Canada

NBA 2K League Season 3 Week 2 Preview

Published

6 years ago

May 13, 2020

KENNY’S KNOCKOUT WEEK: Raptors Uprising GC point guard Kenneth “Kenny Got Work” Hailey was named NBA 2K League Player of the Week for week 1 of the 2020 NBA 2K League season. Highlighted by a 51-point game against 2019 runner-up 76ers GC, the Memphis-native averaged 35 points and connected on 24 three-pointers over the two matches to lead his team to a 2-0 record. Hailey and Raptors Uprising GC will visit Grizz Gaming on Tuesday, May 12 and Hornets Venom GT on Thursday, May 14. Both series begin at 7 p.m. ET.

FINALS REMATCH: On Friday, May 15 at 9:30 p.m. ET, 76ers GC will host T-Wolves Gaming in a rematch of the 2019 NBA 2K League Finals. Led by Finals MVP Michael “BearDaBeast” Key, Minnesota won the 2019 NBA 2K League championship in a dramatic 5-game series. The team was presented official NBA 2K League championship rings from Jostens last Thursday before tipping off their Season 3 campaign.

G LEAGUE ROOTS: Week 2 will also feature the matchup of two head coaches with NBA G League roots. Austin Peterson, the head coach of Cavs Legion GC, is also an assistant coach for the Canton Charge, while Warriors Gaming Squad head coach Mike Newton spent last season on the basketball operations team with the Santa Cruz Warriors. Warriors Gaming Squad will host Cavs Legion GC on Friday, May 15 at 7 p.m. ET.

DYNAMIC DEBUTS: Led by the dynamic duo of Nidal “Mama Im Dat Man” Nasser (2019 NBA 2K League MVP) and Dayne “OneWildWalnut” Downey (2018 NBA 2K League MVP), Blazer5 Gaming, the winningest team by regular-season record in NBA 2K League history, will make its 2020 season debut in Week 2. During the offseason, the team hired Andrew Maxie as its head coach and selected Brandon “Hood” Caicedo and Georgio “OOC Slim” Bonte in the 2020 NBA 2K League Draft delivered by Panera Bread. Caicedo led the NBA 2K League in scoring (29.2 PPG) in the 2018 season with Cavs Legion GC. Blazer5 Gaming will visit Pacers Gaming on Tuesday, May 12 at 9 p.m. ET and host Lakers Gaming on Thursday, May 14 at 9 p.m. ET.

THIS IS NOT A GAME: Drafted in the first-ever NBA 2K League Draft, Jomar “Jomar” Varela-Escapa had a remarkable journey to the NBA 2K League. Varela-Escapa was born in Mayaguez, Puerto Rico and when Hurricane Maria left his home without power, he used his family’s diesel generator to play during the qualification windows for the league. The power forward played seasons 1 and 2 with Blazer5 Gaming and is in his first season with Pacers Gaming. On Friday, May 15 at 7 p.m. ET, Varela-Escapa will face fellow Puerto Rico native Michael “BP” Diaz-Cruz when Pacers Gaming visits Hawks Talon GC. Diaz-Cruz was born in Puerto Rico but moved to Bridgeport, Connecticut at the age of one. BP was acquired by Hawks Talon GC from Kings Guard Gaming this past offseason in arguably the biggest trade in NBA 2K League history according to The Action Network’s Darren Rovell.

UPCOMING SCHEDULE HIGHLIGHTS:

*All games are simulcast on ESPN’s platforms, Twitch and YouTube*

Tuesday, May 12
Raptors Uprising GC vs. Grizz Gaming – 7 PM ET
Blazer5 Gaming vs. Pacers Gaming – 9 PM ET

Wednesday, May 13
Warriors Gaming Squad vs. 76ers GC – 9 PM ET
Mavs Gaming vs. Lakers Gaming – 9 PM ET

Thursday, May 14
Raptors Uprising GC vs. Hornets Venom GT – 7 PM ET
Kings Guard Gaming vs. Gen.G Tigers – 9 PM ET

