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NSoft story: Passion and motivation behind Virtual Penalty Shootout

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Virtual Penalty Shootout celebrated its first birthday. Officially, the game was released on September 30, 2020, and instantly captured the attention of both – operators and players.

The expert community has also recognized the uniqueness and the beauty of the game by shortlisting it for the Global Gaming Award 2021 in the category Product Launch of the Year. Recently NSoft received seven nominations for the SBC Awards Latinoamerica 2021. Among others, we are shortlisted in the category Virtual Sports Supplier. The application for this award has leaned heavily on the Virtual Penalty Shootout game.

To celebrate all those milestones, we decided to tell a different story about Virtual Penalty Shootout game. We will not talk about the RNG, betting markets, how-to-play but let people who created the game say a word or two about passion, excitement and dedication.

By Amela Dedić and Biljana Haljevac, Senior 3D Artists/Animators

The team

Great teams and great ideas are all about people and the working atmosphere. We at NSoft’s former 3D Games Team, now 3D Creative Team were lucky to found each and we just can’t start this story without saying thank-you to former and current team members: Jasmin Ličina – Senior 3D artist/Team lead, Dragan Grbavac – Senior 3D artist, Dejan Boras – Senior Unity dev, Zlatko Vukšić – Senior Unity dev, Adnan Mujkić – Unity Dev, Dragan Rezo – Senior 3D Artist, Stojan Cvitković – Senior 3D Artist, Toni Matej Radoš – Senior 3D Artist. In this story, “we” are Biljana Haljevac –  Senior 3D Animator and Amela Dedić – Senior 3D Animator. We are the one who will take you behind the scene of  Virtual Penalty Shootout. 

Our Team’s job is to develop Virtual betting games such as Virtual greyhound and horse races, Motorcycle Speedway, etc.

New Project – Virtual Penalty Shootout

The virtual penalty shootout was the most challenging project we’ve worked on. It allowed us to learn and try new things such as Motion capture. Our first job was to figure out the best way for our small team to make such a big virtual game. The biggest challenge was the animation process. We needed a large number of highly realistic animations, and the best solution for that problem was a Motion Capture system. Our choice was a company from Sweden named Rokoko and their WiFi motion capture suit – The Smartsuit Pro.

After we placed our order for the suit, the waiting time was used to go “back to school” and research making of other elements of the game such as character and venue design and creation, MoCap animation recording and cleanup, new software, and game rules. Our best friends were Pluralsight and LinkedIn Learning.

The Arrival- Smartsuit Pro is in the town 

The arrival of the Smartsuit Pro was the most joyful occasion. Also, the day when our colleague Toni officially became the resident MoCap test talent.

Since our open office was not suited for a proper MoCap test, our first pick was local park. Awesome place, beautiful weather, but just one problem: electricity was really hard to find. A better-suited place was found for proper test and future motion capture sessions. The Local Futsal field had everything we needed.

MoCap Time! 

Following initial tests, we felt confident enough to start official motion capture sessions. The first step was planning and creating MoCap sheets for each motion capture session.

Our motion capture crew was small but efficient: Toni Matej Radoš – Test talent & Talent Manager, Biljana Haljevac – Reference Cameras and Amela Dedić – Rokoko Studio, MoCap Sheet. And our Talents, real-life football players,  who without this would not be possible: Fedja Kulenić (goalkeeper) and Ivan Arapović (player).

Since we have only one suit, Goalkeeper and Player animations were recorded separately. Because of that, we had to be very careful during the planning process so the respective animations could match. We were a bit worried about the Goalkeeper’s recording sessions, taking into consideration the nature of football goalkeeping movements. To make everything easier we relocated Goalkeeper’s MoCap sessions to the local Judo club with a soft tatami mat surface.  We had 3 recording sessions and each was 3 hours long. That gave us 137 raw animations. We were aware that not every MoCap take will be successful or 100% accurate, we made sure that every take was also recorded with our reference cameras.

