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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!”

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N1 Partners at Search iGaming Conference 2026 in Limassol

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The N1 Partners team will attend the Search iGaming Conference 2026, held on April 16 in Limassol, Cyprus. 

The conference will bring together more than 1,200 professionals in SEO and iGaming, including PPC experts, ASO teams, and affiliate programs representatives for networking and sharing insights.

At the event, the N1 Partners team will not only be an active participant but also a conference bags sponsor for guests. This is the part of a comfortable event experience that helps participants focus on networking and knowledge-sharing.

The conference is a perfect place to discuss profitable deals and SEO traffic, as well as learn more about the N1 SEO Traffic Cup, the first tournament in the N1 Traffic Cups global promo series from N1 Partners. The team will explain how to enter the promotion with highest efficiency at the final stage — there’s still a chance to join the tournament until April 30th.

Participate in the largest SEO tournament in the industry this spring and acquire generous prizes!

In addition to the current promo, N1 Partners affiliate managers will be happy to discuss working with any of the 14+ brands in the portfolio, top Tier-1 GEOs, as well as individual payment terms and payment models.

Why meet the N1 Partners team at the Search iGaming Conference 2026?

In Limassol, the N1 Partners team will show how partners scale traffic and increase revenue.

Key advantages include: 

  • 10+ GEO Tier-1
  • CPA up to €700 | RevShare up to 45% for top partners
  • Reg2Dep up to 70%
  • Top personal offers
  • Insights from analysts

Book a meeting with N1 Partners in Limassol!

Wanna get the most out of the intense Search iGaming Conference? Book a meeting with the N1 Partners team in advance. 

Discover the exclusive terms of cooperation and engage with the expert team in person — guaranteed insights await!

N1 Partners team contacts:

Start working with N1 Partners — become number one!

The post N1 Partners at Search iGaming Conference 2026 in Limassol appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

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BetConstruct AI

BetConstruct AI Launches Retail Jackpot Engine for Sportsbook – Redefining the Betshop Experience

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BetConstruct AI has introduced its Retail Jackpot Engine for Sportsbook, a new solution aimed at enhancing player engagement, increasing footfall, and driving turnover across retail betting environments.

The launch comes as operators seek to evolve beyond transactional betting experiences, with the new engine embedding dynamic jackpot functionality directly into the retail sportsbook ecosystem.

Driving Engagement in Retail Betshops
The Retail Jackpot Engine is designed to create a more immersive and engaging atmosphere in betshops, encouraging players to return more often, spend more time in-store, and interact more deeply with sportsbook offerings.

Flexible and Fully Configurable
A key strength of the solution is its flexibility. Operators can configure jackpot pools at multiple levels, including:

  • A single network-wide jackpot
  • Individual jackpots per betshop
  • Custom clusters based on location or player segments

Trigger mechanisms are equally adaptable, with options for amount-based triggers (activated when jackpots reach a set value) or time-based triggers (released after a defined period). This allows operators to tailor jackpot dynamics to their specific commercial strategies.

Omnichannel Visibility for Maximum Impact
To maximise visibility, real-time jackpot values are displayed across all in-shop touchpoints, including screens, cashier terminals, and self-service kiosks. Additionally, jackpot amounts are printed directly on betting tickets, extending engagement beyond the shop environment.

A Long-Term Retail Growth Tool
Rather than serving as a short-term promotion, the Retail Jackpot Engine is positioned as a strategic solution for sustained retail growth. By increasing repeat visits, session duration, and betting activity, it aims to strengthen both operator revenues and long-term player engagement.

The post BetConstruct AI Launches Retail Jackpot Engine for Sportsbook – Redefining the Betshop Experience appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

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Continent 8 Technologies

Continent 8 appoints Cris Kuehl as Chief Data, Information & AI Officer

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Continent 8 Technologies, a leading provider of managed IT solutions for the global iGaming and online sports betting industry, has appointed Cris Kuehl as its Chief Data, Information & AI Officer.

Cris brings over 20 years of expertise in AI, analytics, and data strategy, with senior roles including VP of Artificial Intelligence & Data Science at Akkodis and Global Head, CX Analytics & AI at Foundever. His career focuses on helping regulated organisations adopt secure, scalable, and practical AI capabilities.

At Continent 8, Cris will oversee the company’s global data, AI, and information strategy, driving innovation in analytics, automation, cybersecurity, and customer-centric intelligence. He will also shape AI-enabled product development, champion responsible AI practices, and strengthen data governance for the iGaming, tribal, and enterprise sectors.

Michael Tobin, CEO and Founder of Continent 8, said:
“Cris’ expertise across data, AI, and regulated environments is a perfect fit for our organisation. His leadership will help us provide secure, high-performance solutions that deliver measurable value to customers.”

Cris Kuehl added:
“I’m thrilled to join Continent 8 at such a pivotal moment. AI is transforming how organisations operate, collaborate, and protect their data. Continent 8 is uniquely positioned to lead this transformation in the iGaming and online sports betting sector, and I’m excited to drive the next chapter of innovation.”

The post Continent 8 appoints Cris Kuehl as Chief Data, Information & AI Officer appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

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