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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.”

Arsenal FC

Published

1 hour ago

February 26, 2026

Wladimir P.

Liverpool Leads UK Sports Fans as Darts Surges with Luke Littler

New data from Flashscore highlights Liverpool as the most popular football club in the UK in 2025 while revealing darts as the fastest-growing sport among UK users.

The insights come from the annual Flashscore Yearbook, which analyzes billions of interactions across the platform’s app and website to identify trends in fan engagement, top teams, sports, events, and athletes.

Football Dominates, Liverpool on Top

Football remained the UK’s favorite sport, registering 5.9 billion views on Flashscore throughout 2025. Within the league, Liverpool emerged as the most-viewed team, accumulating over 5.3 million views, ahead of Manchester United (4.5M), Arsenal (4.3M), and Manchester City (3.2M).

Chelsea secured fifth place, while Newcastle United overtook Tottenham Hotspur, signaling a shift in fan attention and club momentum.

Notable match highlights include:

Real Madrid vs Arsenal (Champions League) – 2.6M views
Manchester United vs Burnley (Premier League) – 2.6M views, boosted by Bruno Fernandes’ stoppage-time winner

Darts Breaks Through with Luke Littler

Darts overtook tennis, golf, and basketball to become the UK’s second most popular sport, attracting nearly 275 million views across major tournaments.

PDC World Championship led viewership, surpassing Premier League Darts.
Luke Littler’s January victory over Michael van Gerwen drew 952,887 views, making it the year’s most-watched darts match.

The 19-year-old Littler emerged as the third most-viewed UK sportsperson, only behind football stars Harry Kane and Marcus Rashford, and the only non-footballer in the top 20, showcasing his role in raising darts’ profile.

Broadening Fan Interests

Charlie Ford, UK Country Manager at Flashscore, highlighted the evolving sports landscape: “The Yearbook shows that while football remains dominant, fans’ interests are expanding. Liverpool’s engagement demonstrates consistent fan loyalty, while Newcastle’s rise reflects shifting attention. Darts’ growth, fueled by Luke Littler, proves the impact a breakout star can have on a sport’s popularity.”

The data underscores a diverse fanbase increasingly engaged across multiple sports, from traditional football to rising stars in darts.

What This Means for UK Sports

Liverpool Dominates Digital Engagement – Confirming their enduring popularity on and off the pitch.
Newcastle’s Momentum – Smaller clubs can disrupt traditional hierarchies with key performances.
Darts’ Growing Appeal – High-profile athletes like Littler attract younger, digitally engaged audiences.
Fan-Centric Insights – Platforms like Flashscore reveal real-time shifts in sports popularity.

The full Flashscore Yearbook 2025 provides a detailed look at these trends, highlighting the evolving preferences of UK sports fans.

The yearbook is available at canva.com/design/DAHBMseYWyc/YYOTdS56irp1FBspX2qodQ/view?utm_content=DAHBMseYWyc&utm_campaign=designshare&utm_medium=link2&utm_source=uniquelinks&utlId=h844c3c447c

The post appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

award winning indie game

THE BATTLE OF POLYTOPIA CELEBRATES 10 YEAR ANNIVERSARY, CONFIRMS NEW GAMEPLAY MODE AND FEATURES ON THE WAY

Published

1 hour ago

February 26, 2026

Wladimir P.

the-battle-of-polytopia-celebrates-10-year-anniversary,-confirms-new-gameplay-mode-and-features-on-the-way

The Battle of Polytopia Marks 10 Years with New Gameplay Mode and Major Updates

The Battle of Polytopia is celebrating its 10-year anniversary in 2026, as developer Midjiwan confirms a brand-new gameplay mode, additional features, and even a physical card game are on the way.

Originally launched on February 26, 2016, the award-winning strategy title has evolved from a single-player mobile passion project into a globally recognized indie success story with more than 25 million organic downloads and millions of monthly game sessions.

From Indie Passion Project to Global Strategy Hit

Created by Felix Ekenstam, founder of Midjiwan, The Battle of Polytopia began as a mobile-first strategy game inspired by classic PC and console titles but redesigned for touchscreen accessibility.

At launch, the game featured:

iOS-only availability
Single-player mode
One gameplay format
Five playable tribes

Over the past decade, the game has expanded significantly, now offering:

Multiple unique Tribes including Cymanti
Local and online multiplayer
Leaderboards and weekly challenges
Multiple game modes such as Domination
Tribe skins and customization
Releases on Android, Steam, Epic Games Store, and Nintendo Switch

This evolution transformed Polytopia into what Midjiwan now calls a “forever game,” emphasizing replayability, competitive play, and community-driven design.

Award-Winning Growth and Community Power

Over the last decade, Polytopia has earned industry recognition, including:

Best Indie Developer at the Pocket Gamer Mobile Game Awards (2024)
Best Community at the Gaming On Phone Awards (2025)

The game boasts:

270,000+ active fans
50,000+ Discord members
60,000+ Reddit members

The most popular tribes among players include Elyrion, Vengir, Cymanti, Kickoo, and Hoodrick, reflecting the strategic diversity that keeps the meta evolving.

