1, 2020

– Online Tournament Featuring NBA 2K League and NBA G League Ignite Players, Social Media Influencers and Fan-Organized Teams will be Livestreamed on Twitch and YouTube –

– Fan Bracket Registration Begins This Week at NBA2KLeague.com –

NEW YORK – The NBA 2K League announced today the league’s first-ever “NBA 2K League Winter Cla$h,” a three-part online tournament beginning Friday, Dec. 4 featuring NBA G League Ignite players, social media influencers and fan-organized teams, competing alongside and against NBA 2K League players for a share of a $35,000 prize pool. The NBA 2K League Winter Cla$h will be livestreamed on the NBA 2K League’s Twitch and YouTube channels. Registration for the fan bracket begins this week at NBA2KLeague.com^*.

“Coming off our most-watched season to date, we’re excited to continue our positive momentum by engaging with NBA G League Ignite players, fans and influencers through offseason events like the NBA 2K League Winter Cla$h,” said NBA 2K League Managing Director Brendan Donohue. “This unique event will bring together some of the most recognizable personalities from the NBA 2K League, the 2K community and beyond to showcase their skills in a variety of game modes on NBA 2K21.”

In the three tournament stages, teams comprised of influencers, NBA G League Ignite players and NBA 2K League players will accumulate points for two designated captain duos consisting of Artreyo “Dimez” Boyd (Mavs Gaming), Dayvon “G O O F Y 7 5 7” Curry (Blazer5 Gaming) and two influencers to be announced in the coming days. On Wednesday, Dec. 2, “BFW Live Presented by Bud Light” on the NBA 2K League’s Twitch channel will feature a special NBA 2K League Winter Cla$h episode, where each captain duo will draft three NBA 2K League players and three additional influencers or NBA G League Ignite players who will earn points for the duo for the duration of the tournament. At the conclusion of the tournament, the influencer captain belonging to the captain duo whose drafted players have earned the most points will receive $7,000, with the runner-up influencer captain receiving $5,000.

The first stage tips off Friday, Dec. 4 with a 5-on-5 NBA 2K21 Pro-Am match. Teams will include a captain duo, influencers and NBA G League Ignite players.

The second stage will begin on Monday, Dec. 7 – Tuesday, Dec. 8 and will feature eight fan-organized teams in each of two distinct console brackets, competing against each other in 2-on-2 competition on NBA 2K21’s MyPark game mode. The winning and runner-up teams from each fan bracket will advance to eight-team main brackets played on their respective consoles on Friday, Dec. 11, where they’ll compete against teams made up of NBA G League Ignite players, NBA 2K League players and influencers.

The third and final stage will take place Friday, Dec. 18 and will be a 5-on-5 NBA 2K21 Pro-Am match. Each team will feature a captain duo and three NBA 2K League players.

All games in each stage of the NBA 2K League Winter Cla$h will be played in a best-of-three format.

Below please find a current list of NBA 2K League Winter Cla$h participants. A full list of participants and the complete game schedule will be announced in the coming days.

AnnoyingTV – Influencer and content creator with over 519K subscribers on YouTube and 8K subscribers on Twitch
Alexander “Steez” Bernstein (76ers GC) –The former financial advisor helped lead 76ers GC to the 2019 NBA 2K League Finals
Artreyo “Dimez” Boyd (Mavs Gaming) –The No. 1 overall pick in the inaugural NBA 2K League Draft averaged 15.6 ppg and 3.4 apg at shooting guard during the 2020 season
DeMar “Deedz” Butler (Heat Check Gaming) – The former U.S. Navy member was selected by Jazz Gaming in the inaugural NBA 2K League Draft
Dayvon “G O O F Y 7 5 7” Curry (Blazer5 Gaming) – The 2018 NBA 2K League Champion with Knicks Gaming averaged a double-double (11.7 ppg, 12.7 rpg) with Grizz Gaming during the 2020 season
Cody Demps (NBA G League Ignite) – Appeared in 40 games for the Stockton Kings during the 2019-20 NBA G League season and averaged 14.4 ppg along with 5.4 rpg
Dominus – Influencer and NBA 2K content creator with 272K subscribers on YouTube
Brendan “Reizey” Hill (Magic Gaming) – The point guard was named 2019 NBA 2K League Rookie of the Year
IpodKingCarter – Influencer and NBA 2K content creator with 646K subscribers on YouTube; also streams on Facebook Gaming
ItsPikaaa – Influencer with 293K followers on TikTok
Jonathan Kuminga (NBA G League Ignite) – Ranked the No. 4 high-school player in the 2020 ESPN 100 and the top player in New Jersey in the Class of 2020
William “Strainer” Morales (Cavs Legion GC) – Shooting guard who averaged 21.7 ppg and 4.1 apg during the 2020 season
Sten “SAV” Valge-Saar (Lakers Gaming) – The Canada native was named a finalist for 2020 NBA 2K League Rookie of the Year Delivered by Panera Bread after averaging 32.9 ppg and 8.7 apg
Justin “Sherm” Sherman (Hornets Venom GT) – Point guard who averaged 22.6 ppg and 5.3 apg with Mavs Gaming during the 2020 season
StaxMontana– Influencer and NBA 2K content creator with 36K subscribers on YouTube
TyTheGuy – Hip hop recording artist, influencer and content creator with 494K YouTube subscribers