Animation Cleanup

The entire process of cleanup was done in Maya and Motionbuilder using the HumanIK system. Most of the work was root motion corrections, foot slides, and arms fixes. The final part of the cleanup was merging the animations of Player and Goalkeeper into one take and making sure that the timing fits perfectly for each take.

The ball movement was a mix of keyframed animation and Unity physics.

Visuals & Final Render

Cleanup done. Next: Dressing up. The entire time of animation cleanup our player and goalkeeper rigs were dressed in nothing but their birthday suit. That caused a lot of funny looks from our other coworkers. But fear not! Our 3D artist Dragan Rezo was on the task of dressing them up for their final render.

Visuals & Final Render

Cleanup done. Next: Dressing up. The entire time of animation cleanup our player and goalkeeper rigs were dressed in nothing but their birthday suit. That caused a lot of funny looks from our other coworkers. But fear not! Our 3D artist Dragan Rezo was on the task of dressing them up for their final render.

Every visual element of the game can be easily changed. Character appearance, jerseys, crowd, banners. All this can be altered according to the client’s requirements. We had a test client request just to see how much time would be needed for all the changes and rendering.

  • Lions on background video banners
  • Goalkeeper jersey with leopard pattern and panther head as front logo
  • Penalty taker with a red jersey and white sun on blue background (Taiwanese flag) as a front logo. Number 88 on the back and name “Tigers” above it
  • Additional but not requested, all resolve screens translated to mandarin

Final words

Almost nobody was injured during the making of the game. Our Goalkeeper had some bruises from the suit’s sensors, and we almost had a heart attack when our suit had a minor malfunction.

All jokes aside, our small team is very proud to have managed to complete such a large project, learn a bunch of new things in the process, and use Motion capture technology. It was an awesome experience from start to finish.

In the end, we would like you to take a look at our little video presentation of the Motion capture animation process.

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Amusnet

Amusnet Celebrates Football Season with the Launch of Ca$hybara Football Edition

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As football fever takes over the world and fans unite around the beautiful game, Amusnet is bringing the excitement from the stadium straight to the casino floor with the launch of Ca$hybara Football Edition – the latest addition to the beloved Ca$hybara series.

This energetic crash game puts players at the center of the action, where every touch of the ball could lead to bigger rewards. Taking the spotlight once again is the unstoppable Ca$hybara, this time stepping onto the football pitch with confidence, skill and plenty of flair.

In Ca$hybara Football Edition, the charismatic sports star keeps the ball airborne through an impressive display of juggling mastery. With every successful touch, the multiplier climbs higher, creating a thrilling balance between risk and reward. The challenge is simple: decide how long to stay in the game before cashing out. The longer Ca$hybara remains in control, the greater the potential winnings – but one missed touch can change everything.

Designed to keep players engaged from kick-off to the final whistle, the game introduces constant decision-making throughout every round. Players can choose to secure part of their winnings with the 50% Cashout option or continue riding the momentum in pursuit of even bigger multipliers. Timing, confidence and a little courage will determine who comes out on top.

Adding another layer of excitement are the popular Jackpot Cards, Amusnet’s signature jackpot feature, offering players additional chances for rewarding surprises and making every session even more dynamic.

With its football-inspired theme, fast-paced gameplay, and familiar Ca$hybara charm, Ca$hybara Football Edition arrives at the perfect moment, capturing the energy and passion of the season when football dominates conversations across the globe.

Whether players are seasoned crash game enthusiasts or discovering the genre for the first time, Ca$hybara Football Edition delivers an entertaining experience where every second counts and every decision matters.

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The post Amusnet Celebrates Football Season with the Launch of Ca$hybara Football Edition appeared first on EE Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

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ArenaPlus

DigiPlus Wins “Digital Operator of the Year” Award at 2026 Global Gaming Awards Asia-Pacific

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DigiPlus Interactive Corp. (DigiPlus), the country’s premier digital entertainment provider behind BingoPlus, ArenaPlus and GameZone, has been named Digital Operator of the Year at the 2026 Global Gaming Awards Asia-Pacific, marking its second consecutive annual win in the category and reinforcing its leading industry position in the APAC region. The recognition was announced during the Global Gaming Awards ceremony held on June 2 at Conrad Manila.

