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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!”
Brazil
Evoplay adds F12.bet.br deal to grow in Brazil
Evoplay has signed a content partnership with Brazilian operator F12.bet.br, expanding the supplier’s footprint in Brazil’s regulated online gambling market.
Under the deal, F12.bet.br will roll out a selection of Evoplay titles on its online casino, including Penalty Shoot Out: Cup Mania and Hot Triple Sevens.
Alex Malchenko, Head of Sales, said: “Brazil is one of the most exciting markets in global iGaming right now. The pace and scale of its growth, mixed with the passion for sports and gaming amongst its players, makes it a unique opportunity for us.
“This partnership allows us to bring a carefully selected mix of our most engaging titles to an audience that values both entertainment and authenticity. We see huge potential here and this is another step of our journey in the market.”
Carlos Artur, Сasino Manager Specialist at F12.bet.br, added: “Our goal is to provide content that truly reflects what Brazilian players are looking to engage with.
“Evoplay’s games bring a fresh perspective to our offering, combining strong visuals with intuitive gameplay. We’re confident their titles will resonate strongly with our audience.”
The post Evoplay adds F12.bet.br deal to grow in Brazil appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
BETER
BETER to make US exhibition debut at SBC Summit Americas 2026
BETER, one of the award-winning providers of live streams, live data, and odds for esports and sports betting content, will exhibit at SBC Summit Americas for the first time.
The company will be attending at Stand 813, marking a major milestone in the company’s expansion across the United States.
SBC Summit Americas 2026 takes place from June 9–11 at the Broward County Convention Center in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, bringing together more than 10,000 industry professionals and over 400 exhibitors.
BETER will be welcoming delegates interested in enhancing their sportsbook offerings with fast-paced content and cutting-edge solutions at Stand 813.
Since entering the regulated US market in 2025, BETER has secured regulatory approvals and licenses in nine states, including Florida, New Jersey, Colorado, Arizona, Indiana, Iowa, North Carolina, Illinois, and Kentucky.
BETER exclusively delivers 24/7 live streaming, real-time data, and hyper-accurate odds for more than 700,000 fast-paced esports and sports events annually to operators worldwide, offering up to 50 markets per event and an average operator margin of 7.5%+.
Its esports portfolio includes the ESportsBattle product featuring eFootball, eBasketball, eHockey, and eTennis. Its sports portfolio features the Setka Cup table tennis content and the BSKT Cup basketball league.
In addition, BETER provides its Esports Odds Feed, offering market-leading odds with the highest uptime across 450+ tournaments globally, covering more than 40,000 pre-match and live events annually, all powered by a team of in-house expert traders.
All of BETER’s exclusive content is underpinned by its Integrity team, ensuring strict adherence to fair play standards through 24/7 monitoring and close collaboration with key sports integrity bodies, including IBIA and ESIC, and sports federations.
The company’s rapid impact across the US market, alongside the strong performance of its products and the quality of its data, has earned it two nominations at the prestigious SBC Awards Americas 2026 – Rising Star in Sports Betting and Live Gaming & Betting Product.
Gal Ehrlich, CEO of BETER, said: “We have made significant progress in establishing BETER as a trusted provider in the United States over the past 12 months.
Our participation in this exhibition marks an important milestone as we make our official debut in the region, showcasing the strength and scalability of products that are already proven globally.
“We are excited to present our full product suite to a US audience for the first time and warmly invite all attendees to visit us at Stand 813 to meet the team and explore partnership opportunities.”
Chuck Robinson, CRO at BETER, added: “Our presence at SBC Summit Americas reflects the strong momentum behind our content and solutions, as well as the growing demand from operators for high-performance esports and sports betting products.
“As we expand further across regulated US markets, we see significant opportunities to deepen partnerships and drive innovation in fast-betting experiences. We look forward to connecting with both existing partners and new ones at our stand.”
“Book a meeting with BETER team”, says the company.
The post BETER to make US exhibition debut at SBC Summit Americas 2026 appeared first on Americas iGaming & Sports Betting News.
Brazil
Evoplay accelerates Brazilian expansion with F12.bet.br partnership
Evoplay, the award-winning game development studio, has partnered with F12.bet.br, further expanding its presence in Brazil’s fast-evolving regulated market.
The partnership will see the selection of Evoplay’s popular titles, including Penalty Shoot Out: Cup Mania and Hot Triple Sevens, made available to Brazilian players via F12.bet.br’s online casino.
F12.bet.br is an emerging force in Brazil’s online gaming and sports betting sector. The company delivers a range of digital betting and interactive entertainment services, aligning with the country’s developing regulatory framework and growing demand for licensed online gaming experiences.
By partnering with local operators such as F12.bet.br, Evoplay continues to strengthen its position in one of the industry’s most promising regions, reinforcing its commitment to delivering engaging, localised content to players across Latin America.
Alex Malchenko, Head of Sales, said: “Brazil is one of the most exciting markets in global iGaming right now. The pace and scale of its growth, mixed with the passion for sports and gaming amongst its players, makes it a unique opportunity for us.
“This partnership allows us to bring a carefully selected mix of our most engaging titles to an audience that values both entertainment and authenticity. We see huge potential here and this is another step of our journey in the market.”
Carlos Artur, Сasino Manager Specialist at F12.bet.br, added: “Our goal is to provide content that truly reflects what Brazilian players are looking to engage with.
“Evoplay’s games bring a fresh perspective to our offering, combining strong visuals with intuitive gameplay. We’re confident their titles will resonate strongly with our audience.”
The post Evoplay accelerates Brazilian expansion with F12.bet.br partnership appeared first on Americas iGaming & Sports Betting News.
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