Latest News

Opera buys owner of GameMaker and starts a Gaming division

Published

5 years ago

January 22, 2021

Reading Time: 3 minutes

Opera, the browser developer and consumer internet brand, announced its acquisition of YoYo Games, creator of the world’s leading 2D game engine, GameMaker Studio 2, for approximately $10 million. The tuck-in acquisition represents the second building block in the foundation of Opera Gaming, a new division within Opera with global ambitions and follows the creation and rapid growth of Opera’s innovative Opera GX browser, the world’s first browser built specifically for gamers.

Krystian Kolondra, EVP Browsers at Opera, said: “With Opera GX, Opera had adapted its proven, innovative browser tech platform to dramatically expand its footprint in gaming. We’re at the brink of a shift, when more and more people start not only playing, but also creating and publishing games. GameMaker Studio2 is best-in-class game development software, and lowers the barrier to entry for anyone to start making their games and offer them across a wide range of web-supported platforms, from PCs, to, mobile iOS/Android devices, to consoles.

Annette De Freitas, Head of Business Development & Strategic Partnerships, Opera Gaming, added: “Gaming is a growth area for Opera and the acquisition of YoYo Games reflects significant, sustained momentum across both of our businesses over the past year. Our new Opera GX browser hit 7 million MAUs in December, 2020, up 350% year over year, while YoYo Games’ GameMaker engine achieved 400K new registered creators in 2020. We’re tremendously excited by the opportunities the combination creates not only for our combined users, but also for the expansion of Opera’s gaming community.”

Stuart Poole, GM at YoYo Games who will remain with the business alongside technical lead Russell Kay stated, “For over twenty years, the vision behind the GameMaker engine was to not just create more games, but expand development within and beyond the game studio. We think the transaction with Opera – whose products are known, trusted and used worldwide by millions of people every month- represents a massive opportunity to accelerate fulfilment of that founding vision, during a period of exceptional growth for both companies.”

“We are very excited to start working with the team at YoYo Games,” said Krystian Kolondra, EVP Browsers at Opera. “We see the Game Maker Studio platform as being an ideal acquisition to complement our global ambitions in gaming, and to help drive awareness and traffic to our Opera GX gaming browser.”

Opera GX, YoYo Games and GameMaker will unite under Opera Gaming, focusing on innovating across the gaming, game development, and browser experience. “We look forward to further growing Opera GX and driving the growth of GameMaker as part of a broader ecosystem, making it more accessible to novice users and developing it into the world’s leading 2D game engine used by commercial studios,” continued Krystian Kolondra. “Opera Gaming will be focusing on accelerating the growth of this emerging ecosystem, combining the 7+ million highly engaged gamers using Opera GX with millions of GameMaker creators. We are also thrilled to continue realizing synergies between YoYo Games’ products and Opera GX.”

GameMakerStudio is an integrated game development software, performance-tuned 2/2.5D engine that fuels many games, including multi-million hits like Risk of Rain, Undertale, or Hyper Light Drifter on an extensive range of mainstream platforms. Starting to build games with Game Maker Studio requires little to zero coding skills. Due to its extensive functionalities and ease of use Game Maker Studio lowers the barriers to entry and empowers a variety of creative people to make their games come alive and share them with the world.

Kolondra explained further: “Performance is essential to even 2D gaming, and sustaining that performance across mobile devices and laptops as well as variable bandwidth and connectivity requires thinking outside of traditional application silos. The line between building good games and good browsers has been eroding for years – with gaming interactivity across internet connections ramping up and browsers growing more multi-function and sophisticated. Traditionally the two types of technology compete for hardware and bandwidth resources. But as Opera GX proved, there was a better way to address that competition and improve the experience across both functionalities. YoYo Games’ team, development expertise and studio relationships lay the groundwork for turning the Opera GX vertical into a new kind of horizontal. This horizontal opportunity is why we’re building Opera Gaming and its infrastructure – so that we can further integrate gaming and browsing in ways beneficial to both in terms of not only monetization, but also experience.”

ai game recommendations

Vegangster Integrates ZingBrain AI for Smart Game Recommendations Across Operator Lobbies

Published

11 minutes ago

July 9, 2026

Wladimir P.

vegangster-integrates-zingbrain-ai-for-smart-game-recommendations-across-operator-lobbies

Vegangster has integrated ZingBrain AI‘s smart lobby personalisation into its platform, adding a new layer of game discovery for players across Vegangster-powered brands.

Casino lobbies now feature AI-driven recommendation sections tailored to each player’s preferences, much like those on Spotify or Netflix. Players see personalised rows such as “Picked for You”, “Because You Like…” and “Try Other Games With Similar Mechanics”, which point them to relevant titles. These recommendations can also be presented directly in Vegangster’s own Scroll & Play feed, giving each player a personalised discovery experience in a well-known format.

According to ZingBrain AI’s published results, smart lobby personalisation delivers a 5–15% uplift in GGR and turnover, 10–15% more games played, and a 5–10% increase in player active days, while cutting time spent on lobby management by 80%.

