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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!”
Latest News
Introducing Red Papaya – a studio powered by Microgaming
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New developer promises to get player pulses racing with slots that blend creativity, features and data
There’s a new studio in town, and it’s a bold and bright one. Red Papaya is the flagship studio powered by Microgaming and blends creativity, features and data to craft edge-of-the-seat slot experiences that captivate players around the world.
The studio has been founded by an award-winning team with a proven track record in delivering top-performing, data-driven slots that have quickly risen to the top of the charts. When it comes to themes, features and markets, they’ve done it all.
Features will be an area of strong differentiation, with the studio incorporating formats such as Hold & Win, Cash Collect, Bonus Buy, Jackpot, Pot Link and Maxways into each of its titles.
The bar for production value will be set incredibly high, with cinematic visuals, superior sound design and compelling narratives, storylines and characters.
Red Papaya’s debut slot, Kong’s Jungle Tower, is set for launch in a matter of weeks, with players taken on an epic expedition where fortunes can be found hidden within a forgotten temple, hidden deep within the undergrowth.
New games will launch regularly with a strategic product roadmap aimed at meeting a wide range of player preferences. Red Papaya will also offer exclusive launch periods with custom branded game opportunities on the table, too.
Madelein Ozok, Head of Studio at Red Papaya, said: “We are so excited to finally break cover – Red Papaya has been built on many decades of industry experience, so we’re ready to hit the ground running. Of course, this would not be possible without the backing of Microgaming.
“Our product roadmap is incredibly strong with our first slot set to hit the market later this month. And make no mistake about it, our pipeline is packed with hits.
“Red Papaya is all about colourful disruption via cutting edge slots that combine creativity, features and data to deliver world-class experiences that hit the mark with players spin after spin. We are ready, but are you?
“In the meantime, make sure to learn more about Red Papaya on the newly-launched microgaming.io website”
The post Introducing Red Papaya – a studio powered by Microgaming appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
Andrew Brown CEO Goma Gaming
EveryMatrix acquires Goma Gaming to boost front-end development firepower
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EveryMatrix has acquired UX specialist Goma Gaming to boost the Group’s front-end development firepower.
Specialising in delivering innovative front-end solutions for the betting industry, the Goma Gaming team bring 20 years consumer product design and digital UX experience.
The acquisition will instantly enhance EveryMatrix’s existing front-end capabilities with experience from both sports betting and casino projects that have included delivering bespoke solutions for tier-1 brands.
The Goma team will continue to operate as a standalone unit, side-by-side with the existing EveryMatrix front-end division.
Its capacity will be upscaled to provide additional bandwidth and capabilities to the Group’s sports and casino products with the objective of delivering superior customer experience and even more alternatives for EveryMatrix clients.
Goma Gaming’s UX player experience platform has delivered strong results for tier-1 operators, generating higher retention and longer engagement with an average 30% margin uplift, while adding enhanced functionality for next generation players.
Ebbe Groes, Group CEO & Co-founder EveryMatrix, said: “Our front-end development has made huge strides, creating bespoke sites and features for some of our largest customers such as Bet-at-home and the Hungarian Lottery.
“The addition of Goma means we will immediately have more front-end firepower to deploy and deliver to both existing and new sports and casino turnkey customers who require differentiation that moves the dial when it comes to higher retention, engagement, margin and revenues.”
“I’d like to welcome Andrew and his team and look forward to having them with us to further accelerate our rapid business growth.”
Andrew Brown, CEO, Goma Gaming, said: “We’ve made great progress developing Goma in the last five years, but joining the EveryMatrix Group now means we have greater resources to rapidly scale our capacity whenever it’s needed and to make an even bigger impact.
“Thank you to everyone who has supported us along the way and enabled us to get us to this stage. We can’t wait for the next phase of our journey as part of EveryMatrix.”
The post EveryMatrix acquires Goma Gaming to boost front-end development firepower appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
AML or MLR Professional of the Year
SOFTSWISS’ Eleni Panagiotopoulou Becomes Best AML Professional 2025
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SOFTSWISS, a leading iGaming software provider, proudly announces that Eleni Panagiotopoulou, Head of the Anti-Money Laundering (AML) Team, has been named AML or MLR Professional of the Year at the Global Regulatory Awards 2025.
The award honours individuals who make exceptional contributions to compliance and responsible gambling in a demanding, ever-changing regulatory landscape. Winners are recognised for their expertise, leadership, and dedication to maintaining the highest industry standards.
“It’s an honour to receive this award, but even more so to see AML excellence recognised on an industry stage,” said Eleni Panagiotopoulou, Head of AML at SOFTSWISS. “This recognition belongs to our entire team – every analyst, every partner, and every department that supports compliance as a shared responsibility. Together, we’re building not just safer systems, but a stronger and more trustworthy industry.”
Under Eleni’s leadership, the SOFTSWISS AML team has set new benchmarks for operational efficiency and compliance integrity. Over the past year, her key achievements included:
- Strengthening the AML function by expanding the team and increasing capacity for transaction monitoring and case reviews
- Driving a 75% rise in suspicious activity reports submitted, ensuring timely escalation and regulator engagement
- Implementing automated transaction-screening tools and real-time analytics to improve fraud detection accuracy
- Representing SOFTSWISS on international panels and industry forums, promoting ethical approaches to financial crime prevention
Eleni also managed updates to SOFTSWISS AML policies across multiple jurisdictions, such as Brazil, Peru, South Africa, Malta, Curacao, Serbia, and Nigeria. She helped SOFTSWISS remain fully aligned with regulatory requirements for smooth market entry worldwide.
Her industry impact is confirmed through the delivery of more than 25 hours of AML and responsible gambling training, benefiting both SOFTSWISS employees and the broader iGaming community.
Eleni’s insights on the current state of AML and Responsible Gambling can be found in the 2026 iGaming Trends Report. There, she shares how AI systems detect risky behaviour early and support safer play across regulated markets, helping operators protect their reputation and revenue.
Operators and industry professionals can download the 2026 iGaming Trends Report here.
About SOFTSWISS
SOFTSWISS is an international technology company with over 15 years of experience in developing innovative solutions for the iGaming industry. SOFTSWISS provides comprehensive software for managing iGaming projects. The company’s product portfolio includes the Casino Platform, the Game Aggregator with over 36,700 casino games, Affilka Affiliate Platform, the Sportsbook Software and the Jackpot Aggregator. The expert team, based in Malta, Poland, and Georgia, counts over 2,000 employees.
The post SOFTSWISS’ Eleni Panagiotopoulou Becomes Best AML Professional 2025 appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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