Latest News

New Champion Rei and gen:LOCK Crossover Now Live in Paladins

Published

5 years ago

July 22, 2021

Released today, the gen:LOCK Update is the biggest Paladins update yet,, bringing characters from the Rooster Teeth animated series to life in the game’s first-ever crossover.

Five gen:LOCK members have been deployed into the Realm as playable characters. They are showcased in this trailer: https://youtu.be/81YoWhum4mM

The gen:LOCK Crossover Pass unlocks five Champion skins showcasing the stars of the series: Chase, Valentina, Cammie, Yaz, and Kazu. Each comes with their own new Voice Pack.

Players progress through the gen:LOCK Crossover Pass simply by playing Paladins. Chase counts among the free rewards, while Cammie is unlocked instantly upon purchase of the Pass.

Even better: all of Hi-Rez games are about to get the spotlight with this year’s Steam Publisher weekend. With this timely event, players can get a jump on the gen:LOCK Crossover Pass with a Publisher Weekend Bundle given for free to all players logging into Paladins through Steam between tomorrow July 22, and July 25.

New Champion: Rei

Paladins’ 50th Champion Rei is making her debut just as the game reaches the 50 million players mark. Could the hand of the Pyre Lords be at play?

Rei is a peppy bunny-eared Support who has learned how to unleash magical energy from her bare hands. But where her true talents lie is in rescuing a single ally in peril.

Check her out in this trailer: https://youtu.be/NJrzE-ZljE4

When Rei left the Burrows, her quest led her to befriend the Scion of House Aico, Lian. Striving to harness arcane forces, Rei quickly became the chief Scholar of the noble house. Today, her tale has just begun.

Bounty Store returns

The first iteration of this rotational in-game shop using free currency was met with community excitement last year. Evil Mojo soon decided to work on a more refined version – and today the Bounty Store is back with an all-new look, improvements, and new features.

The Bounty Store is an in-game shop allowing players to trade Bounty Coins for rotating skins available in limited quantities – three skins are now simultaneously on sale, up from one.

As before, Daily Quests reward Bounty Coins, and now there are more ways to earn them:

In the Event Passes and their quests, the Trials of the Realm
Through Twitch integration – Watching Paladins on approved streaming channels grants Bounty Coins
Through a new feature – Players can choose to watch in-menu ads to earn Bounty Coins and other rewards. Already implemented in SMITE, this feature has proved popular with the community.

Also new, current Event or Crossover Pass holders will have access to a bonus Bounty Store skin for the duration of the Pass.

Videos:

gen:LOCK Pass – https://youtu.be/81YoWhum4mM
Rei – https://youtu.be/NJrzE-ZljE4

Press Kit: https://drive.google.com/drive/u/0/folders/1mXnInf5tLSNqxP7C1OcCHFDdEfMuUtOr

Patch Notes: https://www.paladins.com/news/genlock-update-notes

Alona Shevtsova

Sends CEO Alona Shevtsova moderates Global Gaming Expansion panel in Riyadh

Published

5 hours ago

June 25, 2026

Wladimir P.

sends-ceo-alona-shevtsova-moderates-global-gaming-expansion-panel-in-riyadh

Alona Shevtsova, CEO of Sends, will moderate a panel at The Blockchain show on 29^th June, bringing together experts from entertainment, location-based gaming, and content localisation to examine what it takes to build sustainable gaming ecosystems across emerging markets.

The panel, titled “Global Gaming Expansion: Lessons from Untapped Markets,” will structure its discussion across four themes: the growth dynamics reshaping emerging gaming markets; the role of localisation in creating experiences that genuinely connect with new audiences; the infrastructure and communities needed to build gaming ecosystems beyond the game itself; and the lessons and opportunities that will define successful expansion in the years ahead.

Alona Shevtsova plans to frame the discussion around the central challenge for companies looking to expand globally: entering a new market requires far more than bringing an existing product to a new audience. Understanding local cultures, building communities, adapting experiences, and creating ecosystems that allow gaming to grow sustainably are all as important as the product itself.

Alona Shevtsova, CEO of Sends, said:

“The future growth of gaming will come not only from new technologies, but from understanding people — their cultures, communities, and the experiences they want to be part of. Successful expansion will belong to those who can combine global ambition with local understanding.”

The first segment will examine why regions including the Middle East, Africa, and South Asia are becoming increasingly significant for developers, operators, and investors — driven by young audiences, accelerating digital adoption, and new entertainment models creating substantial growth potential. Panellists will explore how consumer preferences differ across markets and what trends among younger audiences are shaping the future of gaming and entertainment.

The third segment will broaden the lens beyond the game itself, exploring the role of location-based entertainment, gaming centres, esports, and experiential destinations in attracting new audiences and building long-term communities. Panellists plan to address how entertainment ecosystems — spanning physical venues, events, and community infrastructure — accelerate gaming adoption in markets where the category is still establishing itself.

Earlier this month, Alona Shevtsova was shortlisted for the 2026 Great British Entrepreneur Awards in the Established Business of the Year category. Her team is also preparing for the Fintech Connect conference in London later this year. Sends will be a leading sponsor of this event.

*Sends is a trade name of SMARTFLOW PAYMENTS LIMITED, registered in England and Wales (Company No.11070048). For more information, visit sends.co .

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