One of the international gaming industry’s most prestigious awards programmes, the Global Gaming Awards, powered by Global Gaming Insider, recognise excellence in innovation, player experience, responsible gaming and operational excellence across both land-based and online gaming sectors. Winners are selected by a panel of senior industry executives with extensive experience and deep knowledge of the market, with the voting process independently adjudicated by KPMG to ensure rigor and transparency.

The Digital Operator of the Year category recognises operators that have demonstrated outstanding growth, innovation and player engagement over the past 12 months. DigiPlus emerged victorious from a shortlist of eight nominees, besting seven other operators across APAC.

Judges highlighted DigiPlus’ strong 2025 performance, the addition of over 500 new e-games on its platforms, and the rollout of industry-first responsible gaming tools. The company also continues its momentum in 2026 through major partnerships, including recently launched collaborations with Manny Pacquiao and the National Basketball Association (NBA).

In addition to its top industry honor, DigiPlus earned further recognition for its social impact initiatives, securing the first runner-up spot in the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) of the Year category.

The awards body commended DigiPlus for its impressive CSR work via the DigiPlus Foundation which delivers healthcare, education, disaster relief, and social empowerment programs to over 1 million beneficiaries and counting across the Philippines.

“We are honored to once again be recognized by the Global Gaming Awards. These prestigious international industry accolades reflect DigiPlus’ unwavering pursuit of excellence and our drive to continuously innovate, deepen player engagement, and champion responsible gaming across BingoPlus, ArenaPlus, and GameZone,” said DigiPlus Chairman Eusebio H. Tanco.

“Together with the recognition for DigiPlus Foundation, this back-to-back win affirms our commitment to delivering world-class digital entertainment to Filipinos while contributing to nation-building.”

The Global Gaming Awards also hold annual editions in the Americas and EMEA regions, recognising industry excellence across the globe.

The post DigiPlus Wins “Digital Operator of the Year” Award at 2026 Global Gaming Awards Asia-Pacific appeared first on EE Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

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Greece

SYNOT Games Announces New Partnership with Superbet

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In a move that further reinforces its footprint across regulated European markets, SYNOT Games has announced a new partnership with Superbet, a prominent platform in Greece. The collaboration certified SYNOT titles, including some of the studio’s latest and most innovative releases, to the casino’s rapidly growing grid.

Players on Superbet can now enjoy great slots such as Respin Joker 81, Aztec Jaguar and Toro Wilds Reel. These additions expand Superbet’s offering with a spectrum of engaging mechanics, artistic design and mobile-first performance, ensuring the highest-quality entertainment for Greek audiences.

The agreement is part of SYNOT Games’ strategic initiative to solidify its presence exclusively in licensed, regulated markets by providing certified content through partnerships with established, trusted regional operators.

Martina Krajčí, Chief Commercial Officer at SYNOT Games, said: “We are excited to bring our portfolio to Greek players through this strategic alliance with Superbet. Greece represents a market with great potential and an audience that appreciates quality, variety, and innovation. Superbet’s agility and commitment to delivering premium entertainment make them an ideal partner for our continued Mediterranean expansion.”

Superbet, known for its user-centric approach and cutting-edge platform, views the addition of SYNOT Games content as a key enhancement to its offering and a testament to its mission of hosting best-in-class gaming experiences.

Stathis Leontaritis, Casino Lead at Superbet, said: “Our partnership with SYNOT Games further strengthens our commitment to delivering a diverse and engaging gaming portfolio to Greek customers. With its proven track record across Central and Eastern Europe, unique game mechanics, and strong land-based heritage, Synot brings a distinctive content offering that complements our existing Superbet portfolio and supports our goal of providing a premium online entertainment experience to players in Greece.”

This collaboration not only empowers Superbet to differentiate its portfolio further but also underscores SYNOT Games’ long-term commitment to regulated growth, responsible gaming, and working exclusively with trusted local operators – a model increasingly valued by players and regulators.

The post SYNOT Games Announces New Partnership with Superbet appeared first on EE Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

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