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Fan Index Reveals: The MOST Popular Gaming Character of ALL TIME
The most popular gaming character is Mario, receiving a whopping 451 points from the fan index
In second place is Sonic the Hedgehog with 394 points, receiving a staggering 59,700,700 Google searches in the last year
Legend of Zelda’s Link lands third place with 377 points, holding the largest number of Reddit mentions
The least popular gaming character is Jack from BioShock with just 48 points!
We’ve spent a lot of time at home, getting to know our favourite video games more than ever before, falling even more in love with a whole range of gaming characters. However, there is plenty of debate about which characters are the nations’ favourite!
With this in mind, experts at Stashbird.com wanted to discover the most popular gaming characters of all time from the best-selling video game franchises*. To thoroughly investigate, Stashbird.com created a gaming fans’ index by analysing the following factors:
Sales of the franchise
Average worldwide searches over the past year
Number of hashtags on Instagram
Number of Reddit mentions
Gamers’ popularity score (survey)
The top 10 most popular characters
Stashbird.com can reveal that in first place, and crowned the most popular gaming character, is Mario with a massive 451 fan index points!
Mario ranked first for franchise sales with a staggering 653,000,000 worldwide copies of Mario games sold, bagging him an easy 100 points. The fun-loving character also ranked sixth for average worldwide searches with 4,606,547 (86 points) in the past year alone! Despite these results, Mario only ranked 10th for popularity, with 45% of gamers choosing him as their ultimate favourite.
Not far behind in second place is Sonic the Hedgehog with 394 points. The extraterrestrial hedgehog ranked second for worldwide searches (59,700,000), giving him 97 points! He was voted the favourite by only 21% of gamers surveyed, however bagged himself 91 points for his 94,300 Reddit mentions.
Link from The Legend of Zelda places third, accumulating 377 points! It is no surprise as the star of the Nintendo series to have ranked top for Reddit mentions (3,920,000) and popularity score (74%), receiving 100 points for both! Interestingly, he ranked lower down for search volumes, with 1,196,200 average searches over the past year.
At number four is Donkey Kong with 354 points, scoring high with 3,930,000 yearly average searches (83 points), 570,000 Instagram hashtags (77 points) and 26,400 Reddit mentions (80 points).
To complete the 10 most popular gaming characters, the results are as follows:
5. Master Chief (Halo) 323 points, Crash (Crash Bandicoot) 323 points, Sora (Kingdom Hearts) 323 points
6. Cloud Strife (Final Fantasy) 314 points
7. Pac-Man (Pac-Man) 308 points
8. Kirby (Kirby) 306 points
9. Geralt of Rivia (The Witcher) 294 points
Closing the top 10 is Ezio Auditore Da Firenze, star of four of the Assassin’s Creed games, with 291 points!
Just making the bottom 10 is Joel Miller, ranking 25th out of a possible 34 places, from the Last of Us. This is not surprising as the franchise only scored 14 points for its 24 million sales. He also scored low on Reddit searches, receiving just 29 points for his 1,670 mentions.
John Marston from Red Dead Redemption and Simon Belmont from Castlevania were both among the least popular with 94 and 74 points, respectively.
Bioshock’s Jack rounds off the bottom 10 list with measly 48 points – a staggering 403 points less than first place contender Mario.
Methodology
1. *Stashbird.com analysed the list of best-selling video game franchises that have sold at least 20 million copies and pulled the most popular/recognised character from each to compile the list of 36 most popular gaming characters of all time.
2. The team then created an index looking at several factors, including sales of the franchise, search volumes using SemRush, the number of Instagram hashtags per character and the number of mentions on Reddit.
3. Finally, to complete the index Stashbird.com surveyed 4,567 gamers worldwide to ask them to vote for their favourite from the list to give each character a popularity score.
4. Games where there is no playable main character were excluded from the list.
5. Stashbird normalised the data by using the PERCENTRANK.INC function in Excel. This function returns the rank of a value in a data set as a percentage of the data set between 0 and 1. These values were then multiplied by 100 to make the range between 0 and 100. The maximum score a character could receive was 500.This enabled the team to rank the 36 characters from most to least popular based on their total points. The data was collected on 29/02/2021 and is correct as of then.
