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gamescom 2020: ‘A strong signal in challenging times’

Published

6 years ago

September 9, 2020

Reading Time: 3 minutes

game draws a positive balance after first all-digital gamescom
More than 2 million people worldwide simultaneously view grand kick-off show ‘gamescom: Opening Night Live’
Federal Minister Andreas Scheuer announces start of major games funding programme at gamescom

gamescom 2020 sends a strong signal in challenging times: the world’s biggest games event was successfully implemented in digital form, despite turmoil in the development plans of numerous games studios due to the COVID-19 pandemic as well as a comparatively short planning phase. Millions of players worldwide followed gamescom 2020, which took place in parallel on many digital platforms. The digital concept of gamescom 2020, developed in just a few weeks in collaboration with Koelnmesse and the top gamescom exhibitors, shows the great potential of gamescom for the coming years: many companies participated for the first time this year as official partners; in addition, the fair’s international reach has continued to increase significantly. This is the conclusion drawn by game – the German Games Industry Association, the co-organiser of gamescom.

Jens Kosche, game Executive Board member and Managing Director of Electronic Arts for Germany, Austria and Switzerland, says: ‘Even though the use of games has increased in the last several months, the COVID-19 pandemic is a huge challenge for the international games industry too. Physical events have been cancelled and, in many cases, the development of games also hasn’t continued in the usual manner, with the focus on the safety and health of all involved requiring that thousands of developers work from home. This made it all the more important that gamescom could be held successfully online: it was an anchor in the event calendar and attracted the attention of the community worldwide. I expressly thank all of the partners who, this year especially, have dedicated themselves to the success of gamescom, our most important industry event.’

The special highlight of gamescom 2020 was the show that kicked it off, ‘gamescom: Opening Night Live’. Over two million people viewed the event simultaneously, a fourfold increase from last year’s strong premiere. This makes it one of the top three gaming events worldwide that have taken place online in 2020. The livestreams and events of the approximately 370 official gamescom partners have contributed to its global reach. These included, for example, the ESL One Cologne and the numerous livestreams with influencers from around the world who disseminate the content of gamescom in a wide range of languages. Partnerships with platforms like Twitch and YouTube as well as TikTok and Steam also helped gamescom 2020 reach the community everywhere in the internet.

Felix Falk, Managing Director of game, says: ‘The extraordinary circumstances made gamescom 2020 extremely challenging, yet especially exciting. The digital concept demonstrates how big the international potential of our games event – already the largest in the world – still is. At the same time, however, it has become clear how important the on-site conference, in addition to further digital development, is for the community and the games industry. So, we now have to take our experience from this year and use it to develop the ideal combined on- and offline event for 2021. We’re also especially happy about the political signals that were sent by gamescom 2020. The launch of the major games funding programme announced by Federal Minister of Transport and Digital Infrastructure Andreas Scheuer is historic and marks the start of our race to catch up as a competitive international site for games development. Federal Foreign Minister Heiko Maas’s contribution to the gamescom congress, as well as the Debatt(l)e Royale and the participation of over 200 guests in digital tours, show that, this year too, gamescom remains one of the most important platforms for the exchange between policymakers and the digital generation.’

Further information on gamescom 2020 online participation and international audience can be found here

Next year’s gamescom will be held as a hybrid event in Cologne and on the net from Wednesday, 25 August, to Sunday, 29 August 2021.

About gamescom

gamescom is the world’s largest event for computer and video games, as well as Europe’s largest business platform for the games industry. In 2021, gamescom is planned as a hybrid event to be held on-site and digitally, from Wednesday, 25 August, to Sunday, 29 August. gamescom is jointly organised by Koelnmesse and game – the German Games Industry Association.

game – the German Games Industry Association

We are the association of the German games industry. Our members include developers, publishers and many other games industry actors such as esports event organisers, educational establishments and service providers. As a joint organiser of gamescom, we are responsible for the world’s biggest event for computer and video games. We are an expert partner for media and for political and social institutions, and answer questions relating to market development, games culture and media literacy. Our mission is to make Germany the best games location.

Crash Games

Evoplay launches Caramelo Dog Lucky Run crash game for Brazil

Published

1 minute ago

May 27, 2026

Wladimir P.

evoplay-launches-caramelo-dog-lucky-run-crash-game-for-brazil

Evoplay has launched Caramelo Dog Lucky Run, a new crash-style instant win game themed around Brazilian street culture and the widely recognised “Caramelo Dog” reference.

The title follows Taco, a dog navigating a neighbourhood filled with obstacles. Players move step by step across roads as the multiplier increases, choosing to cash out or keep going.