Friday, May 15
Cavs Legion GC vs. Warriors Gaming Squad – 7 PM ET
76ers GC vs. T-Wolves Gaming – 9:30 PM ET

Canada

XSOLLA STRENGTHENS COMMITMENT TO ATLANTIC CANADA’S GROWING GAME INDUSTRY WITH EXPANDED EVENT PRESENCE

Published

4 days ago

June 3, 2026

GamingAmericas.com

xsolla-strengthens-commitment-to-atlantic-canada’s-growing-game-industry-with-expanded-event-presence

Global Video Game Commerce Company To Support Industry Growth Through Panels, Workshops, And Community Engagement Across Atlantic Canada

Xsolla, a leading global video game commerce company, today announced its participation in two major gaming industry events taking place across Atlantic Canada from June 3-5, 2026, reinforcing the company’s commitment to supporting regional game development ecosystems and fostering industry collaboration.

Xsolla will participate in both Game Invest East and XP Game Connect Atlantic, joining developers, publishers, investors, and industry leaders for discussions centered on the future of game development, investment, and innovation in the local area.

At Game Invest East, held in partnership with Scaffold, Xsolla will contribute to conversations around funding, growth opportunities, and the evolving business landscape for game studios.

Featured on the panel titled “If You Can Make It Here,” Xsolla’s Manny Hachey, Senior Director of Developer Success, joins Kate Edwards, CEO and Principal Consultant of Geogrify, and Amir Satvat, Business Development Director at Tencent Games, founder of Always Supporting the Games Community (ASGC), and a 2026 GamesBeat Visionary Award honoree, to explore how new regions and new entrants can survive and thrive in disruptive times.

Hachey, a native of Atlantic Canada, was personally requested by Scaffold to represent Xsolla at the event — a homecoming that adds a personal dimension to the panel’s central thesis. Having built her career and made her mark in Germany’s games industry, she returns with a firsthand perspective on what it takes to leave, build something meaningful abroad, and come back with proof of concept.

Xsolla will continue its Atlantic Canada engagement at XP Game Connect Atlantic in Halifax on June 5. John Nguyen, Regional Vice President, Canada at Xsolla, and Ted DiNola, Developer Evangelist at Xsolla, will host a workshop titled ‘Full Picture to Fast Lane: Xsolla Ecosystem Overview & Live SDK 3 Integration’, providing practical insights and actionable strategies for developers navigating today’s rapidly evolving gaming market.

Nguyen will also host a panel titled, ‘What Does the Future of Game Development Look Like in Atlantic Canada?’ where he will be joined by industry experts, including Ryan Filsinger from Iron Fox; Shawn Woods, CEO at Alpha Dog and VP of Interactive Society of Nova Scotia; George Greer, Founder of Besszong; and Jade Yhap, President of Interactive NB. The panel will explore the region’s growing role in the global games industry and the opportunities ahead for studios, talent, and ecosystem partners.

John Nguyen, Regional Vice President, Canada, at Xsolla

“Atlantic Canada continues to emerge as an exciting hub for game development talent and innovation,” said John Nguyen, Regional Vice President, Canada, at Xsolla. “Xsolla is proud to support these events and contribute to conversations that help empower developers, build ecosystems, strengthen industry connections, and accelerate growth across the region.”

Berkley Egenes, Chief Marketing & Growth Officer at Xsolla

“Events like Game Invest East and XP Game Connect Atlantic are critical for building stronger connections across the games industry,” said Berkley Egenes, Chief Marketing & Growth Officer at Xsolla. “Atlantic Canada has a growing community of talented developers, creators, and industry leaders, and we’re excited to be part of conversations that help to shape the future of gaming in the region while supporting studios at every stage of growth.”

Through its participation in these events, Xsolla aims to deepen relationships within the Atlantic Canadian game development community while supporting knowledge-sharing, collaboration, and long-term ecosystem growth.

