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Escape Studios partners with Epic Games and leading European animation schools to deliver world’s largest training programme in Unreal Engine
Mark Flanagan, Education Partner Manager, Epic Games said: “The Summer of Unreal is an incredible opportunity that is open to professionals in animation and VFX all across Europe, and we couldn’t be happier to invite the industry to participate. Escape Studios is a wonderful partner who, along with a number of Europe’s best animation schools, are running this programme, which is set to be the biggest Unreal Engine training that we’ve undertaken to date. We’re excited to help all learners find new ways to tell awesome stories and express their creativity using Unreal Engine.”
Saint Walker, Deputy Dean of Escape Studios, said: “The Summer of Unreal is a fantastic opportunity for animation and 3D CGI professionals across Europe to discover more about the cutting-edge technology on offer with Unreal Engine.
“We’ve worked with top animation companies to create a novel animation-centric way of teaching Unreal Engine, in one of the most ambitious training programmes that Escape Studios has been involved with – our vision of a pan-European festival of learning in Unreal Engine has gained us amazing academic partners in the form of some of the best animation schools in the world. We invite learners across Europe to join us. Make your summer staycation Unreal!”
The Summer of Unreal will be taught online in English and is free-of-charge to professionals working in the animation, motion graphics and VFX industry who want an informal group experience of learning Unreal Engine over the holiday period. The course will feature daily workshops covering all the major aspects of using Unreal Engine interspersed with practice time, teamwork, as well as demonstrations and masterclasses from some of Europe’s premiere companies and artists showing how they use the platform in their work.
Mark Spevick, Escape Studios’ Head of 3D VFX will be the main ‘showrunner’ for the Summer of Unreal. The unique role used in Escapes’ larger courses ensures that tutors get to hear and address the most important questions from the online shop floor through Mark’s advocacy. Mark combines teaching and programme design with senior industry experience, having worked at Peerless Camera, the production house co-owned by Terry Gilliam.
Partner quotes
Timothy Leborgne, Head of Talent & Skills Development, The Animation Workshop/VIA University College
“A course such as Summer of Unreal is very welcome. Whether you look at film, animated series, or games we can all see a growing demand for rapid development and competent animators. And Unreal Engine is one particularly advanced tool and software we can’t avoid as professionals in the future. So, I am excited and happy we bring such a valuable course to professionals in our industry. By partnering with such competent institutions and studios across Europe, we have ensured that the course will deliver the best training.”
Gilbert Kiner, President, ARTFX
“Since its creation in 2004, ARTFX has been dedicated to training students using the latest technology and software. Beyond using this engine for our Games courses, Unreal has also been integrated into the previz pipeline for our VFX programs. We are very happy and proud to have been chosen as the exclusive French partner for this collaborative initiative.”
Felix Balbás, Area Director of Animation & VFX at La Salle-URL
“Unreal Engine is a reality we can’t ignore. No longer only in videogames and recently virtual production, now more than ever the future of any visual content creation and in particular animation and VFX, must take this evolution into account. Not only in previs stage, but also in full production. This is why La Salle-URL’s commitment towards promoting state-of-the-art training along with leader institutions at a European level is reflected in the Summer of Unreal.”
Miljana Jovović, Executive Director, Crater Training Center
“We are happy to join the Summer of Unreal as partners for Southeastern Europe, as we see this project as a great chance to upskill and connect professionals across the continent. We have spent the first part of 2021 educating university professors in Serbia in Unreal Engine so they could implement the newly-gained knowledge to their study programs and introduce the software to their students.”
Katja Schmid, Visual Effects and Post Production Professor, Hochschule der Medien
“Many artists in the industry have been waiting for this course. Now the time has come. At the moment, Unreal is one of the most in-demand tools in the industry. The response to the course announcement has been fantastic. It’s just an amazing opportunity not only to get trained for free but also to be part of a most inspiring community! We are very impressed by this large-scale project and excited to be contributing.”
Gareth Lee, Screen Skills Ireland Manager
“Screen Skills Ireland is hugely excited to be part of the Summer of Unreal. This is a unique opportunity for Irish screen sector professionals to learn about the powerful capabilities of Unreal Engine from industry experts, as well as connect with their peers across Europe.”
Interazar reunirá de nuevo a Operadores, empresas y administraciones en Madrid los próximos días 28 y 29 de abril
Interazar volverá a ser el gran escaparate donde se mide el pulso real de la industria nacional, y en esta nueva edición contará nuevamente con la participación activa de la Ciudad Autónoma de Melilla, que refuerza así su compromiso con un Sector clave para su estrategia de crecimiento económico y tecnológico.
En este contexto, Melilla llega a la Feria Española del Juego los próximos días 28 y 29 de abril con la intención de seguir ganando visibilidad como destino atractivo para el Juego online y para las empresas tecnológicas que orbitan en torno al Sector. La ciudad ha ido construyendo un entorno competitivo basado en un marco fiscal favorable, acompañamiento institucional y una apuesta clara por la innovación aplicada al Juego.
Interazar se presenta, así, como un escenario natural para seguir avanzando en esta estrategia. La participación de Melilla refleja una estrategia continuada, con resultados visibles, que busca afianzar su posición como uno de los polos emergentes del Juego online y la innovación en España.
The post NdP INTERAZAR 2026 – Participación de Melilla en Interazar appeared first on Americas iGaming & Sports Betting News.
