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Opera buys owner of GameMaker and starts a Gaming division

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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.”

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Avanti Studios signs live casino content deal with bet365

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Launch starts in Spain with Blackjack and other titles, with additional regulated markets planned.

Avanti Studios has signed an agreement with bet365 to launch its live casino content with the operator, starting in Spain.

Under the deal, bet365 will add a suite of Avanti games in Spain, including Blackjack, expanding its casino offer in the market beyond roulette. Avanti said its games are hosted by “lifelike digital clones” and designed to support localisation and scaling.

Avanti said the rollout will extend beyond Spain, with bet365 planning to introduce the supplier’s content in additional regulated markets over the coming months.

Jonas Delin, Co-Founder at Avanti Studios, said: “We’re very excited to be partnering with one of the industry’s leading operators in bet365. The deal will allow them to host new games like Blackjack in Spain.”

Clement Le Scanff, Head of Gaming – Commercial & Operations at bet365 said: “We’re pleased to partner with Avanti to bring innovative, differentiated content to Spain, enhancing our offering and introducing new entertainment experiences for our players.”

The post Avanti Studios signs live casino content deal with bet365 appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

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Peter & Sons adds GR8 TECH to expand casino distribution

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The studio’s slot portfolio will be integrated into the GR8 Casino platform for access by GR8_TECH operator partners in regulated markets.

Peter & Sons has signed a distribution partnership with GR8_TECH to integrate its games into the GR8 Casino platform, extending reach across the platform provider’s operator network in regulated markets.

Under the agreement, GR8_TECH will add Peter & Sons’ portfolio to its casino offering, making the studio’s titles available to operators using GR8_TECH’s technology stack. Games referenced in the announcement include Barbarossa Dragon Empire, Ghostfather Awakened, Zombie Road, and Sand of Destiny.

Yann Bautista, Founder and Commercial Director at Peter & Sons, said: “Partnering with GR8_TECH represents another important step in expanding the reach of our portfolio across regulated markets. Their platform combines strong technology with a clear understanding of what modern casino operators are looking for, making them a very exciting partner for us. We’re looking forward to seeing our games introduced to new audiences through their growing network.”

Lusine Khudaverdyan, Head of Casino Business at GR8_TECH, said: “Excited to welcome Peter & Sons to our partner pool. They are genuine storytellers, creating incredibly immersive, cinematic worlds that players truly want to inhabit. By integrating their content, we provide our clients with bold, artistic experiences that satisfy a new generation of players craving high engagement and fresh aesthetics.”

The post Peter & Sons adds GR8 TECH to expand casino distribution appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

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St8 cements Ontario content offering through latest partnership with RubyPlay

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Casino games aggregator and full-service technology provider St8 has partnered with RubyPlay to further expand its Ontario offering, adding the studio’s popular slot portfolio to its growing aggregation platform across the Canadian province.

As part of the agreement, operators in Ontario will gain access to a range of titles from across RubyPlay’s studio ecosystem, including content from RubyPlay Studio, Koala Games, Mad Hat Games and Firerose, through St8, with upcoming releases from Xslots also expected to go live through the platform. Standout games include J Mania® Lucky Pyggs, Mad Hit® Mr. Coin and Diamond Explosion® 7s SE. The integration strengthens St8’s content portfolio with a range of proven, high-performing slot titles tailored to the region.

RubyPlay has continued to grow its footprint across regulated jurisdictions through its studio-based ecosystem and tailored content strategy, earning key tier one recognition for developing high-performing games that resonate with players in key markets worldwide. The supplier’s games offering has proven appeal in Ontario, resonating well with local players in the region.

The partnership strengthens St8’s proposition in Ontario, a market that has quickly become a key part of the company’s growth strategy as it continues to establish itself as a leading technology provider around the globe.

David Fall, Business Development Manager at St8, said: “Partnering with RubyPlay in Ontario is an exciting addition to our growing content offering in North America.

“The supplier has built strong momentum across regulated markets through its engaging portfolio and player-focused approach, and we are delighted to bring its high-performing content from across its studio ecosystem to operators in Ontario through the St8 platform.”

Dima Reiderman, Chief Commercial Officer at RubyPlay, said: “Ontario is a market we have been focused on for some time, so teaming up with St8 feels like a natural step in our North American expansion.

“St8’s aggregation platform provides an excellent route for our diverse portfolio of content to reach more operators in Ontario. Through our studio ecosystem, we are able to deliver a broad range of experiences tailored to different audiences and market needs, making this partnership a strong fit for both companies”

The post St8 cements Ontario content offering through latest partnership with RubyPlay appeared first on Americas iGaming & Sports Betting News.

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