For more information about Xsolla’s participation in these events across Atlantic Canada, visit: xsolla.pro/Atlantic-Canada

The post XSOLLA STRENGTHENS COMMITMENT TO ATLANTIC CANADA’S GROWING GAME INDUSTRY WITH EXPANDED EVENT PRESENCE appeared first on Americas iGaming & Sports Betting News.

Ben Scobie-Trumper Head of Sales at mkodo

GGPoker selects GeoLocs geolocation service for regulated Ontario market

Published

5 days ago

June 3, 2026

Wladimir P.

ggpoker-selects-geolocs-geolocation-service-for-regulated-ontario-market

mkodo’s GeoLocs will handle in-platform location checks for GGPoker players in Ontario, removing the need for a separate verification app.

GGPoker has selected GeoLocs by mkodo as its geolocation service provider for the operator’s regulated Ontario offering.

Under the partnership, GeoLocs will provide in-platform location verification for GGPoker players across Ontario, with the aim of supporting regulatory compliance without requiring an additional app download or separate approval process.

“Our priority is to ensure players have a seamless experience on GGPoker whilst staying fully compliant with regulations. We chose GeoLocs because of their proven expertise, industry and regulatory knowledge and the fact that players don’t need to verify location through a separate app or download.” – Sarne Lightman, Managing Director of GGPoker.

“The partnership with GGPoker is very exciting. We’re proud to support a globally recognised operator in delivering a seamless, compliant player experience in Ontario. With Alberta opening in July, the partnership with GGPoker in Ontario further reinforces GeoLocs’ expansion across the Canadian gaming market.” – Ben Scobie-Trumper, Head of Sales at mkodo.

GeoLocs is a geolocation product built by mkodo for regulated markets, supporting web and mobile location checks for gaming, sports betting, poker and lottery operators, according to the company.

The post GGPoker selects GeoLocs geolocation service for regulated Ontario market appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

Business Development

Xsolla expands Atlantic Canada event push with Game Invest East and XP Game Connect

Published

5 days ago

June 3, 2026

Wladimir P.

xsolla-expands-atlantic-canada-event-push-with-game-invest-east-and-xp-game-connect

Xsolla will take part in two Atlantic Canada industry events—Game Invest East and XP Game Connect Atlantic—running June 3-5, 2026, as it increases its presence in the region’s game development ecosystem.

The company said it will join discussions with developers, publishers, investors, and other stakeholders focused on game development, investment, and innovation. At Game Invest East, held in partnership with Scaffold, Xsolla will participate in a panel titled “If You Can Make It Here.” Xsolla’s Manny Hachey, Senior Director of Developer Success, will appear alongside Kate Edwards, CEO and Principal Consultant of Geogrify, and Amir Satvat, Business Development Director at Tencent Games, founder of Always Supporting the Games Community (ASGC), and a 2026 GamesBeat Visionary Award honoree.

Xsolla’s Halifax stop comes on June 5 at XP Game Connect Atlantic. John Nguyen, Regional Vice President, Canada at Xsolla, and Ted DiNola, Developer Evangelist at Xsolla, will host a workshop titled “Full Picture to Fast Lane: Xsolla Ecosystem Overview & Live SDK 3 Integration.”

Nguyen will also host a panel, “What Does the Future of Game Development Look Like in Atlantic Canada?”, joined by Ryan Filsinger from Iron Fox; Shawn Woods, CEO at Alpha Dog and VP of Interactive Society of Nova Scotia; George Greer, Founder of Besszong; and Jade Yhap, President of Interactive NB.

“Atlantic Canada continues to emerge as an exciting hub for game development talent and innovation,” said John Nguyen, Regional Vice President, Canada, at Xsolla. “Xsolla is proud to support these events and contribute to conversations that help empower developers, build ecosystems, strengthen industry connections, and accelerate growth across the region.”

The post Xsolla expands Atlantic Canada event push with Game Invest East and XP Game Connect appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.