Latest News
With 50 Million Master Bakers, ‘Bake It’ Is Now Kwalee’s 2nd-Biggest Mobile Game
Kwalee’s Bake It has officially passed 50 million downloads, making it the publisher’s second most-downloaded hypercasual game to date. Its impressive download count is topped only by Draw It (95 million+ downloads).
Released in May 2020, this tactile game about baking perfect cakes and treats took the mobile game market by storm – it ranked at #1 in the ‘Simulation’ category in 20 countries, and achieved close to 10 million downloads in the first month alone!
Bake It gives the player a chance to explore their delicious itch for culinary baking. Players bake monumental cakes, dressing them with a smorgasbord of sweet toppings and icing and sprinkles and candies – based on what the customer’s sweet tooth craves, of course.
2020 was a testing time for Kwalee, as it was for everyone. The company — headquartered in Leamington Spa — faced the challenge of swapping the shared physical space of its studio with a remote, digital development environment due to the rampant COVID-19 pandemic.
Bake It, Kwalee’s first game launched under these circumstances, proved to be the standard-bearer in the firm’s impressive adaptation to remote working. Kwalee began 2020 as a developer and publisher with just over 60 staff, all firmly UK and office-based, and now finds itself with more than 160 team members, across 13 countries and three offices – Leamington Spa, Bangalore and Beijing.
CEO David Darling expressed his thoughts on the game’s success and its role in Kwalee’s development as a globally-distributed team:
“Seeing the success of Bake It along with a few other hit games of ours, like Object Hunt and Shootout 3D – it gives us confidence in remote working as the new model for our work culture. There’s a lot of potential we’re seeing in working this way to bring more hit games in the long term, especially with a globally-distributed team, so we’re excited about that.”
For an even greater insight into the making of Bake It, Kwalee’s Head of Development Simon Platt published an article soon after the game’s release that dove deep into the team’s experience of handling both development and publishing of Bake It during the pandemic.
Between opening up permanent remote opportunities for candidates globally and working alongside the overseas offices in Bangalore and Beijing, Kwalee’s teams have had to keep their work structure consistent online whilst meeting project goals simultaneously. It has ultimately paid off, with the recent remote releases skyrocketing in the charts.
Kwalee is currently running a challenge for third-party developers called Hypercasual Heroes, in which developers have the chance to get their games published by Kwalee and potentially secure a slice of that Bake It-style success – along with incredible, limited-time awards including a Tesla Model 3 car and $100,000 in advances with uncapped profit share to follow! Open for submissions until 31st August, developers can simply upload their 15-second gameplay video to Kwalee’s new publisher portal in order to be eligible.*
In the case of Bake It, the cherry on top was provided by the fact that interest in baking shot up during the first lockdown, often cited as a therapeutic and productive outlet to bust stress and anxiety. Bake It certainly hit the sweet spot in this regard but more than a year on, it’s also showed impressive longevity.
Bake It continues to receive updates from Kwalee’s dedicated team of designers and developers, who tailor the experiences for all kinds of players so anyone could become the best baker they can be. Android users and iOS users can find Bake It available for download on Google Play Store and App Store respectively.
Kwalee has been nominated in both Best Developer and Best Publisher categories at the upcoming Mobile Games Awards, and you can visit the official website for more information on joining our global team or getting your game published with us.
Compliance
Xpoint rolls out pattern-analysis engine to flag coordinated bonus abuse
Xpoint has launched a proprietary pattern-analysis engine aimed at helping betting and gaming operators detect coordinated fraud, including organized bonus abuse and location spoofing. The company announced the product on 6th July 2026 and said it is currently rolling out with partners in North America.
Xpoint said the engine is designed to catch groups that cycle the same devices, accounts, and locations to farm sign-up bonuses and exploit promotions. Unlike conventional geolocation checks that assess each login in isolation, the new engine analyzes historical location activity to identify patterns that emerge over time.
As an example, Xpoint said the engine can flag groups of users that repeatedly appear together across locations, particularly where some members have previously been linked to location spoofing—signals the company associates with coordinated bonus-abuse rings. Xpoint added that the analysis runs in the background against historical data and is intended to avoid adding friction to the player journey.
The launch follows a new investment round earlier this year, which Xpoint said was dedicated to accelerating growth and supporting further product enhancement.
Manu Gambhir, CEO of Xpoint, said: “Attempts to defraud operators are becoming ever more coordinated and advanced, so operators need the best possible tools to spot areas of concern early.
“Our pattern-analysis engine examines historical data to uncover unusual patterns an operator needs to be aware of, without in any way adding friction to the player journey. It further underlines our commitment to innovative, adaptable compliance solutions for operators.”