Tuesday 3rd March 2026 – SportsGrid has confirmed its renewed media partnership with NEXT.io and will attend NEXT Summit: New York to cover key discussions and insights from North America’s premier iGaming and sports betting event. The content will be syndicated across SportsGrid’s streaming and digital platforms.
NEXT Summit: New York, in partnership with Morgan Stanley, will take place from 10–11 March at Convene 225 Liberty Street, bringing together 1,400 senior-level delegates for two days of high-impact content and networking.
This year, Emerging Verticals will accompany NEXT Summit: New York, providing a dedicated focus on the fast-growing sectors reshaping the industry — including sweepstakes, micro-markets, crypto, esports, new betting formats, and the evolving intersection of technology and capital.
Now in its fifth edition, the Summit continues to deliver insider knowledge, high-level networking, and direct access to the latest innovations shaping the future of the industry.
Across the two days, leaders from the most influential operators, investment firms, regulators, and technology providers will take to the stage.
Confirmed speakers include:
- Adam Greenblatt, CEO of BetMGM;
- Adam Rosenberg, Senior Advisor, Gaming & Leisure at Blackstone;
- Benjie Cherniak, Principal at Avenue H Capital;
- Lloyd Danzig, Managing Partner at Sharp Alpha Advisors;
- Roger Ehrenberg, Managing Partner at Eberg Capital;
- Ramy Ibrahim, Managing Director at Moelis & Company;
- Joey Levy, Founder and CEO of Betr;
- and Gavin Isaacs, Former CEO of Entain.
The programme will also feature voices from across the regulatory, legal and association landscape including:
- Tres York, VP of Government Relations at the American Gaming Association;
- Paul Burns, President & CEO of the Canadian Gaming Association;
- Kelci S. Binau, Gaming Law Attorney at McDonald Carano;
- and Katie Lever, General Counsel, Chief Privacy Officer & Corporate Secretary at Great Canadian Gaming Corporation.
From the casino floor to emerging tech and capital markets, sessions will also include:
- Brooke Hilton, Head of Casino at PointsBet Canada;
- Chris Garrow, Director of Gaming at Prairie Band Casino & Resort;
- Davis Catlin, Managing Partner at Discerning Capital;
- Jeffrey Haas, Venture Partner at DreamCraft VC;
- Jamison Selby, CEO of Rubystone;
- Desiree Dickerson, Founder of THNDR;
- Kevin Scott, Chief Technology Officer at PGA of America;
- and Darren Woodson, Former NFL Player.
“NEXT Summit: New York continues to set the standard as North America’s premier meeting point for senior leaders in online sports betting and iGaming. With Emerging Verticals joining the Summit this year, the conversations are expanding into some of the most disruptive and fast-moving areas of the industry. We’re excited to once again partner with NEXT.io and bring on-the-ground coverage of the event’s most important discussions to a wider audience across SportsGrid’s streaming and digital platforms,” commented Jeremy Stein, CEO, SportsGrid, Inc.
“NEXT Summit: New York is where the industry’s biggest names come together to define the future of online gaming and sports betting,” said Pierre Lindh, Co-Founder & Managing Director at NEXT.io. “With Emerging Verticals accompanying the Summit this year, and more than 1,400 senior decision-makers attending, having SportsGrid on-site strengthens our mission to share critical insights and discussions with the broader iGaming community.”
SportsGrid will be on the ground at NEXT Summit: New York, covering conference sessions, interviews, and key discussions. Content from the event will be syndicated across its streaming video network and relevant media channels, extending the reach of discussions to a broader audience.
This initiative marks the continuation of a long-term collaboration between SportsGrid and NEXT.io, with plans to provide rich, curated content exploring the latest trends, innovations, and developments shaping the global gaming industry.
For more information on NEXT Summit: New York and to register for the event, visit: next.io/summits/newyork/
The post SportsGrid to return to NEXT NYC 2026 appeared first on Americas iGaming & Sports Betting News.
GR8 Tech will exhibit at Booth 103 at SAGSE Latam on March 18–19 in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
With Latin America a major growth market for the company, GR8 Tech brings regional expertise and the full platform ecosystem to the floor to showcase capabilities that turn ambitious operators into the next iGaming Champions.
Five flagship solutions make up the lineup, each built for operators competing in dynamic, high-growth markets:
- ULTIM8 Sportsbook—Flexible, high-performance sportsbook perfect for fast-moving Latam markets
- Hyper Turnkey—End-to-end iGaming business infrastructure for fast, reliable market entry and operations
- Crypto Turnkey—A platform built to attract and retain VIP and crypto-first players
- Aff.Tech—Affiliate management that tracks performance and optimizes acquisition across channels
- Infinite Casino Aggregation—A wide game catalog accessible through a single integration
Each solution is part of GR8 Tech’s Platform for Champions—a proposition that goes beyond technology into expertise, genuine partnership, and a community built around pushing each other to the top.
“When people talk about Latam iGaming, Brazil often gets most of the attention, but the opportunity across the rest of the region is substantial and largely underserved by platforms built for larger markets,” said Yevhen Krazhan, CSO at GR8 Tech. “SAGSE Latam is the right room to bring the conversation to the potential of markets like Argentina, Chile, Colombia, Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay, and we’re looking forward to connecting with new partners.”
Book a meeting with the GR8 Tech team at SAGSE Latam and start your move to dominate the region.
The post GR8 Tech at SAGSE Latam: Where Platform for Champions Meets the Region appeared first on Americas iGaming & Sports Betting News.
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