Central Europe

“I, the Inquisitor” new fantasy title from The Dust polish game developer

Published

4 years ago

September 28, 2020

Reading Time: 3 minutes

It’s been a year of silence since the September 2019 press conference, now the gaming studio based in Wrocław, Poland, is releasing a bit more information on its flagship game “I, the Inquisitor.” Among other things, the Dust is sharing details on the game’s main protagonist.

“I, the Inquisitor” has been talked about within the gaming industry for over two years, since The Dust bought the rights to the popular Inquisitor Cycle book series by the famous Polish fantasy author Jacek Piekara. Up until now, little has been known about the project aside from the bits and pieces presented at a 2019 press conference.
At that time the gaming Studio announced that the game would be story-driven with an emphasis on an outstanding emotions-based dialogue system. Another important aspect of the production will be an elaborate closed world. Up to now, the studio has kept most of the details under lock and key because the game was still in early production and there are plans for a long-term marketing blitz. The main character, the city, and supporting characters were all kept secret.

European Gaming Congress 2024 (Warsaw, Poland)

The main character of the game will be Mordimer Madderdin.

The Studio has confirmed that the main character will be Mordimer Madderdin, who will be well-known to readers of the series as the Inquisitor of His Excellency Bishop Hez-Hezron. Mordimer works for the holy official who is responsible for the new world order after Jesus Christ came down from the Cross and punished the unfaithful. However, Mordimer’s appearance remains a secret.

“One of our key tasks is to ensure that the character of Mordimer is received well by both readers of the Inquisitor Cycle series and those who don’t know him at all. We need to properly balance the external and internal characteristics of the presentation so that he is recognizable for readers of Piekara’s series and enticing for newcomers. We want to thoroughly examine this element to meet players’ expectations.” – President of The Dust, Jakub Wolff

Story.

The Studio also confirmed that it is still working on supporting the dialogues through a unique emotions system. The Dust still hasn’t published detailed information about the plot, only saying that the main storyline was completed a few months ago. At this stage, the story design is mainly working on developing dialogue.

The Dust is satisfied with the current state of the game’s graphics.

The game’s designers have also published the first screenshots from the game’s current build. In these four screenshots, the Wrocław Studio shows off the diversity of the game’s world they are creating. It is gloomy, but sometimes strangely familiar. In these few images we can see the high level of detail and the way they are playing with light. The Dust points out that these graphics are not yet finished, and they’ll continue to work on them.

“From the very beginning, the graphics were an extremely important element of the game’s development. We looked for inspiration in the Flemish masters of the Renaissance. As a result of many trials and experiments we found that we have amazing graphic possibilities and started to get closer to realism. I think that we are at a stage where we can share the first images with the public.” – Art Director for “I, the Inquisitor,” Kacper Szwajka

A small team with big ambitions

The project is being coordinated by game producer Jakub Karólewski, who was formerly with Wrocław’s Techland.

We currently have around 25 people involved in the game’s development, as needed we can add more specialists to the team. This will allow us to efficiently coordinate tasks and focus on the most important elements of particular benchmarks. In this work system, we can make decisions relatively quickly and move towards their implementation without delay, which can be an issue with larger teams.

Jakub Karólewski, Producer

Recently, the studio has undergone fundamental personnel changes in two positions as Kacper Szwajka took over as Art Director and Damian Pawlak – formerly of CD Projekt RED (Cyberpunk 2077) and Techland – became the Lead Game Designer.

What’s next?

The Studio did not provide information about when it wants to start a wider communication campaign with players, what their collaboration with Juice looks like, when we’ll meet Mordimer, or when they’ll finally show us some gameplay.

“We are working hard and we’re very happy with how things are turning out after a year of development. That’s all I can say at the moment. All the rest will come out with time. We certainly won’t just be keeping it to ourselves on our own computers.” – said CEO of The Dust, Jakub Wolff.

Central Europe

Altenar delivers sportsbook solution to MerkurXtip in Czech market

Published

1 day ago

March 3, 2025

George Miller

altenar-delivers-sportsbook-solution-to-merkurxtip-in-czech-market

Reading Time: < 1 minute

Leading sportsbook technology provider grows European footprint with major local operator

Altenar, a leading sports betting and iGaming software provider, has signed an agreement to provide its fully-managed sportsbook solution to Czech operator MerkurXtip.

The Merkur brand, formerly known as the Gauselmann Group, was founded in the 1970s. Its Czech online brand MerkurXtip CZ launched in 2022 and provides more than 200 slots and sports betting across a wide variety of sporting events..

Altenar’s sportsbook solution will replace the existing sportsbook product on the operator’s merkurxtip.cz website, providing a range of innovative features to elevate the betting experience for players, enhance retention rates and increase revenue.

The agreement strengthens Altenar’s position in the Czech market, where it secured its first deal in 2024. It has enjoyed successful ongoing partnerships with Kingsbet CZ and DATA.BET.

Sam Hill, Sales Director at Altenar, said: “The Merkur Group is a fantastic business with real heritage across the industry.

“To be trusted to take their brand forward in the Czech market is testament to the quality of product and service that Altenar provides today across numerous regulated markets. We can’t wait to get started and look forward to the development of our partnership with the Group.”

Stanislav Sopko, CEO of MerkurXtip CZ, said: “This collaboration marks the start of a promising journey together. Through this partnership, we aim to provide MerkurXtip’s customers with exceptional sports betting products from Altenar and deliver the best-in-class gaming experience in the market.

“We will combine our strengths and expertise to create new opportunities, improve offerings, and drive forward innovation. Stay tuned for more updates as we embark on this exciting venture together. We look forward to achieving great things in the months and years ahead.”

