Latest News
SNIPER GHOST WARRIOR CONTRACTS 2 RELEASES MAJOR CONTENT UPDATE – ‘BUTCHER’S BANQUET’ – FREE ON ALL PLATFORMS
Modern warfare shooter, Sniper Ghost Warrior Contracts 2, released last month to considerable success, and today launches a major content expansion. Ominously titled, ‘Butcher’s Banquet’, the update is free for all players on PS4, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One and PC, and is immediately available as a patch to the main game.
Featuring an all-new expansive region, ‘Butcher’s Banquet’ takes place in a stunning desert-like area, complete with luscious oases, dramatic waterfalls, and mysterious temples. And whilst it might be especially picturesque, make no mistake – it’s certainly no holiday destination. Following the recent turmoil in Kuamar – the setting of SGW Contracts 2’s main campaign – new threats have been allowed to surface, the most dangerous of which is Mahmoud Zarza… aka ‘The Butcher’.
The new expansion builds on all the elements players loved about the base game, including the 1000m+ extreme-range sniping, next-gen graphics, more intelligent NPCs, and the most lethal array of weapons yet. The challenging sniper game is set in Kuamar, a lawless region of the Middle East, located along the Lebanese and Syrian borders. Players take on the role of Raven, Contract Sniper Assassin, and are tasked with toppling a brutal dictatorship by completing a series of replayable missions that can be approached in a number of ways. SGW Contracts 2 features large-scale sandbox maps, a variety of side missions and objectives, realistic weapons and gadgets, and a range of unlockable skills and equipment.
Players can purchase SGW Contracts 2 on PS4, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One and PC for $39.99 / €39,99 / £34,99 / AUD69.95. Releasing 24th August, the PS5 edition can be preordered now and arrives with a free copy of the Crossbow Carnage DLC pack, in addition to a suite of next gen features, including 4k resolution, enhanced textures and visuals, Adaptive Triggers, Haptic Feedback and improved SSD loading times.
asia-pacific
Groove shortlisted for Best Aggregator at SiGMA Asia Awards 2026
Groove has been named a finalist for Best Aggregator 2026 at the SiGMA Asia Awards, with the ceremony scheduled for 2 June 2026 at the SMX Convention Centre Manila during the SiGMA Asia Summit.
The shortlist was announced by Global Gaming Insider, according to the company. Groove said its platform aggregates more than 15,000 games from over 150 providers via a single API.
Giusy Campo, Business Development Director at Groove, said: “This shortlist is external recognition of a truth we already feel internally: Groove is moving at a different pace. Asia is not a single market, it is a collection of distinct regulatory environments, player behaviours, and partnership opportunities”
Campo added: “Our platform is built to respect that complexity, not smooth it over. Being named a finalist for Best Aggregator tells us that our approach; deep integration, localised content strategies, and commercial precision; is resonating with the operators who matter most in this region. We are not just bringing games to Asia. We are bringing a roadmap for sustainable growth.”
Yahale Meltzer, Co-Founder and CEO of Groove, said: “The aggregation space is crowded. Differentiation is everything. This nomination confirms that our vision, transforming aggregation from a commodity into a strategic growth discipline, is taking hold.” He added: “Operators across Asia are no longer asking for just volume or speed. They are asking for structural resilience, data intelligence, and a partner who can execute across fragmented regulatory landscapes with precision. Groove delivers that. To be recognised alongside the best in Asia is a privilege, but the real work continues in Manila and beyond. We are here to win, not just awards, but the trust of the operators who build their businesses on our platform.”
The post Groove shortlisted for Best Aggregator at SiGMA Asia Awards 2026 appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
data providers
DATA.BET reports 168% turnover growth from virtual content in Q1 2025–Q1 2026
DATA.BET says turnover from its virtual content grew 168% between Q1 2025 and Q1 2026, with the supplier reporting the product accounted for 39% of total virtual sports turnover and 45% of profits over the period.
The company said the content is developed fully in-house and delivered through automated bot-vs-bot matches that run 24/7 without dependence on real-world fixture schedules. DATA.BET positioned the format as a way to provide continuous events and reduce operational overhead for operators.
Across the same period, DATA.BET reported +299% active users, +129% across clients GGR, +246% events per quarter, and +218% bets placed.
DATA.BET also said the audience profile overlaps with live football bettors, which it believes supports retention during seasonal breaks. The supplier added that the algorithm-driven format “carries no fraud exposure,” supports In-Stream Betting overlays, and provides near-zero latency between broadcast and market updates.
“Over the past year, our bot-vs-bot virtual content has delivered consistent, measurable results across every operator deployment. Building e-Football in-house gives us the flexibility to configure it to what each operator actually needs — whether that is a specific league structure, a particular mix of bot and player content, or a branded competition format,” mentioned Rostyslav Likhtin, Head of Product at DATA.BET.
The post DATA.BET reports 168% turnover growth from virtual content in Q1 2025–Q1 2026 appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
content studios
155.io makes fintech debut with Coverd partnership
155.io has signed a partnership with US-based fintech platform Coverd, marking the content studio’s first move into fintech. The deal was announced Thursday 21st May 2026.
Under the agreement, 155.io’s real-world games will be integrated into Coverd’s platform. Coverd said the integration is designed to turn everyday transactions into interactive experiences where users can win the chance to have purchases covered through 155.io gameplay.
Sam Jones, Founder & CEO of 155.io, said: “This partnership gives us the opportunity to bring our content to a completely new audience. We share a philosophy with Coverd around disrupting and modernising industries through more interactive experiences. They understand that younger audiences expect entertainment and engagement across every digital touchpoint, including finance, which is exactly how we think about design.”
Albert Wang, Coverd co-founder, added: “Today’s consumer is actively embracing gamified products across every category, so there’s no reason personal finance should stay in the stone age. We’re excited to work with 155.io to make financial experiences more interactive and give everyone a chance to live big by winning back their purchases. 155.io’s next-gen content fits perfectly with what we’re building at Coverd.”
155.io said the integration will bring its interactive content—built around live-action footage and real-time mechanics—to Coverd users. The studio’s portfolio includes Rush Hour from its CCTV Game
library, alongside Ducks.io and Snow Run.
The post 155.io makes fintech debut with Coverd partnership appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
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