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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!”

BOYLE Sports

BOYLE Sports extends West Ham United front-of-shirt deal for 2026/27

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Logo will appear on West Ham’s Men’s and Women’s home, away and training kits under the Principal Partner agreement.

BOYLE Sports will continue as West Ham United’s front-of-shirt sponsor for the 2026/27 season, the company said today. The BOYLE Sports logo will feature on the club’s Men’s and Women’s team home, away and training kits.

The extension keeps BOYLE Sports in place as West Ham’s Principal Partner into 2026/27. The company said it will continue supporter-facing activity across matchdays, digital channels and other club moments.

BOYLE Sports pointed to a “strong first year” of the multi-year partnership, including a scarf giveaway ahead of the first home match of the season and two editions of its ‘Shirt Swap’ activation.

BOYLE Sports CEO, Vlad Kaltenieks said: “West Ham United is one of the most recognisable clubs in English football, with a proud history and a passionate fanbase. We were proud to begin our partnership last season, but this is only the start and we look forward to an exciting season ahead.”

West Ham United’s Interim Chief Executive Officer, Karim Virani, added: “We’re delighted to have BOYLE Sports continue as our front of shirt partner as part of the multi-year Principal Partnership. As we enter an exciting new era for the club and prepare for a pivotal season, it matters that our commercial partners share the same passion and drive that we have for our loyal fans. BOYLE Sports has approached the partnership in that spirit, and we look forward to continuing to work with them.”

The post BOYLE Sports extends West Ham United front-of-shirt deal for 2026/27 appeared first on EE Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

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Quantum buys Cashback.co.uk and Custard rewards brands from Submission Technology

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Quantum has agreed to acquire Cashback.co.uk, JoinCustard.co.uk and the Custard mobile app from Submission Technology, with the transaction set to complete on 1 July 2026. The deal adds two consumer rewards brands to Quantum’s portfolio and marks its entry into the digital rewards and cashback segment.

Cashback.co.uk operates as a UK cashback platform, while JoinCustard.co.uk launched in October 2024 as a digital rewards and gifting platform. The Custard mobile app is included as part of the acquisition.

Quantum said the acquisition expands its footprint beyond affiliate marketing into direct-to-consumer rewards products. The buyer pointed to 36% year-on-year revenue growth in 2025 and recent launches in Ireland, South Africa and multiple US states, adding that it now operates across the UK, US, Ireland and South Africa.

Jamie Walters, CEO of Quantum International Holdings, said: “Cashback and Custard are proven platforms with loyal users, clear product-market fit, and strong commercial potential. What they need now is scale, and that is where Quantum can add real value.

“We have the data, technology, and performance mindset to grow these platforms quickly and responsibly. This is a bold move into a fast-growing consumer rewards space, and a natural next step in our ambition to connect more people with better value across the digital economy.”

Quantum said its Qi Platform will support the acquired assets through faster product iteration, improved personalisation and deeper insight into user behaviour, with its in-house data engineering, machine learning and software engineering teams supporting integration.

Neil Durrant, CEO of Submission Technology, said: “We built Cashback and Custard from the ground up, and we are incredibly proud of what the team has achieved. Quantum is the right home for these platforms.

“Their technology, commercial relationships and ambition make them well placed to take Cashback and Custard to a much bigger audience. It is an exciting next chapter for both businesses.” Financial terms were not disclosed.

The post Quantum buys Cashback.co.uk and Custard rewards brands from Submission Technology appeared first on EE Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

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Sporting Risk expands Entain deal to cover Nordics and Central Europe

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Sporting Risk has expanded its relationship with Entain under a new agreement covering Entain’s Nordics and Central Europe operations, the companies said on Tuesday 30 June 2026.

Under the deal, Sporting Risk will supply its BetBuilder Suite across selected Entain brands in the region, including Optibet, Klondaika, Laimz and Bwin. The package includes Self-Build BetBuilder, which lets customers combine pre-match and in-play markets within the same event, and Pre-Canned BetBuilder, which offers curated one-click combinations.

Sporting Risk said its technology calculates correlated odds across same-event selections by running large-scale simulations of each fixture, with coverage across football, basketball and ice hockey.

Andy Phillips, CBDO at Sporting Risk, commented: “Entain is one of the world’s leading betting and gaming groups, and we’re delighted to be expanding our relationship in the Nordics and Central Europe. BetBuilder has become a core part of the modern sportsbook experience, and our focus is on helping operators deliver more engaging, accurate and flexible products across both pre-match and in-play.”

Hendrik Ahuna, Director of Sportsbook – North and Central Europe, Entain NCE, added: “We are pleased to be working with Sporting Risk on the continued development of our BetBuilder offering across the region. Their modelling expertise and product flexibility make them a strong partner as we continue to improve the depth and quality of the betting experiences available to our customers.”

The post Sporting Risk expands Entain deal to cover Nordics and Central Europe appeared first on EE Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

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