The NBA 2K League Winter Cla$h has a total prize pool of $35,000. Below please find the prizing breakdown:

$16,000 available in the tournament’s second stage in the main brackets ($5,000, $2,000 and $500 awarded to 1^st, 2^nd and 3^rd/4^th place, respectively on each console)
$12,000 available to the influencer captains based on points accumulated throughout the three stages ($7,000 and $5,000 awarded to the winning and runner-up influencer captains, respectively)
$5,000 awarded to the winning team of the 5v5 Pro-Am influencer game
$1,000 awarded to the winners of each fan bracket in the tournament’s second stage

For more information, fans can follow the NBA 2K League on Twitter (NBA2KLeague), Instagram (nba2kleague), Facebook (NBA 2K League), Twitch (NBA2KLeague) and YouTube (NBA 2K League) and visit NBA2KLeague.com.

*Fan participation in the NBA 2K League Winter Cla$h subject to Official Rules. Not all fans who sign up will get to participate.

Canada

XSOLLA STRENGTHENS COMMITMENT TO ATLANTIC CANADA’S GROWING GAME INDUSTRY WITH EXPANDED EVENT PRESENCE

Published

2 days ago

June 3, 2026

GamingAmericas.com

xsolla-strengthens-commitment-to-atlantic-canada’s-growing-game-industry-with-expanded-event-presence

Global Video Game Commerce Company To Support Industry Growth Through Panels, Workshops, And Community Engagement Across Atlantic Canada

Xsolla, a leading global video game commerce company, today announced its participation in two major gaming industry events taking place across Atlantic Canada from June 3-5, 2026, reinforcing the company’s commitment to supporting regional game development ecosystems and fostering industry collaboration.

Xsolla will participate in both Game Invest East and XP Game Connect Atlantic, joining developers, publishers, investors, and industry leaders for discussions centered on the future of game development, investment, and innovation in the local area.

At Game Invest East, held in partnership with Scaffold, Xsolla will contribute to conversations around funding, growth opportunities, and the evolving business landscape for game studios.

Featured on the panel titled “If You Can Make It Here,” Xsolla’s Manny Hachey, Senior Director of Developer Success, joins Kate Edwards, CEO and Principal Consultant of Geogrify, and Amir Satvat, Business Development Director at Tencent Games, founder of Always Supporting the Games Community (ASGC), and a 2026 GamesBeat Visionary Award honoree, to explore how new regions and new entrants can survive and thrive in disruptive times.

Hachey, a native of Atlantic Canada, was personally requested by Scaffold to represent Xsolla at the event — a homecoming that adds a personal dimension to the panel’s central thesis. Having built her career and made her mark in Germany’s games industry, she returns with a firsthand perspective on what it takes to leave, build something meaningful abroad, and come back with proof of concept.

Xsolla will continue its Atlantic Canada engagement at XP Game Connect Atlantic in Halifax on June 5. John Nguyen, Regional Vice President, Canada at Xsolla, and Ted DiNola, Developer Evangelist at Xsolla, will host a workshop titled ‘Full Picture to Fast Lane: Xsolla Ecosystem Overview & Live SDK 3 Integration’, providing practical insights and actionable strategies for developers navigating today’s rapidly evolving gaming market.

Nguyen will also host a panel titled, ‘What Does the Future of Game Development Look Like in Atlantic Canada?’ where he will be joined by industry experts, including Ryan Filsinger from Iron Fox; Shawn Woods, CEO at Alpha Dog and VP of Interactive Society of Nova Scotia; George Greer, Founder of Besszong; and Jade Yhap, President of Interactive NB. The panel will explore the region’s growing role in the global games industry and the opportunities ahead for studios, talent, and ecosystem partners.

John Nguyen, Regional Vice President, Canada, at Xsolla

“Atlantic Canada continues to emerge as an exciting hub for game development talent and innovation,” said John Nguyen, Regional Vice President, Canada, at Xsolla. “Xsolla is proud to support these events and contribute to conversations that help empower developers, build ecosystems, strengthen industry connections, and accelerate growth across the region.”