Evoplay said the game uses randomised obstacle patterns so each round plays differently. Players can choose between four difficulty settings — Easy, Medium, Hard, and Hardcore — with higher difficulty increasing obstacle intensity and the multiplier.

Caramelo Dog Lucky Run also includes a cash-out function that can be triggered after Taco safely stops, plus customisable autoplay settings for stake preferences and stop conditions.

Ivan Kravchuk, CEO at Evoplay, said: “Caramelo Dog Lucky Run brings a completely fresh personality to our portfolio through its vibrant Brazilian-inspired setting and charming main character.

“Players in Brazil need games that feel familiar, authentic and culturally connected to them. When a player recognises something that reflects their everyday life and online culture, it creates a far deeper level of engagement than entertainment alone, and that is exactly what Caramelo does in this game.”

The post Evoplay launches Caramelo Dog Lucky Run crash game for Brazil appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

Bally’s Intralot S.A

Bally’s Intralot Signs New Lottery Contract with Hellenic Lotteries

Published

1 minute ago

May 27, 2026

Wladimir P.

bally’s-intralot-signs-new-lottery-contract-with-hellenic-lotteries

Bally’s Intralot S.A. has signed a new contract with Hellenic Lotteries S.A., part of Allwyn Hellas (formerly OPAP), to deploy its industry-leading lottery technology solutions.

Following an international tender, Hellenic Lotteries was recently awarded the exclusive right to operate and manage Greece’s state lotteries (passive lotteries and instant games) for a period of 12 years, starting as of May 2, 2026. It is noted that the company also held the previous state lotteries’ license for a period of 12 years.

Bally’s Intralot has been awarded a contract to seamlessly migrate Hellenic Lottery’s existing Bally’s Intralot lottery system to its latest technology stack. Specifically, Bally’s Intralot will deploy a turnkey lotteries and instant games management solution based on its flagship LotosX Omni ecosystem. Bally’s Intralot will continue to support Hellenic Lotteries in delivering games, through its broad retail network while providing for digital integration. The contract covers an initial one-year base period, with the option to either extend annually for up to 3 years, or to continue for the full duration of the Concession.

Jan Karas, Chairman and CEO of Allwyn Hellas, said: “We are pleased to be cooperating with Bally’s Intralot, in the new era of Hellenic Lotteries. Ensuring business continuity, revamping and evolving our products, and upgrading customer experience are key pillars of our plans for the new 12-year concession. We look forward to continuing to work with Bally’s Intralot on technology solutions that will help us meet customer expectations, offer innovative propositions and drive business, while improving our efficiency, productivity, and responsible operations.”

“Allwyn Hellas and Hellenic Lotteries are valued long-standing partners and we are honored to renew and strengthen our collaboration. This agreement reflects the trust placed in our technology, our people, and our long‑term commitment to supporting regulated lottery operators. Working closely with Hellenic Lotteries, we aim to deliver a modern, secure, and scalable gaming ecosystem that enables sustainable growth and innovation,” said Robeson Reeves, CEO of the Bally’s Intralot Group.

The post Bally’s Intralot Signs New Lottery Contract with Hellenic Lotteries appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

Daniel Cuc

REEVO Announces New Partnership with ReelPlay

Published

1 minute ago

May 27, 2026

Wladimir P.

reevo-announces-new-partnership-with-reelplay

REEVO has announced a new partnership with ReelPlay, an established and highly experienced games studio known for delivering premium digital gaming content to leading casino operators worldwide. This collaboration marks another important step in REEVO’s growth as it continues to build one of the industry’s most competitive and high-performing aggregation platforms.

Through this partnership, ReelPlay’s portfolio is now available on the REEVO aggregation platform, giving operators seamless access to some of the most recognizable and high-performing slot titles in the market through a single integration. The addition of ReelPlay further strengthens REEVO’s ecosystem with content that has already demonstrated strong success across regulated markets.

For REEVO, this partnership reinforces its commitment to working with top-tier studios that bring both scale and performance to its platform, while continuing to deliver value to operators through a growing and carefully curated content network.

Daniel Cuc, Head of Account Management at REEVO, said: “Partnering with ReelPlay is a major step forward for REEVO as we continue to strengthen our aggregation platform with globally recognized and high-performing content. ReelPlay has built a reputation for delivering games that stand out and perform at scale, and that is exactly the kind of content we want to bring to our partners. At REEVO, we are focused on building an ecosystem that gives operators access to the best content in the market, and this partnership is a strong reflection of that ambition.”

Niki Longmuir, Chief Commercial Officer at ReelPlay, said: “ReelPlay are delighted to launch our content on REEVO’s established network. We are looking forward to expanding our distribution through this exciting new partnership and enabling our top-performing and innovative games to reach new operators, players and markets.”

The post REEVO Announces New Partnership with ReelPlay appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.