Latest News

Anzu Brings In-game Ads to Animated Sci-Fi Game Virtuverse

Published

6 years ago

October 27, 2020

Reading Time: 2 minutes

Today, Anzu.io, the world’s leading in-game advertising platform, announced a new partnership with the game developers of Virtuverse, a third-person PC-based massive multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG). The deal will allow advertisers to display non-intrusive blended banner and video ads inside the animated fantasy game. Advertisers looking to connect with gamers in North and South America, Europe, and Russia will benefit the most as these are the most active regions for the game.

Virtuverse is built on the Unreal Engine which is what enables the game to have such captivating and stand-out graphics, a factor that attracts plenty of players and places the game in a premium category. Players can venture into any of the different fantasy lands, defeating monsters and collecting the spoils of war which can be traded for in-game items or exchanged for real money. While gamers, who average an unprecedented six and a half hours of playtime per session, explore futuristic worlds, they will encounter video and banner ads displayed on immersive billboards and interior screens in built-up settlements. These objects naturally fit into the futuristic game, with the ads enhancing the environment.

Since its first early access release in 2018, in addition to regularly adding new content, the development team has prioritized community building and listening to player feedback, which shows their ongoing commitment to creating a game that their dedicated fans love playing.

Virtuverse’s team is committed to keeping the game within the free-to-play model and supporting its costs through blended in-game ads. The game’s dedicated community has been vocal about supporting this monetization method, according to CEO and Founder Fin Yeates. The new partnership will contribute to what Yeates refers to as the ‘gaming economy’. Yeates said, “Virtuverse seeks to utilize Anzu to drive down costs for its players and offset operational costs with an immersive, in-game advertising system. Anzu’s the right partner for this!”

As players gravitate towards free-to-play games instead of paying around $60 per game, developers are actively looking for alternate ways to fund their businesses. In-game advertising has become a hot topic because it provides developers with a stable income stream that doesn’t rely on players paying for games. It also gives developers an opportunity to reduce the selling price of games without risking their bottom line. Anzu’s platform is the answer industry players have been waiting for. It provides gaming studios with a sustainable revenue stream, gamers with free game content, and advertisers with the ability to increase brand awareness through in-game ads that are non-disruptive and respect the gamer experience.

Anzu already works with big advertisers including Samsung and Vodafone, and gaming companies such as Ubisoft, Unfinished Pixel and Vivid Games to bring ads to games in the sports, racing, and simulation categories. With this partnership, Anzu extends its game genres to include animated fantasy, abating the doubts that industry had regarding how natural ads could look when placed in such an environment. Once again, Anzu has proved that the solution can work in any type of game content.

“Gamers won’t tolerate disruption anymore so we created a solution that works for them, game developers, and advertisers,” Anzu’s CEO and Co-founder Itamar Benedy said. “Many people were unsure of how video and banner ads could be harmoniously blended into an animated game, but we are happy to prove them wrong through our partnership with Virtuverse.”

ELA Games

ELA Games releases Spirit of Savanna slot with player-choice bonus

Published

1 hour ago

May 7, 2026

Wladimir P.

ela-games-releases-spirit-of-savanna-slot-with-player-choice-bonus

The new 5×3, 10-payline title features Hold and Win or Free Spins selection and three jackpot tiers.

ELA Games has released Spirit of Savanna, a new online slot that introduces a player-choice bonus mechanic alongside Hold and Win, Free Spins, and three jackpot tiers.

Spirit of Savanna runs on a 5×3 reel grid with 10 paylines and is rated volatility 4 out of 5, according to the supplier. RTP is listed across two ranges: 93.98-94.16% and 96.01-96.12%.

The main differentiator is how a Wild symbol contributes to a winning combination. Instead of triggering a fixed feature, the game prompts players to choose between seven Free Spins or a Hold and Win bonus.

Both bonus paths include a Repeat Win feature that carries the value of the triggering win into each spin of the bonus round. The Free Spins feature can also retrigger using the same Wild-combination logic. The game includes three jackpot tiers, with the Grand Jackpot available either by landing two Antelopes or by filling an entire row with coins during Hold and Win.

