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Colt Canyon crowned ‘Best Game’ and LUNARK ‘Most Anticipated’ at GameMaker Awards 2021

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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!”

EMEA ESPORTS

MOVEMBER TEAMS UP WITH RIOT GAMES EMEA ESPORTS

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TLDR:

  • Movember is partnering with the League of Legends EMEA Championship (LEC), VALORANT Champions Tour (VCT) EMEA, and Game Changers EMEA Championship as the Official Mental Health Partner, supporting players, team staff and the wider community for the 2026 and 2027 seasons.

Date: January 20, 2026 [London]

What you need to know:

  • Riot Games and Movember announce a multi-year partnership focused on embedding mental health and wellbeing into the EMEA esports ecosystem.
  • The partnership will integrate mental health and wellbeing frameworks, support systems, and initiatives across the leagues.
  • Movember will provide tools and resources to better manage competitive pressure, build healthier habits, and be encouraged to discuss mental health openly.
  • Planned initiatives for the upcoming year include mental health training for players and staff, and player-only roundtables on stress and coping strategies, with a view to use this to cascade content and guidance to the wider esports community.
  • Movember will share messaging on the broadcasts and on-site during events that highlight the importance of mental health and help reduce the stigma around honest discussions and seeking help when needed.
  • Together, Movember and Riot Games aim to make the gaming environment a healthier environment for all.

Quote from Daniel Ringland, Head of VALORANT Esports, EMEA:

“Supporting the wellbeing of the VCT EMEA community, our players, and team staff is something we are committed to strengthening, so we’re thrilled to welcome Movember as a partner. While supporting open conversations and ensuring our players know trusted resources are available is a priority, this partnership also helps raise awareness around mental health and wellbeing across the wider VCT EMEA community. Movember’s expertise will help normalize these discussions beyond the competitive stage, and provide the tools so everyone connected to our ecosystem feels supported by professionals committed to making a positive impact.”

Quote from Maximilian Peter Schmidt, Director of League of Legends Esports, EMEA

“Partnering with Movember allows us to take our commitment to supporting the wellbeing of our players and teams to the next level. We want our community to feel empowered to speak openly about the challenges they face and know resources are available if needed. Gaming should be a safe and healthy space for everyone, and this partnership will help us ensure that the environment is maintained and strengthened.”

Quote from Dan Cooper, Global Director, Innovations at Movember:

“Movember is committed to bring community first solutions to today’s most urgent mental health challenges. Esports is a focus area for our work in mental health, and by working with Riot Games we aim to have a real impact and drive positive change in esports.”

The post MOVEMBER TEAMS UP WITH RIOT GAMES EMEA ESPORTS appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

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2RBO Affiliates Wins “Affiliate Marketing Campaign of the Year” at the 19th International Gaming Awards

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2RBO Affiliates is proud to announce that it was honored with the Affiliate Marketing Campaign of the Year award at the 19th annual International Gaming Awards (IGA).

The ceremony took place on January 18th, at the Intercontinental Hotel Barcelona, bringing together the global elite from both the online and land-based gaming sectors.

The “Affiliate Marketing Campaign of the Year” is a highly competitive category designed to recognize innovative approaches to brand recognition and popularity. In selecting the winner, IGA judges evaluate the unique strategies that generate the most significant impact, drive sales, and successfully develop a business’s identity.

“We are incredibly honored to receive this recognition from our peers and industry insiders,” said Aviv Rosenblit, Head of Affiliates at 2RBO. “This award validates our commitment to pushing creative boundaries and delivering scalable, sustainable growth for our partners through innovation and transparency.”

2RBO Affiliates continues to set the pace for the industry with its advanced platform and a portfolio of leading iGaming brands, including Betinia, Swiper, CampoBet, and ToonieBet. By seamlessly integrating unique gamification features with state-of-the-art designs, the program delivers an unmatched user experience that maximizes partner profitability and long-term engagement.

Supported by renowned industry newspaper The iGaming Post, the IGA is celebrated as the “biggest and best charity event of the year.” By winning this nomination, 2RBO Affiliates solidifies its position as a high-performance leader dedicated to fostering long-term partnerships through personalized support and innovative tracking tools.

For more information about the affiliate program and their award-winning campaigns, visit 2rbo Affiliates.

About 2RBO Affiliates

2RBO Affiliates is a high-performance affiliate program representing top-tier iGaming brands. By combining modern gamification and flexible commission models with real-time performance data and proactive compliance measures, 2RBO delivers a superior experience for partners worldwide, ensuring growth and loyalty in a competitive landscape.

About the International Gaming Awards (IGA)

The International Gaming Awards (IGA) recognizes excellence across the global gaming industry. Bringing together professionals from every tier—from mobile gaming innovators to luxury casino operators—the IGA celebrates industry leadership while raising vital funds for deserving charities worldwide.

The post 2RBO Affiliates Wins “Affiliate Marketing Campaign of the Year” at the 19th International Gaming Awards appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

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GameTimeTec Set to Access Emerging Markets Through QTech Games

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QTech Games, the leading game aggregator for all emerging markets, has continued to maintain the momentum in its content pipeline, thanks to its latest deal with rising star supplier, GameTimeTec, a casino developer consistently producing dynamic content across slots, arcade, crash, dice, and card genres.

GameTimeTec’s ShowTime portfolio of slots and arcade-style games always brings something fresh, with popular titles now including Lucky Clover (Hold and Spin), Glory of Olympus (Unlocked), Air Gold (Miles Jackpot), Vikings Thunder, Chimon, SpinTop, Fortune Avengers, Sugar Love, and Celtic Bash. All these games ride on the back of exceptional maths modelling that varies the volatility spectrum, helping to foster some truly engaging gameplay.

The deal organically broadens GameTimeTec’s international footprint, unlocking unmined jurisdictions for diversified growth from Asia to Africa and Eastern Europe to Latin America.

CJ Shaw, CEO at GameTimeTec, commented: “We’re naturally thrilled to have teamed up with QTech Games to improve our distribution across emerging regions, seamlessly offering our fantastic games to a range of untapped operators.”

“It’s all about delivering more high-performing games, appealing to a broader range of players across the igaming spectrum – notably, slots, arcade, crash, dice, and card games. We strive to deliver balanced gameplay mechanics, varied volatility and sophisticated maths models, giving our games global appeal.”

Philip Doftvik, CEO, QTech Games, said: “GameTimeTec’s content brings a level of energy and engagement that we’re delighted to share across our sprawling network for emerging markets. Like us, they know that localised solutions comprise the key to success across this patchwork quilt of opportunities.”

The post GameTimeTec Set to Access Emerging Markets Through QTech Games appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

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