The post Altenar delivers sportsbook solution to MerkurXtip in Czech market appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

Central Europe

GamingTECH CEE Awards 2025: The Online Voting Battle Begins February 12!

Published

3 weeks ago

February 10, 2025

George Miller

gamingtech-cee-awards-2025:-the-online-voting-battle-begins-february-12!

Reading Time: 3 minutes

The highly anticipated GamingTECH CEE Awards 2025 is entering its next thrilling phase as the online voting period kicks off on February 12 and runs through February 28, 2025. Nominees, get ready to enter the spotlight and prepare your communications campaigns! From the moment voting opens, all nominated companies and individual professionals will be visible, giving them the opportunity to rally support via social media and beyond to secure votes.

The GamingTECH CEE Awards celebrates outstanding achievements, embracing the latest advancements and industry trends in the region. Following a rigorous nomination process that concluded on January 19, the upcoming online voting session will determine the shortlists.

Key Dates:

Online Voting Period: February 12–28, 2025
Shortlist Announcement: March 4, 2025
Final Live Vote & Awards Ceremony: March 25, 2025, at the Prague Gaming & TECH Summit

New Rule for 2025:

This year, the GamingTECH CEE Awards introduces an important update: Each voter will only be allowed one vote for the entire online voting period. Nominees are encouraged to actively engage their industry peers and supporters to maximize their chances of advancing to the finals.

From “Shortlisted” to “Finalist”

Additionally, only shortlisted nominees who confirm their attendance at the Awards by purchasing a ticket for the Prague Gaming & TECH Summit will be eligible to advance to the final voting stage. This ensures a fair competition for the Awards between equally committed finalists, and a strong industry presence at the Summit to foster greater networking and engagement.

The final live vote will take place at the Prague Gaming & TECH Summit on March 25, 2025, where all event participants will have the opportunity to cast their votes and determine the ultimate winners. The winners will then be officially announced at the GamingTECH CEE Awards Ceremony, proudly sponsored and presented by Endorphina.

Awards Categories:

Individual Categories:

CEE iGaming Leader of the Year: Recognizing an individual from the CEE region who has demonstrated exceptional leadership, vision, and a strong impact in the iGaming industry. This person has driven growth and innovation in the region, setting the benchmark for others.
CEE Rising Star in iGaming: Celebrating an individual from the CEE region who has shown remarkable promise and potential in the iGaming industry early in their career. This award highlights emerging talent that is expected to shape the future of iGaming in the region.
CEE Innovator of the Year: Awarding the individual who has introduced the most groundbreaking innovations in the CEE iGaming sector. This person has significantly contributed to the evolution of the industry through unique products, services, or technologies tailored to the regional market.
CEE iGaming Influencer of the Year: Honoring a prominent individual whose influence and insights have significantly shaped the CEE iGaming community. Their thought leadership, content, or social presence has driven trends and fostered growth within the regional iGaming space.
Best iGaming CEO in CEE: Recognizing the CEO based in the CEE region who has led their company to new heights with outstanding strategic direction and business acumen. This award honors their ability to navigate the unique challenges of the CEE market and achieve exceptional business growth.

Get Involved & Secure Your Spot

Set your reminders and be ready for action on 12 February 2025! Encourage your peers, partners, and clients to participate in the voting process and ensure that your company or favorite nominee makes it to the final stage!

For more details on the awards, voting process, and ticketing information, visit https://hipther.com/events/prague/gamingtech-awards/ or contact HIPTHER at [email protected].

Join us in shaping the future of gaming and technology in CEE – Cast your vote and be part of the journey!

The post GamingTECH CEE Awards 2025: The Online Voting Battle Begins February 12! appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

Central Europe

DFL and Tipico Extend Partnership Until 2029

Published

4 weeks ago

February 7, 2025

George Miller

dfl-and-tipico-extend-partnership-until-2029

Reading Time: 2 minutes

Tipico, Germany’s leading sports betting provider, will continue as the Official Partner of the Bundesliga and 2. Bundesliga. Before the end of the current agreement, Tipico and the DFL (Deutsche Fußball Liga) have agreed to extend their partnership, which began in 2018, through to the end of the 2028/29 season.

As part of this agreement, Tipico will continue to use the logos of both competitions and the two Meisterschalen (championship trophies) in its advertising. The company will also retain its extensive advertising rights, including first-access rights included in DFL’s media contracts, as well as a “Matching Offer Right” for all special advertising formats with national partners, and exclusivity within the industry. Tipico will also be integrated into digital Bundesliga platforms.

“We’re thrilled to extend this long-standing collaboration built on mutual trust. Over the years, Tipico has proven itself as a highly professional and reliable partner with a deep passion for football,” said Tobias Thöne, Director of Commercial Partnerships at Bundesliga International GmbH.

Kajetan Strini-Brown, Director of Sports Brand at Tipico, said: “We’re incredibly proud to continue our partnership with the Bundesliga and 2. Bundesliga! German football is at the heart of what we do, and that passion has always been deeply embedded in our DNA as a company. This extension is a key part of our strategic partnerships, which also include the DFB-Pokal, another major German football brand. Sponsorship, and the visibility it brings, plays an important role in guiding customers to the legal market.”

As outlined in the State Treaty on Gambling, the possibility to promote sports betting is an essential tool for guiding the deeply human drive to gamble into regulated and monitored channels. This plays a critical role in ensuring proper regulation of sports betting while counteracting illegal offerings. For more than 20 years, Tipico has been offering innovative, user-friendly, and secure sports betting products and has become the most popular brand for sports betting in Germany. In addition to continuous product development, Tipico has been working on modern player protection strategies for the last 15 years. The DFL has also long been committed to preventing match-fixing and gambling addiction in German professional football.

The post DFL and Tipico Extend Partnership Until 2029 appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.