Berkley Egenes, Chief Marketing & Growth Officer at Xsolla

“Events like Game Invest East and XP Game Connect Atlantic are critical for building stronger connections across the games industry,” said Berkley Egenes, Chief Marketing & Growth Officer at Xsolla. “Atlantic Canada has a growing community of talented developers, creators, and industry leaders, and we’re excited to be part of conversations that help to shape the future of gaming in the region while supporting studios at every stage of growth.”

Through its participation in these events, Xsolla aims to deepen relationships within the Atlantic Canadian game development community while supporting knowledge-sharing, collaboration, and long-term ecosystem growth.

For more information about Xsolla’s participation in these events across Atlantic Canada, visit: xsolla.pro/Atlantic-Canada

The post XSOLLA STRENGTHENS COMMITMENT TO ATLANTIC CANADA’S GROWING GAME INDUSTRY WITH EXPANDED EVENT PRESENCE appeared first on Americas iGaming & Sports Betting News.

Ben Scobie-Trumper Head of Sales at mkodo

GGPoker selects GeoLocs geolocation service for regulated Ontario market

Published

2 days ago

June 3, 2026

Wladimir P.

ggpoker-selects-geolocs-geolocation-service-for-regulated-ontario-market

mkodo’s GeoLocs will handle in-platform location checks for GGPoker players in Ontario, removing the need for a separate verification app.

GGPoker has selected GeoLocs by mkodo as its geolocation service provider for the operator’s regulated Ontario offering.

Under the partnership, GeoLocs will provide in-platform location verification for GGPoker players across Ontario, with the aim of supporting regulatory compliance without requiring an additional app download or separate approval process.

“Our priority is to ensure players have a seamless experience on GGPoker whilst staying fully compliant with regulations. We chose GeoLocs because of their proven expertise, industry and regulatory knowledge and the fact that players don’t need to verify location through a separate app or download.” – Sarne Lightman, Managing Director of GGPoker.

“The partnership with GGPoker is very exciting. We’re proud to support a globally recognised operator in delivering a seamless, compliant player experience in Ontario. With Alberta opening in July, the partnership with GGPoker in Ontario further reinforces GeoLocs’ expansion across the Canadian gaming market.” – Ben Scobie-Trumper, Head of Sales at mkodo.

GeoLocs is a geolocation product built by mkodo for regulated markets, supporting web and mobile location checks for gaming, sports betting, poker and lottery operators, according to the company.

The post GGPoker selects GeoLocs geolocation service for regulated Ontario market appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

Business Development

Xsolla expands Atlantic Canada event push with Game Invest East and XP Game Connect

Published

2 days ago

June 3, 2026

Wladimir P.

xsolla-expands-atlantic-canada-event-push-with-game-invest-east-and-xp-game-connect

Xsolla will take part in two Atlantic Canada industry events—Game Invest East and XP Game Connect Atlantic—running June 3-5, 2026, as it increases its presence in the region’s game development ecosystem.

The company said it will join discussions with developers, publishers, investors, and other stakeholders focused on game development, investment, and innovation. At Game Invest East, held in partnership with Scaffold, Xsolla will participate in a panel titled “If You Can Make It Here.” Xsolla’s Manny Hachey, Senior Director of Developer Success, will appear alongside Kate Edwards, CEO and Principal Consultant of Geogrify, and Amir Satvat, Business Development Director at Tencent Games, founder of Always Supporting the Games Community (ASGC), and a 2026 GamesBeat Visionary Award honoree.

Xsolla’s Halifax stop comes on June 5 at XP Game Connect Atlantic. John Nguyen, Regional Vice President, Canada at Xsolla, and Ted DiNola, Developer Evangelist at Xsolla, will host a workshop titled “Full Picture to Fast Lane: Xsolla Ecosystem Overview & Live SDK 3 Integration.”

Nguyen will also host a panel, “What Does the Future of Game Development Look Like in Atlantic Canada?”, joined by Ryan Filsinger from Iron Fox; Shawn Woods, CEO at Alpha Dog and VP of Interactive Society of Nova Scotia; George Greer, Founder of Besszong; and Jade Yhap, President of Interactive NB.

“Atlantic Canada continues to emerge as an exciting hub for game development talent and innovation,” said John Nguyen, Regional Vice President, Canada, at Xsolla. “Xsolla is proud to support these events and contribute to conversations that help empower developers, build ecosystems, strengthen industry connections, and accelerate growth across the region.”

The post Xsolla expands Atlantic Canada event push with Game Invest East and XP Game Connect appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.