From September to December 2025, Midjiwan hosted the Polytopia World Championships, a global esports event with a $10,000 prize pool and more than 10,000 participants — reinforcing the game’s competitive credibility.

10th Anniversary Celebrations Begin

To mark the milestone, Midjiwan has launched:

A signed limited-edition 10-Year Anniversary poster via its official store
The New Dawn Cymanti Skin on Nintendo Switch (already available on mobile)

The celebrations will continue throughout 2026, culminating in the reveal and launch of:

A brand-new gameplay mode
Additional in-game features
A physical Polytopia card game

While details remain under wraps, the announcement signals continued innovation and franchise expansion beyond digital platforms.

Sustained Engagement and Replayability

Polytopia now sees:

Millions of sessions played monthly
Average player session times exceeding 5 hours

The game’s long-term success is widely attributed to its player-first philosophy — prioritizing creativity and community over aggressive monetization strategies.

According to studio leadership, the focus remains on quality gameplay, strategic depth, and meaningful community interaction.

Why Polytopia’s 10-Year Milestone Matters

In the mobile gaming industry — where lifecycle turnover is often rapid — sustaining a decade of organic growth is rare. Polytopia’s journey highlights several important trends:

Mobile-First Strategy Works – Deep strategy games can thrive on mobile platforms.
Community Drives Longevity – Strong Discord and Reddit ecosystems sustain engagement.
Indie Studios Can Scale Globally – Award recognition and esports tournaments validate long-term viability.
Platform Expansion Fuels Growth – Moving beyond iOS accelerated adoption and competitive legitimacy.

As Midjiwan prepares to reveal its new gameplay mode later this year, Polytopia enters its second decade positioned as one of the most resilient and community-driven mobile strategy franchises.

Similar coverage about games:

https://www.pocketgamer.com/the-battle-of-polytopia/feature-retrospective/

Pocket Gamer frequently publishes retrospectives and milestone coverage on successful mobile strategy games, including The Battle of Polytopia and other long-running indie titles.

The post THE BATTLE OF POLYTOPIA CELEBRATES 10 YEAR ANNIVERSARY, CONFIRMS NEW GAMEPLAY MODE AND FEATURES ON THE WAY appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

Conferences

BetConstruct AI to Redefine the Brazilian iGaming Landscape at SBC Summit Rio 2026

Published

1 hour ago

February 26, 2026

GamingAmericas.com

betconstruct-ai-to-redefine-the-brazilian-igaming-landscape-at-sbc-summit-rio-2026

BetConstruct AI is excited to announce its participation in the SBC Summit Rio 2026, held from March 4-5 at the Riocentro in Rio de Janeiro.

As Brazil navigates its second year of full regulation, BetConstruct AI arrives at this pivotal market juncture to showcase a vision of technological empowerment and strategic autonomy.

At Stand A230, visitors will encounter a comprehensive suite of AI-driven solutions designed to meet the high standards of the Brazilian audience. The showcase features the industry-leading Sportsbook and Casino Platforms, engineered to scale rapidly while maintaining the highest levels of performance.

Beyond the core platforms, BetConstruct AI provides the essential architecture for a dominant online brand. This includes CMS Pro, a specialized content management solution that empowers operators to manage their entire business from one centralized hub, and SpringBuilder X, our mobile-first, SEO-driven drag-and-drop website builder that eliminates the need for technical skills. Taking customization a step further, BetChain AI offers a revolutionary way to build and shape iGaming websites faster and smarter, giving partners full creative control. These foundational tools are designed to work in perfect harmony with our deeper intelligence layer, creating a seamless bridge between a stunning user interface and sophisticated back-end automation.

The core of the exhibition is the BetConstruct AI Suite, a sophisticated collection of tools built to automate and optimize the operator’s journey. This includes:

CRM AI: Delivering deep behavioral insights to enhance player retention.
Umbrella AI: Providing real-time risk management and automated player protection.
AI Game Recommendation System: Ensuring personalized content delivery to maximize engagement.
Betting Mate: An intuitive AI companion that elevates the player experience with real-time stats and insights.

Reflecting its commitment to the Brazilian market’s long-term success, BetConstruct AI will highlight its exclusive “The Choice to Grow” program. This performance-based initiative is designed to reward partners who achieve a 16.67% increase in GGR per quarter. By meeting these targets across a diverse product range – including Sportsbook, Virtual Sports, and partner brands like PopOK Gaming and CreedRoomz- operators can unlock a 51% invoice discount every third month, alongside exclusive service benefits and tournament access.

BetConstruct AI invites all industry stakeholders, operators, and media representatives to visit Stand A230 at Riocentro. The team will be available throughout the summit to demonstrate how a connected, AI-driven environment allows partners to choose the path of innovation, efficiency, and market leadership in the Brazilian Market.

The post BetConstruct AI to Redefine the Brazilian iGaming Landscape at SBC Summit Rio 2026 appeared first on Americas iGaming & Sports Betting News.