The post ELA Games releases Spirit of Savanna slot with player-choice bonus appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

Games Global

Games Global launches Candy Combo 2 Power Combo with Slingshot Studios

Published

1 hour ago

May 7, 2026

Wladimir P.

games-global-launches-candy-combo-2-power-combo-with-slingshot-studios

Games Global has released Candy Combo 2 Power Combo, developed with exclusive studio partner Slingshot Studios. The new slot follows the original Candy Combo Power Combo and expands the title’s Link&Win gameplay and Power Combo mechanics.

The 5×3, 20-payline game is set in a pastel candy theme and uses five “candy jar” characters above the reels to collect matching symbols and trigger Link&Win modifiers. The Power Combo flow activates a Link&Win bonus played on a 5×4 grid, where cash coins remain in place as new symbols land.

Returning mechanics include Connector symbols with multipliers of up to 10x for completed rows, Collector symbols that gather visible cash values, and Jackpot symbols that award fixed prizes when four matching symbols are collected.

New features include Adder, which adds values to all other landed symbols, and Extender, which unlocks a second independent reel set to extend the Link&Win round. Games Global said up to five features can be active within a single Link&Win round, culminating in Super Power Combo, where all features are active at once. The game also includes Hot Mode, which adds extra feature symbols to the reels, and Upsizer, which offers an option to enhance the Link&Win feature at a cost before the bonus begins.

Richard Vermaak, Creative Director at Slingshot Studios, said: “Candy Combo 2 Power Combo builds on its predecessor – one of our most successful titles – by expanding how features interact within the Link&Win format.

“The addition of new jars and the ability to combine multiple mechanics introduces more variation across each round, while staying true to the core gameplay players recognise.”

David Reynolds, Director of Games Strategy and Partner Management at Games Global, said: “Slingshot Studios has done a brilliantly at evolving a well-established concept by adding depth and flexibility to its feature set.

“The result is a bright, engaging title that enhances a proven mechanic while offering players more ways to experience its core gameplay.”

The post Games Global launches Candy Combo 2 Power Combo with Slingshot Studios appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

Acquisitions/Merger

LCKY Group agrees to acquire Denmark iGaming operator RoyalCasino

Published

1 hour ago

May 7, 2026

Wladimir P.

lcky-group-agrees-to-acquire-denmark-igaming-operator-royalcasino

LCKY Group has entered into an agreement to acquire RoyalCasino, an iGaming operator focused exclusively on Denmark. The companies said the transaction is subject to customary regulatory approvals and is expected to close in the second half of 2026.

LCKY Group said the deal will expand its footprint in Denmark and increase exposure to what it described as “sustainable revenue streams in a well-regulated and stable jurisdiction.” The company also said the acquisition supports its multi-brand strategy in the Danish market.

LCKY Group expects the transaction to be immediately accretive, estimating an 18–20% increase in group revenue and a 29–31% increase in EBITDA.

Richard Brown, CEO of LCKY Group, said: “This is a highly strategic and financially compelling acquisition for LCKY Group. RoyalCasino brings both strong market presence and high-quality earnings in Denmark, a market that aligns closely with our focus on regulated, sustainable growth. The transaction enhances our scale, strengthens our competitive position, and provides clear opportunities to drive synergies and long-term value creation. We look forward to working closely with the RoyalCasino team to realize these opportunities.”

Per Petersen, CEO of RoyalCasino, said: “RoyalCasino is one of the largest online casino operators in Denmark, a market known as both well-regulated and high-value. Our industry is characterised by high levels of innovation and competition, and here we see the combination of RoyalCasino’s local expertise and LCKY’s international scale and iGaming pedigree as an excellent recipe for shared success. We look forward to introducing LCKY to our Danish customer base.” Partis acted as financial advisors to RoyalCasino on the transaction.

The post LCKY Group agrees to acquire Denmark iGaming operator RoyalCasino appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.