Michael Oziransky, Chief Product Officer at Vegangster, commented:
“ZingBrain works hand in hand with our own Scroll & Play feed: the engine decides which games are right for each player, and Scroll & Play puts them in front of them as gameplay clips they can watch and jump straight into.”

In practice, this changes how the lobby works for both sides. A player who keeps coming back to crash games sees fresh titles with similar mechanics instead of the same generic top grid, and players returning after a break land in a lobby built around what they already love. Operators, meanwhile, stop curating lobby positions by hand: a new game release reaches the players most likely to enjoy it from day one, without competing for a banner slot.

Another application of the engine is provider cost optimisation. Operators set priority levels for individual providers and games based on deals, campaigns, or new launches, and ZingBrain applies those priorities to personalised recommendations. In A/B tests across four brands, this redirected up to 20% of turnover and GGR to more profitable titles, with no drop in player performance.

The integration is now available to all Vegangster operator clients.

About Vegangster
Vegangster provides a full iGaming platform built for speed, scale, and operator control. Its turnkey, white-label, and sweepstakes solutions bring casino and sportsbook content, payments, CRM, compliance, and social features together in one mobile-first system. With Vegangster, operators can launch quickly and grow with confidence.

About ZingBrain AI
ZingBrain AI is an easy-to-integrate AI performance platform for the iGaming industry, providing smart lobby personalisation, player analytics, and churn and GGR predictions for online casinos and sportsbooks. The company is ISO 27001 certified and works with 60 live brands worldwide.

The post Vegangster Integrates ZingBrain AI for Smart Game Recommendations Across Operator Lobbies appeared first on EE Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

BC.GAME

BC.GAME names Guillermo Ochoa brand ambassador for Mexico push

Published

11 minutes ago

July 9, 2026

Wladimir P.

BC.GAME has signed Mexican footballer Guillermo “Memo” Ochoa as a brand ambassador to support its growth strategy in Mexico through BCGAME.mx.

The company said Ochoa will front football-led brand activity, including local promotions and fan engagement campaigns designed for Mexican audiences. BC.GAME positioned the partnership as part of its continued investment in what it described as the regulated Mexican market.

Kar Kheng Giam, CEO of BC.GAME, said: “Mexico is an important market for BC.GAME, and localisation is central to how we build meaningful relationships with users.

“Guillermo Ochoa is more than an outstanding goalkeeper. He is a figure who genuinely connects with Mexican football fans across generations, and that makes him an ideal ambassador for BCGAME.mx.

“As we continue to invest in our platform for the Mexican market, we want to work with partners who understand the culture, passion and community around football. Ochoa’s profile, professionalism and connection with fans make him a natural fit for BC.GAME.”

Ochoa said: “I am very happy to partner with BC.GAME at such a special time for Mexican football.

“Football has always been about passion, community and shared experiences. I look forward to working with BC.GAME and BCGAME.mx to connect with fans in new ways.”

BC.GAME said the agreement comes during a “landmark summer” for football across Mexico, the United States and Canada, and described the signing as part of a broader sports entertainment strategy spanning football, esports and entertainment partnerships. The company also said responsible gaming remains an important part of its platform experience in markets where it is permitted to operate.

The post BC.GAME names Guillermo Ochoa brand ambassador for Mexico push appeared first on EE Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

Latest News

Tom Horn Gaming ships Royal Ruby FeatureStorm slot worldwide on 14 July 2026

Published

11 minutes ago

July 9, 2026

Wladimir P.

tom-horn-gaming-ships-royal-ruby-featurestorm-slot-worldwide-on-14-july-2026

New Hold & Win title adds a collection meter, Bonus Buy options, and max win of 13,920x on a 5×3, 9-payline setup.

Tom Horn Gaming will launch Royal Ruby FeatureStorm worldwide on 14 July 2026, adding a new Hold & Win slot to its portfolio.

The game runs on a 5×3 reel layout with nine paylines and is positioned as a high-volatility release. Tom Horn Gaming said the title offers a maximum win potential of up to 13,920x the stake and is built around its Hold & Win FeatureStorm mechanic.

In the base game, a collection meter above the reels fills as Ruby symbols land. According to the company, completing the meter can trigger one of seven bonus combinations that include collectors, multipliers and jackpots, while landing three Ruby symbols triggers the Hold & Win Bonus Game immediately.

During the bonus, Ruby symbols convert into locked Value Coins on a 5×3 grid, with three respins awarded and the counter resetting when new symbols land. Tom Horn Gaming said Collector, Multiplier and Jackpot symbols can interact during the feature, and the game includes two Bonus Buy options: 50x total bet for direct access to the Hold & Win bonus, or a 120x option that “guarantees all three special symbols are active from the outset.”

Ondrej Lapides, CEO at Tom Horn Gaming, said: “Royal Ruby FeatureStorm builds on the enduring appeal of Hold & Win gameplay while introducing a collection mechanic that keeps players engaged throughout every session. Combined with rewarding bonus interactions and strong win potential, the game delivers an experience that resonates with players while offering operators a valuable addition to their content portfolios.”

The post Tom Horn Gaming ships Royal Ruby FeatureStorm slot worldwide on 14 July 2026 appeared first on EE Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.