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Carsten Koerl
Sportradar Reports First Quarter 2026 Financial Results
Sportradar Group has announced the financial results for its first quarter ended March 31, 2026.
Carsten Koerl, CEO of Sportradar Group, said: “Sportradar’s first quarter growth reflects our premier position as the scaled leader in the expanding global sports data ecosystem. We continue to deepen our relationships across our expansive distribution network, providing additional content, products and services to our sportsbook, media and technology clients. Our recently acquired portfolio of IMG content has further bolstered our diverse offering and is resonating with customers worldwide while also expanding our margins as we increasingly leverage our existing infrastructure. Maximizing the opportunities our market leadership position and long-standing relationships remains our priority as we also begin to capitalize on new avenues of growth, including prediction markets and iGaming. Driving value for our partners and clients has always been our focus and continuing to do so should build additional shareholder value in the months and years ahead. Our confidence in our trajectory is demonstrated by the increased buyback activity this past quarter as well as the enhanced open market share repurchase program announced today.”
Total revenue for the first quarter was €347 million, up €35 million, or 11% year-over-year, driven by 15% growth in Betting Technology & Solutions, partially offset by a 4% decline in Sports Content, Technology & Services.
Betting Technology & Solutions revenues of €288 million were up 15% year-over-year primarily driven by a 20% increase in Betting & Gaming Content due to contributions related to the acquisition of IMG ARENA, uptake of the Company’s content and products, as well as U.S. market growth, partially offset by the significant impact of foreign currency movements. Managed Betting Services revenues declined 2%, as higher turnover in the Managed Trading Services business was offset by unfavourable sporting outcomes during the quarter.
Sports Content, Technology & Services revenues of €59 million declined 4% year-over-year primarily driven by a 9% decline in Marketing & Media Services, due primarily to a reduction in marketing campaigns from certain existing customers during the quarter, partially offset by increased revenue from Integrity Services.
The Company generated strong revenue growth globally with Rest of World up 14% and the US up 4%. Foreign currency movements, particularly due to the U.S. dollar relative to the Euro, continue to negatively impact earnings. As a percentage of total Company revenues, US revenue represented 26% of total Company revenue in the first quarter as compared to 28% in the prior year quarter.
Loss for the period was €6 million, down €31 million, compared to a profit of €24 million in the same quarter a year ago, as the Company’s strong operating results were more than offset primarily by a foreign currency loss of €9 million versus a gain of €28 million in the same period a year ago, due principally to unrealised currency fluctuations mainly associated with U.S. dollar-denominated sports rights. The first quarter of 2026 also included higher depreciation and amortization and finance costs primarily related to the acquisition of IMG ARENA, partially offset by lower income taxes.
Adjusted EBITDA
First quarter Adjusted EBITDA was €66 million, up €7 million, or 12% compared to €59 million in the same quarter in 2025. The increase was largely driven by the 11% revenue growth, primarily offset by the inclusion of costs related to IMG ARENA, most notably sport rights.
Business Highlights
Announced key addition to Sportradar’s leadership team, naming Sameer Deen as Chief Operating Officer, commencing May 18, 2026.
Launched Playradar, a dedicated iGaming brand delivering hybrid sports-casino content to global operators across slots, table games, virtual sports, arcade and crash games, operating exclusively in regulated markets.
Expanded the Company’s multi-year partnership with Hard Rock Bet, adding official PGA TOUR and UFC data and enhanced in-play betting capabilities including 3D shot tracking and micro markets.
Extended and expanded the Company’s integrity services agreement with FIFA for an additional five years through 2031, providing AI-driven bet-monitoring, intelligence and investigation support, and risk assessment services across FIFA’s 211 member associations and competitions worldwide.
Announced a multi-year partnership with the Liga Nacional de Basquete for worldwide rights for official data as well as audiovisual betting, completing Sportradar’s presence across Brazil’s three most popular sports.
