Latest News
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!”
eSports
Esports community establishes Latin-American Esports Institute (ILAE)
The Latin-American Esports Institute (ILAE) was established following a General Assembly held on 6 March 2026 in Rio de Janeiro. The organisation was founded with the stated goal of promoting competitive integrity, legal safety, and institutional research within the esports sector.
Carlos Gama, Vice President of Games and Esports at the Rio de Janeiro branch of the Association of Brazilian Information Technology Companies (ASSESPRO) and President of the Advisory Council of FERJEE (Rio de Janeiro Esports Federation, involved with the upcoming IEM Rio) was elected as Executive President to lead a multidisciplinary team tasked with developing frameworks for the industry’s regional growth.
One of the primary objectives of the ILAE is the creation of a local Esports Arbitration Chamber. This mechanism is intended to serve as a specialized venue for the mediation and resolution of conflicts, such as contractual disputes between players and organisations. The model aims to offer a technical alternative to the traditional judicial system, seeking to provide greater legal security and faster resolutions for administrative and professional disagreements within the competitive environment.
The ILAE’s structure is centered on an Executive Board that includes:
- Vice-President Marcella Ferreira (former pro player and current sports psychologist),
- Administrative-Financial Director Vinicius Verly (FERJEE), and
- Project Director Marianna Muniz (FERJEE and OnFire Agency).
Technical oversight is managed by lawyers:
- Dr. Antonio Carlos Bratefixe (Research and Knowledge) and
- Dr. Osmar Berardo, who will direct the institute’s Arbitration Chamber.
The Fiscal Council is led by: Dr. Soraya Vasconcelos, who also leads Brazilian organisation Galorys, responsible for financial and institutional oversight.
Regarding the institute’s mission, Carlos Gama stated that the organization intends to facilitate dialogue across the Latin American esports community. “We want to bring together athletes, teams, researchers, organizations, companies, and public managers to build a common development agenda for the region,” Gama noted. He also highlighted that a priority for the ILAE will be the production of research on strategic themes, such as social inclusion and competitive integrity policies.
The ILAE’s governance framework also incorporates individuals with competitive backgrounds, aiming to ensure the organisation remains informed by the practicalities of the sector. This includes the participation of former FPS and eFootball pros Marcela “Callax”, Renato “Rentão”, Monik Bisoni, Gabriela Tavas, and Gabriel “Franja” within the various councils and administrative chairs.
By integrating these perspectives alongside legal and academic professionals, the institute intends to address the specific needs of the regional ecosystem. The organization has opened associations to professionals, researchers, and entities.
The post Esports community establishes Latin-American Esports Institute (ILAE) appeared first on Americas iGaming & Sports Betting News.
Latest News
SPORTRADAR AND BSN STRENGTHEN PARTNERSHIP TO ELEVATE BASKETBALL IN PUERTO RICO
Sportradar AG (NASDAQ: SRAD) has expanded its agreement with BSN Puerto Rico (Baloncesto Superior Nacional), reinforcing its long-term commitment to supporting professional basketball in Puerto Rico through advanced technology, data and integrity solutions. Basketball is the most bet upon sport in Puerto Rico and the second most popular across the LATAM region.*
Sportradar holds the exclusive betting and gaming audiovisual (AV) and data rights for BSN basketball competitions worldwide, alongside non-exclusive coaching and talent scouting rights, to drive the growth of Puerto Rican basketball and strengthening fan engagement across international markets.
The agreement features the provision of Integrity Services, such as Sportradar’s proprietary Universal Fraud Detection Service (UFDS AI) for comprehensive real- time betting market surveillance. Additionally, BSN Puerto Rico will access a portfolio of sports performance and management solutions, including Synergy Stats and the Competition Management Platform, to support league operations, performance analysis and regulatory compliance.
“We are proud to deepen our ties with BSN to accelerate the development of basketball in Puerto Rico,” said Raphael Sobral, Sports Partnerships Director, LATAM at Sportradar. “By combining our cutting-edge technology with our unmatched data and integrity services, Sportradar is providing the backbone for BSN’s next phase of global growth and operational excellence.”
“This partnership reaffirms BSN’s commitment to modernization and operational excellence across the league. Having a partner like Sportradar allows us to strengthen our processes, elevate the use of official data, and ensure the highest standards of integrity and performance as we look ahead to the 2026 season and the future of professional basketball in Puerto Rico,” said Ricardo Dalmau, President of BSN.
The extended partnership further strengthens Sportradar’s role as a trusted technology and data partner for more than 20 basketball competitions in regulated markets worldwide, including the NBA, EuroLeague, ACB Spain, LNB France, Lega Basket Italia and NBL Australia.
The post SPORTRADAR AND BSN STRENGTHEN PARTNERSHIP TO ELEVATE BASKETBALL IN PUERTO RICO appeared first on Americas iGaming & Sports Betting News.
Conferences
R. Franco Digital to showcase premium portfolio at GAT Expo Cartagena 2026
At the heart of the exhibition is the IRIS platform, R. Franco Digital’s GLI-certified, open-architecture solution. Designed to deliver a seamless experience across casino, sports betting, and retail operations, IRIS gives operators the flexibility, scalability, and security required to grow efficiently across multiple Latin American markets.
In addition to its robust infrastructure, R. Franco Digital will present its latest high-performance gaming titles, including Strange Spins, Genie Triple Bonanza, Diamond King Gorilla, Luxury Blast, Zorro: Final Duel, and The Phantom. Each game incorporates localized mechanics and culturally relevant themes, ensuring maximum engagement for LatAm players.
Javier Sacristán Franco, International Business Director at R. Franco Digital, commented:
“Latin America is a cornerstone of our global strategy. GAT Expo Cartagena provides an essential platform to connect with partners and showcase how our technology evolves alongside the region’s regulatory landscape. We are excited to highlight the latest advancements in our IRIS platform and our expanding game portfolio, both designed to deliver operational excellence and support regulated operators across LatAm.”
Visitors to the expo will be able to experience live demonstrations of the IRIS platform and explore R. Franco Digital’s diverse content offerings, emphasizing the company’s commitment to innovation, localization, and operator success in the region.
The post R. Franco Digital to showcase premium portfolio at GAT Expo Cartagena 2026 appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
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