The post Xpoint rolls out pattern-analysis engine to flag coordinated bonus abuse appeared first on EE Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
Fan Engagement
Midnite extends Southampton FC sponsorship through 2026/27 and rolls out ‘2UP’ fan prize
Midnite has renewed its partnership with Southampton FC for the 2026/27 season, continuing as the club’s Official Training Kit partner and back-of-shirt sponsor.
The company said the extension builds on its first season with the club in 2025/26, when it ran supporter activations including “Midnite Express” away travel, a commemorative tifo marking the 50-year anniversary of Southampton’s FA Cup success, and hospitality giveaways via its “Ticket Treats” campaign.
For 2026/27, Midnite is introducing a season-long fan initiative called “2UP”. Under the format, if Southampton go two goals up in any home league match, one fan wins the 2UP prize pot. Midnite said the pot increases by £1,000 each week a jackpot is not won, and noted Southampton held a two-goal home lead on six occasions last season.
Greg Baker, Chief Revenue Officer of Southampton Football Club said:
“We’re delighted to continue our partnership with Midnite after a successful first season together.
“They’ve consistently looked for new and engaging ways to reward our supporters, whether through unique matchday experiences, away travel or fan competitions, and we’re excited to see that continue this season.
“The launch of 2UP is another fantastic example of that commitment and we look forward to seeing Saints fans enjoying the campaign throughout the 2026/27 season.”
Andrew Mook, Midnite‘s Head of Brand Marketing, added:
“We’re excited to be Southampton’s Official Training Kit partner for a second year.
“During the 2025/26 campaign, Midnite worked closely with the club to create experiences that reward Saints supporters. From helping fans travel in style on the Midnite Express and commissioning the club’s commemorative FA Cup tifo, to providing hospitality experiences through Ticket Treats, our aim has always been to add something extra for Saints fans.
“With that said, we are pleased to introduce ‘2UP’ where one lucky fan will win prize money if Southampton take a two-goal lead in any home league fixture, with £1,000 being added to the pot after each game at St Mary’s.
“With Southampton taking a two-goal lead at home six times last season, we’re looking forward to seeing a number of Saints fans rewarded through ‘2UP’ during the campaign.”
The post Midnite extends Southampton FC sponsorship through 2026/27 and rolls out ‘2UP’ fan prize appeared first on EE Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
Allwyn
Allwyn sets UK launch date for Powerball game on 21 July, pending approval
National Lottery operator Allwyn said on 6 July 2026 that it plans to launch a UK version of Powerball on Tuesday 21 July, subject to final regulatory approval. The company said UK players will be able to buy a £4 Powerball line in National Lottery retailers and via the National Lottery website and app.
Allwyn said the UK-specific version will offer jackpots starting at £12M and will be linked to the US Powerball game through a partnership with the Multi-State Lottery Association (MUSL). The company said UK jackpot winners will be paid over 30 years, and that UK players will pick five main numbers from 1 to 69 and one Powerball number from 1 to 26, with draws held three times a week.
Allwyn said the first UK draw is scheduled for 23 July, with ticket sales closing at 11.55pm the night before draws on Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays, and draws taking place around 4am the next morning on Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday from a Powerball studio in Florida. It added that the UK game includes an additional “Match 2 main numbers” prize tier exclusive to UK players, paying a fixed £8, while the “Match 5 main numbers” tier pays a fixed £1M.
Allwyn CEO, Andria Vidler, said, “We’re excited to give National Lottery players the chance to dream bigger, while supporting thousands of Good Cause projects across the UK every week. Powerball jackpots can soar into the billions, offering breath-taking sums with the potential to transform lives and communities.
“As we begin the countdown to the first draw later this month, you won’t be able to miss Powerball’s arrival with a major launch lined up. We’re encouraging players to get involved when tickets go on sale, and we’ll be crossing our fingers for our first UK winner.”
Rebecca Paul, President & CEO of the Tennessee Lottery and former President of the World Lottery Association, said “This next step brings us closer to a thrilling milestone for Powerball. More players means faster-growing jackpots, more excitement and even greater impact for the communities we serve.”
Allwyn said the game is expected to raise around £1BN for UK Good Causes over its first five years, with funding generated from UK ticket sales going to UK beneficiaries and projects. It also referenced recent changes to the National Lottery’s Lotto game and said the revised format has produced 27 millionaires since the first draw under the new format on 10 June.
The post Allwyn sets UK launch date for Powerball game on 21 July, pending approval appeared first on EE Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
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