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2021 has already overtaken 2020 with more female-led games
While women make up nearly half of all gamers, a continued study by Buzz Bingo has revealed that only 12% of next-generation video games exclusively feature a female protagonist, with 2020 being the worst year yet for female representation.
As part of this continued study, Buzz Bingo analysed every game released on PlayStation and Xbox since 2016 to see how female representation in the gaming industry has developed, as well as how this representation is unfolding in 2021.
1. PlayStation Games Year-on-Year
- Our research showed us that 2020 was the lowest year in terms of the number of female-led games released on PlayStation consoles, with only 14 games (8.6%) released that year featuring a female protagonist.
- 2021 is already looking more promising in terms of the number of games set to be released featuring a female lead, with 23 games (18.4%) with a female protagonist having been announced so far.
| Year | Female | Male | Mixed | Ambiguous/NA/TBC | Total |
| 2016 | 27 | 120 | 97 | 62 | 306 |
| 2017 | 49 | 85 | 115 | 61 | 310 |
| 2018 | 27 | 90 | 98 | 42 | 257 |
| 2019 | 22 | 87 | 91 | 24 | 224 |
| 2020 | 14 | 53 | 67 | 29 | 163 |
| 2021 | 23 | 50 | 30 | 22 | 125 |
2. Xbox Games Year-on-Year
- In three out of the six years we analysed, only 9 of the games that were released for Xbox consoles featured a female lead.
- So far, 2021 already ranks second for the highest number of female protagonist led games for Xbox, with 14 games (12.8%) featuring a female lead having been announced or released.
| Year | Female | Male | Multiple Options | Ambiguous/NA/TBC | Total |
| 2016 | 16 | 83 | 54 | 34 | 187 |
| 2017 | 9 | 49 | 65 | 21 | 144 |
| 2018 | 10 | 46 | 56 | 29 | 141 |
| 2019 | 9 | 49 | 74 | 16 | 148 |
| 2020 | 9 | 27 | 49 | 22 | 107 |
| 2021 | 14 | 43 | 30 | 22 | 109 |
3. The New Generation: Xbox Series X/S and PS5
- Research from Buzz Bingo has revealed that only 51 games (12%) out of the 414 confirmed PS5 and Xbox Series X/S exclusively feature a female protagonist compared to 139 (34%) games with a male-only lead.
- 33% of all games had both male and female protagonists or allowed the user to customise the gender.
| Gender of Lead(s) | Xbox Series X/S | PlayStation 5 | Xbox % | PS5 % | Total % |
| Female | 21 | 30 | 11% | 13% | 12% |
| Male | 58 | 81 | 31% | 35% | 34% |
| Multiple Options | 68 | 68 | 37% | 30% | 33% |
| Ambiguous/NA/TBC | 38 | 50 | 21% | 22% | 21% |
Methodology
- We analysed every game released on PlayStation and Xbox since 2016, and then manually checked each game to find out whether the playable character was male, female, ambiguous or had mixed options.
- We then broke this down to find out the best and worst years for female representation in video games.
- To determine gender, we researched wiki pages for the individual games and searched for the corresponding pronouns when necessary.
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MGA Games has launched a new video slot, Pharaoh’s Mystery, for the .com market on April 29. The game will also be released in Spain under the name Misterio del Faraón.
Pharaoh’s Mystery runs a 5×3 reel layout with 25 paylines. MGA Games said the game supports bets from €0.25 up to €25 and carries a top prize of €125,000.
The slot includes five special symbols: Wild, Scatter, Money, Collect, and Accumulative. It also features a Buy Free Spins option, enabling players to access bonus rounds directly.
MGA Games said the title includes a Super Respin mechanic that triggers at the end of the Free Spins screen, positioning it as a retention-focused release designed to increase engagement and average ticket for operators.
The post MGA Games launches Pharaoh’s Mystery slot with Super Respin feature appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
PointsBet Canada has launched a new iCasino aggregation and bonusing platform supplied by Bede Gaming, rolling the solution into its live player environment in Ontario.
The operator said it selected Bede following a competitive process to add external content aggregation and player engagement capabilities for the regulated Canadian iGaming market. PointsBet Canada runs pointsbet.ca on a proprietary platform originally developed by its Australian-based parent company.
Bede’s open-API aggregation platform gives PointsBet Canada access to a broader casino catalogue, with the supplier naming Games Global, Pragmatic Play, Play’n GO and Light & Wonder among the available content providers.
PointsBet Canada said the platform will support its casino strategy through promotion management and campaign tooling, including “advanced campaign workflows, and automated player lifecycle segmentation.” Bede also said it will provide “a reliable infrastructure with 99.99% uptime, and 24/7 monitoring from its Network Operations Centre.”
“Our strategy emphasizes delivering outstanding digital content that creates exceptional player engagement,” said Scott Vanderwel, Chief Executive Officer of PointsBet Canada. “I’m excited by the innovative tools we now have available with Bede. This partnership positions us strongly in Ontario and prepares us for future growth across additional Canadian markets.”
Bede said the deal is multi-year and includes a roadmap for potential future provincial launches, “including Alberta, as new regulated markets emerge in Canada.”
The post PointsBet Canada rolls out Bede Gaming aggregation and bonusing platform appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
PointsBet Canada has now launched its new casino aggregation and bonusing platform with Bede Gaming, following a competitive selection process.
The new solution through Bede Gaming has now been successfully launched into the live PointsBet Canada player environment, enabling an expansive library of new, engaging content for its users. The open-API aggregation platform notably provides the operator with access to a robust casino catalogue that includes Games Global, Pragmatic Play, Play’n GO, Light & Wonder, and others.
This partnership will strengthen PointsBet Canada’s casino strategy by enabling more competitive player acquisition and improved long-term retention through an enhanced user experience. Bede’s comprehensive content catalogue and engagement toolkit offer greater configurability and flexibility in promotion management, advanced campaign workflows, and automated player lifecycle segmentation.
Bede will also deliver operational stability and efficiency through proven support processes, a reliable infrastructure with 99.99% uptime, and 24/7 monitoring from its Network Operations Centre.
“Our strategy emphasizes delivering outstanding digital content that creates exceptional player engagement,” said Scott Vanderwel, Chief Executive Officer of PointsBet Canada. “I’m excited by the innovative tools we now have available with Bede. This partnership positions us strongly in Ontario and prepares us for future growth across additional Canadian markets.”
In addition to Bede powering PointsBet’s iCasino offering in Ontario, the new multi-year agreement expands Bede’s international portfolio and establishes a shared roadmap for future provincial launches, including Alberta, as new regulated markets emerge in Canada.
“We are thrilled to partner with the PointsBet Canada team, and eager to support their ambitious goals in Canada,” said Colin Cole-Johnson, Bede Chief Executive Officer. “Our Partnership Model means that we mobilise to support the strategies of our customers, and we’re thrilled to already be demonstrating this through the successful launch of this new casino solution. Bede remains committed to providing stable, secure and pioneering technical solutions to the North American regulated gaming markets.”
The post PointsBet Canada and Bede Gaming Launch New iCasino Partnership appeared first on Americas iGaming & Sports Betting News.
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