The post Sportradar Reports First Quarter 2026 Financial Results appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
Asia
TCSJOHNHUXLEY to Showcase Intelligent Software and Advanced Table Solutions at G2E Asia 2026
TCSJOHNHUXLEY is going to showcase a powerful new era of live gaming at G2E Asia 2026, held at The Venetian Macao from May 12 to 14, 2026. Located at Booth B1338, the company will highlight a suite of intelligent software and advanced display technology designed to maximise table profitability across the gaming floor. While maintaining a strong focus on its world-class core product range, this year’s showcase demonstrates how data-driven insights and smart hardware integration can transform operational performance for the modern operator. Building on over 50 years of manufacturing expertise, TCSJOHNHUXLEY continues to deliver innovations that go beyond traditional equipment—offering a complete, long-term partnership for casinos worldwide.
A major highlight of the exhibition will be the introduction of T-Connect 2, the latest evolution of the company’s comprehensive table management system. This sophisticated software ecosystem integrates smart sensors to provide real-time data insights, empowering operators to optimise their gaming floors with a modular and flexible approach to game management. T-Connect 2 serves as the central hub for the connected pit, enhancing security and streamlining operations for numerous casinos across Asia.
The company will also showcase its latest display innovations, including the Dynamic Display System (DDS) and the versatile Ora Winning Number Display range – renowned for its exceptional clarity, customisation, and reliability in presenting critical game information. A key highlight will be the groundbreaking Ora Vue Blackjack Display Controller, which introduces a new dimension to the game through advanced camera recognition technology that enables automatic card entry. This intelligent system enhances the player experience by delivering real-time access to hand histories, live odds, and historical statistics – making gameplay more engaging, transparent, and accessible for players of all levels. The Ora Vue Blackjack Display Controller integrates seamlessly with the Ora Luxe Winning Number Display, creating a fully connected and visually refined solution for the modern gaming floor.
To drive further excitement, TCSJOHNHUXLEY will demonstrate its widely popular Supernova Progressive Jackpot System, a unique and customisable platform designed to drive player engagement and heighten excitement across the gaming floor. This unique system allows operators to create bespoke jackpot configurations tailored to their specific gaming floor, offering a seamless blend of traditional gameplay and modern rewards.
Rebecca Kingswell, TCSJOHNHUXLEY global head of operations and managing director APAC, said: “G2E Asia 2026 is an exceptional platform for us to showcase our commitment to industry-leading innovation. We are excited to meet with our partners in the region to demonstrate how our latest developments can transform table performance and drive measurable growth. Our focus remains on delivering the high-impact solutions that operators need to succeed in an evolving marketplace.”
The post TCSJOHNHUXLEY to Showcase Intelligent Software and Advanced Table Solutions at G2E Asia 2026 appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
Games Global
St8 Enters into Partnership with Games Global
St8 has announced a strategic partnership with Games Global that will bring the supplier’s extensive and diverse catalogue of titles to operators across regulated markets worldwide.
Through the deal, Games Global’s content portfolio will initially be rolled out to St8’s operator network in Ontario, with additional markets expected to follow as the collaboration expands.
Games Global’s high-performing library is developed by its exclusive studio partners, including Alchemy Gaming, Gameburger Studios, Fortune Factory Studios, Stormcraft Studios, PearFiction Studios, ALL FOR ONE Studios, Foxium, among many others, providing operators with proven, player-favourite titles.
The deal significantly strengthens St8’s growing offering, giving its operator partners seamless access to leading content with global appeal through one connection, alongside promotional tools, reporting capabilities and full compliance coverage.
Vladimir Negine, Chief Executive Officer at St8, said: “Our focus at St8 is giving operators the right foundations to grow in regulated markets. Joining forces with Games Global strengthens our content offering with a portfolio that has proven appeal with players worldwide. We look forward to bringing these titles to our partners, beginning with Ontario and expanding into additional regulated markets.”
Mark MacCombie, Chief Commercial Officer at Games Global, said: “We’re really pleased to be working with St8, as it allows us to expand the reach of our content across a broader network of operators. Their scalable platform gives us an efficient route to market, helping us deliver content from our extensive roster of exclusive studios to new audiences.”
The post St8 Enters into Partnership with Games Global appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
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