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Colt Canyon crowned ‘Best Game’ and LUNARK ‘Most Anticipated’ at GameMaker Awards 2021
The judges have deliberated. Over 33,000 votes have been cast. And we can now reveal that Colt Canyon has been crowned ‘Best Game’ and LUNARK ‘Most Anticipated’ game of the year, at the GameMaker Awards 2021.
Created by German-based developer Retrific, Colt Canyon is a stylish western-themed pixel art shooter combining roguelike elements with real-time combat. The judges were impressed with Colt Canyon’s highly engaging gameplay and heavily pixelated artist style. While in the popular vote, members of the GameMaker and Opera GX communities voted Colt Canyon the clear winner.
The other finalists for ‘Best Game’ included: Chicory: A Colorful Tale, Jet Lancer, Post Void and Cook, Serve, Delicious! 3?!.
The winner of ‘Most Anticipated’ game is LUNARK, from Canari Games. LUNARK is a 2D cinematic platformer, designed in the vein of ’80s and ’90s classics. The game challenges players to run, jump, hang, climb, roll, and shoot their way through a kaleidoscope of different environments. These include mysterious alien ruins, a flying penitentiary, a high-tech megalopolis, and a majestic forest.
The judges were blown away with how the Canari Games team have pushed the creative limits of cutscenes and pixel art in GameMaker, to create a game that is both visually stunning and great to play. Set for release later this year, LUNARK also made a big impression with the voters – who overwhelmingly crowned it the ‘Most Anticipated’ game of 2021.
The other finalists for ‘Most Anticipated’ game included: NYKRA, Jitsu Squad, APICO and Toodee and Topdee.
The GameMaker Awards, in partnership with SpecialEffect, a charity that uses video games to enhance the lives of those people with physical disabilities, celebrate creativity and innovation in Indie game development, honouring the best games created using GameMaker Studio 2 as well as the Indies and Studios that designed them.
From over 200 entries, only 5 games for each category were selected by an expert panel of industry peers, including GameMaker Studio CTO Russell Kay, Opera GX Product Director Maciej Kocemba, and Into Indie Games Editor Harry Cole.
Russell Kay, CTO, GameMaker Studio, said: “This year’s GameMaker Awards has redefined what we’ve come to expect from the indies and studios that choose GameMaker as their creative engine of choice. Each of the finalists have demonstrated both amazing creativity, plus the technical ability to harness GameMaker’s powerful functionality to design a game that really pushes the boundaries. Given the incredible standard of this year’s entries, I am only glad that the final decision was left in the hands of our loyal GameMaker and Opera GX communities.”
Jonathan Mannshoven of Retrific, said: “Colt Canyon wasn’t a bestseller when it launched last year. It wasn’t free from criticism either. But by working closely with the community, I’ve been able to make many improvements to the game which have helped turn a lot of criticism into positive feedback. Having all that hard work now paying off with Colt Canyon winning ‘Best Game’ at the GameMaker Awards 2021 is an overwhelming and surreal feeling – just incredible!
“GameMaker has always been my engine of choice as it is just so easy to use yet also powerful, enabling me to reach maximum productivity. Which as a solo developer is extremely valuable. Put simply – I wouldn’t be a game developer now if it wasn’t for GameMaker.”
Johan Vinet of Canari Games, added: “LUNARK started as a passion project to create a game in the genre I loved in my youth. Making it a reality became so clear that I decided to quit my job, start my own studio and launch a Kickstarter campaign. Winning the “Most Anticipated Game” award is an incredible recognition from the players and the GameMaker Community, which brings some welcome legitimacy and a massive confidence boost to actually finish the game! Thank you!”
Azerbaijani Parliament
Azerbaijan to Impose Tougher Penalties for Illegal Online Gambling
The Azerbaijani Parliament (Milli Majlis) has officially cleared the first reading of a bill to heavily increase criminal penalties for organising and operating illegal gambling.
The proposed amendments to the Criminal Code were discussed during an extraordinary parliamentary session.
Under the bill, organising gambling in virtual formats-including via the internet, mobile communications, social media platforms, electronic communication tools or other internet- and mobile-based applications-would carry tougher penalties. The same applies to offenses involving minors, crimes committed by a group acting in prior collusion or activities generating substantial illegal income.
Such offenses would be punishable by a fine of up to twice the amount of the income obtained through the crime, restriction of liberty for a term of two to four years, or imprisonment for the same period.
The proposed amendments also introduce stricter penalties for offenses committed by organised criminal groups or criminal organisations, as well as those generating large-scale illegal profits. These would be punishable by restriction of liberty or imprisonment for a term of three to five years.
The bill would also change the way fines are calculated. Instead of the current fixed range of AZN 10,000 to AZN 15,000, courts would be able to impose fines of up to twice the amount of the criminal proceeds.
