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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

Published

5 years ago

July 23, 2021

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.”

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Weekend Reels | Week 27: Slot Drops & Trends

Published

48 minutes ago

July 3, 2026

Wladimir P.

weekend-reels-|-week-27:-slot-drops-&-trends

Here are this weeks latest slots releases compiled by Eastern European Gaming

Mega Casino has launched 10 Hot Diamond Desire, a new online slot developed by Bragg Gaming, as an exclusive title available only to Mega Casino players. According to the companies, the release is intended to strengthen Mega Casino’s exclusive content line-up in the UK online casino market.

Million Games has launched Skull King’s Treasure, a high-volatility cluster slot developed in partnership with Million Stars studio Arcane Pixel. It runs on a 6×6 grid with a cluster pay mechanic, paying on connections of five or more matching symbols and using cascading wins to enable multiple outcomes from a single spin.

Evoplay has launched Safari Coins, a new three-reel slot built around collector gameplay and four fixed jackpots, including a GRAND prize worth 1,000x the bet. In Safari Coins, wins trigger when three symbols land across the middle row, which starts the Bonus Game and locks icons in place.

Habanero has launched Happy Hatchlings, a new fantasy-themed slot set in a “magical dragon kingdom”. The game runs on a 5×3 reel set-up with 243 ways to win. Its core feature is the Ice Mother Wild, which triggers a screen-wide transformation where “every matching egg symbol on the screen converts into a powerful dragon symbol simultaneously,” according to the company.

Genting Casino Online has launched Money Gong Empress, a new online slot from IGT, as an exclusive title for its players. The five-reel game uses IGT’s Money Gong mechanic and includes Hold and Win-style gameplay, prize modifiers, “Money Balls”, bonus features, and free games with expanding wilds, according to the company.

Amusnet has expanded its premium slot portfolio with the launch of Amaterasu’s Treasures x1000, a captivating new video slot that combines rich mythology-inspired storytelling with engaging mechanics and high-win potential. Drawing inspiration from Amaterasu Ōmikami, the revered Japanese sun goddess, the title invites players to explore the celestial realm of Takamagahara.

Spinomenal has launched a new slot title, 3 Scarabs Of Rebirth, expanding its Egyptian-themed content catalogue. The game is a 5×3 reel video slot built around a Hold & Hit-style bonus. In the base game, the Pharaoh serves as the Wild and substitutes for all symbols except the Bonus, Boost, Collect, Multi and Jackpot symbols

Gaming Corps has launched 3 Pigs of Independence Hog & Win, a new title in its 3 Pigs slot series. The Sweden-based, publicly listed developer said the game is themed around US Independence Day. The game runs on a 3×5 grid with 243 ways to win. Gaming Corps said it is built around “Hog & Win”, its pig-themed take on Hold & Win.

Booming Games has launched Booming Buffalo Hold and Win Extreme 25,000, a new entry in its Buffalo Hold and Win slot series. The title uses a 5×3 grid with 25 fixed paylines and increases the top payout to 25,000x, according to the company. In the base game, coin symbols can trigger the Buffalo Bonus feature, awarding a spin on the Buffalo Bonus Wheel.

ICONIC21 has launched Buffalo 250 Anniversary, a Fourth of July-themed slot created to mark the United States’ 250th anniversary. The game is centered on a buffalo and set against Independence Day fireworks, using imagery associated with US identity and the country’s upcoming semi quincentennial.

The post Weekend Reels | Week 27: Slot Drops & Trends appeared first on EE Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

content deals

QTech signs InOut Games distribution deal for emerging markets

Published

2 hours ago

July 3, 2026

Wladimir P.

qtech-signs-inout-games-distribution-deal-for-emerging-markets

QTech has signed a content distribution agreement with supplier InOut Games to roll out the studio’s games to operators in emerging markets via QTech’s aggregation platform. The companies announced the deal on 3 July 2026.

Under the agreement, QTech will integrate InOut Games’ portfolio, which the supplier said now totals nearly 70 titles in under two years. InOut Games is best known for its crash game Chicken Road and has since expanded into slots, including Chicken Royal, Joker Pyre, Ice Fish, and Fruits Love Fever.

Vlad Snak, CEO at InOut Games, said: “QTech Games is a hotbed for superior games and a rarefied air for the player experience. We are rapidly widening our gaming suite and scope across developing regions and their market-leading platform provides an agile pathway to some previously overlooked territories. Needless to say, agreeing this new deal tracks our core strategy to fully leverage our reach, and we look forward to seeing how new audiences embrace our games.”

Philip Doftvik, CEO at QTech, added: “After a breakout beginning in the crash games domain, InOut Games is now proving itself as a broader provider of thrilling and innovative casino content, with a focus on creating quality, cutting-edge slots that are delivered reliably to our partners via our premier platform – on time, every time. Like us, they understand that localised solutions comprise the key to success across this patchwork quilt of opportunities.”

The post QTech signs InOut Games distribution deal for emerging markets appeared first on EE Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

Buffalo 250 Anniversary

ICONIC21 launches Buffalo 250 Anniversary slot themed around US 250th

Published

3 hours ago

July 3, 2026

Wladimir P.

iconic21-launches-buffalo-250-anniversary-slot-themed-around-us-250th

Fourth of July-themed release reflects the studio’s push for market-specific content in regulated US-facing iGaming.

ICONIC21 has launched Buffalo 250 Anniversary, a Fourth of July-themed slot created to mark the United States’ 250th anniversary.

The game is centered on a buffalo and set against Independence Day fireworks, using imagery associated with US identity and the country’s upcoming semi quincentennial.

ICONIC21 said the release reflects its focus on building content around themes and player preferences that resonate in specific markets, with the US described as an increasingly important market for its partners and a key source of player engagement. The company develops live casino, RNG and slots content for regulated operators.

“The Fourth of July is one of those occasions that is recognised far beyond the United States, and the country’s 250th anniversary makes it especially significant,” said Edvardas Sadovskis, Chief Product Officer at ICONIC21. “The theme combines a distinctly American symbol with a moment that has real cultural relevance for players and operators alike.”

ICONIC21 added that it works with operators to shape its roadmap around player data, market demand and local relevance, and that it assesses follow-on titles using internal views, performance data and operator feedback. The provider said it has expanded beyond a classic casino portfolio — including roulette, baccarat and blackjack — into RNG and slots while keeping a market-specific focus for regulated environments.

The post ICONIC21 launches Buffalo 250 Anniversary slot themed around US 250th appeared first on EE Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.