In addition, the legislation proposes harsher punishment for repeat offenses involving the organisation or operation of gambling activities or gambling venues, particularly where minors are involved or where the offenses generate substantial, large-scale or especially large-scale illegal income.
Under the current legislation, repeat offenses are punishable by restriction of liberty for four to five years or imprisonment for four to eight years. The proposed amendments would make imprisonment for five to eight years the sole penalty for such offenses.
The post Azerbaijan to Impose Tougher Penalties for Illegal Online Gambling appeared first on EE Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
Amusnet
Amusnet Releases its Latest Video Slot “Golden Snake”
Amusnet has released Golden Snake, a captivating new video slot that blends the timeless appeal of Asian symbolism with innovative mechanics and high-impact gameplay. Designed for players who enjoy immersive themes and thrilling volatility, the title delivers a fresh interpretation of one of the industry’s most enduring and successful game styles.
Set in a world inspired by prosperity, luck and ancient Asian traditions, Golden Snake immerses players in a vibrant atmosphere filled with glowing money bags, firecrackers, blue envelopes, golden coins and the majestic Golden Snake. Rich visuals, authentic sound design and a fully animated snake companion create a lively experience that reacts to every spin, adding personality and emotion to the gameplay.
Moving beyond the traditional slot layout, Golden Snake introduces a distinctive 3x4x3 reel configuration that offers a fresh gameplay dynamic while remaining intuitive and engaging. The excitement builds with the Respin Feature, which can trigger randomly on any spin by selecting a paying symbol – or even the Wild – to set a chain of consecutive respins in motion. During the feature, the second reel could be locked with stacked Wild symbols while the first and third reels spin exclusively for the chosen symbol. Еvery new Wild symbol or matching symbol could be extending the action and increasing the anticipation.
The game’s momentum is further amplified by a powerful multiplier system. During the base game, multipliers of 3x, 5x and 10x can instantly enhance winning combinations. When the Respin Feature is activated and the middle reel fills with stacked Wild symbols, it expands to unlock multiplier values of up to 20x, creating exhilarating moments with a maximum win potential of 5000x the bet.
Beyond its engaging mechanics, Golden Snake has been designed to encourage longer play sessions through responsive character animations, dynamic win celebrations and continuous respin opportunities. Combined with its culturally inspired theme, the title is well positioned to appeal to audiences across Asia, LATAM and other regulated markets where Asian-themed content continues to perform strongly.
With Golden Snake, Amusnet reinforces its commitment to creating premium gaming experiences that combine recognisable themes, innovative mechanics and outstanding production quality. The new release provides operators with a compelling addition to their portfolio, helping them diversify their offering with content designed to drive player engagement and long-term performance.
Respin Feature
Watch the excitement build as stacked Wild symbols lock the second reel and matching symbols trigger consecutive respins, creating thrilling opportunities for bigger payouts.
Multiplier Feature
Base game multipliers of 3x, 5x and 10x evolve into enhanced Respin multipliers of up to 20x when the middle reel expands with stacked Wild symbol.
Gamble
Play the game and multiply the winnings through the Gambling feature.
Jackpot Cards
The Jackpot Cards bonus game is triggered at random during the gameplay to allow players to win impressive jackpots.
The post Amusnet Releases its Latest Video Slot “Golden Snake” appeared first on EE Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
Brightstar Lottery PLC
Brightstar Lottery Signs Five-Year Extension with Sony Pictures for Exclusive Omnichannel Lottery Licensing Rights to Ghostbusters
Brightstar Lottery PLC announced that it has signed an exclusive five-year extension agreement with Sony Pictures to continue developing and distributing Ghostbusters-themed omnichannel lottery games globally.
“Ghostbusters is an iconic global franchise with lasting popularity, and Brightstar has been instrumental in helping us connect with both lifelong fans and new audiences. We look forward to continuing to collaborate on dynamic, high-quality lottery experiences that resonate with players worldwide,” said Stacey Kerr, Sony Pictures Entertainment Senior Vice President, Global Licensing.
“Brightstar has been a proud licensee of Sony Pictures’ Ghostbusters since 2015, and we’re excited to continue bringing this fan-favorite franchise to life for players in new and engaging ways. To date, this collaboration has launched more than 25 games with over 20 lotteries globally. The variety of games includes traditional instant tickets with high-definition symbols, Brightstar’s patented Infinity Instants lottery tickets, Fast Play games, and an exclusive eInstant game. With this contract extension, we’re focused on expanding the Ghostbusters franchise through new, immersive omnichannel experiences that push the boundaries of fan engagement,” said Matthew Whalen, Brightstar Senior Vice President, Global Instant Ticket Services.
The post Brightstar Lottery Signs Five-Year Extension with Sony Pictures for Exclusive Omnichannel Lottery Licensing Rights to Ghostbusters appeared first on EE Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
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