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Explore the Future of Interactive Entertainment with Beyond Games Conference

Published

5 years ago

April 22, 2021

Reading Time: 2 minutes

Beyond Games, a new interactive transmedia festival debuts this Spring over 5 days with speakers from Epic, Rovio, Maze Theory, Charisma.ai and Archie Comic Publications

Experience the latest presentations on the groundbreaking frontiers where games, music, film, sport, social media, marketing, art, influencers and fashion all meet .

Beyond Games, a new digital festival that explores the intersection of games, music, media, and the wider creative industries, premieres next month with industry pioneers including Epic, Rovio, Maze Theory, Charisma.ai and Archie Comic Publications.

Beyond Games will explore the transformative power of technology which is blurring the lines between gaming and traditional entertainment, to create a new kind of convergent transmedia. The expo will navigate the new digital landscape and plot a vision of the future with a week-long online conference: five days filled with debates, panels and round-tables offering unique perspectives on shattering the boundaries from transmedia pioneers, field experts and thought leaders. Beyond Games, hosted by the team behind the world-famous Pocket Gamer Connects, will be dedicated to the emerging opportunities across the rapidly evolving areas of creative convergence.

Explore, connect, repeat.

Beyond Games grew from the swell of entertainment strands woven together through technology to create unique and thrilling experiences across platforms. This convergence has grown from games technologies organically becoming the choice underlying technology for numerous other creative productions, from movies and music to comics and beyond. Where previously, an artist performed on a physical stage, technology now offers the capability to explode onto millions of screens worldwide; sequel announcements can boom through gaming landscapes and game technology is rolled out to advance virtual filming sets.

“It’s the chance to celebrate the transformative potential of interactive media and the pioneering work being carried out within the games industry, which is going a long way to helping power the next generation of creators across all industries. We created this event to encourage thought-leaders, strategists and decision-makers across unexplored sectors – from art to music to comics and more – to discover what’s next for interactive technologies and to meet new partners with distinct visions to grow businesses across industry lines.” said Dave Bradley, COO of Steel Media.

Already, the scope of innovation has stretched, with announcements and showcases inside game worlds such as Animal Crossing; a growing number of interactive TV shows, including Black Mirror; the Unreal engine powering virtual sets for TV shows like The Mandalorian; and increased exposure to immersive technology, particularly through social media. The opportunities to create shared experiences in new ways, across industry lines are at their most exciting and Beyond Games will be the first expo to bring together eclectic and rapidly converging industries, introducing them to the potential of gaming.

Already expanding from its original plans due to the swelling audience demand, Beyond Games has over 80 cross-industry expert speakers lined up, featuring the likes of Storm in a Teacup, Epic Games and Graphite Music to name a few. With the opportunity to delve into tracks like Mapping the MetaVerse, Travels in Transmedia and Future Visions, meeting industry disruptors and visionaries, attendees will discover the cutting edge of entertainment. From junior designers seeking further inspiration, to C-level executives digging deep for insight into the future of their business, Beyond Games is the space to break ground on new entertainment formats with the potential to take creative industries to new heights.

2021 is the year of creative convergence and Beyond Games is the transmedia event the technology, creative and gaming industries have been crying out for.

Big Game Summer

GG.BET rolls out Big Game Summer campaign tied to FIFA World Cup 2026

Published

1 hour ago

June 11, 2026

Wladimir P.

gg.bet-rolls-out-big-game-summer-campaign-tied-to-fifa-world-cup-2026

Operator publishes World Cup outright odds as of June 11 and promotes fast markets and bet builder products around the tournament.

GG.BET has launched its “Big Game Summer” campaign ahead of the FIFA World Cup 2026, positioning the promotion around tournament betting and a “special tournament prize pool,” according to the company.

The 2026 FIFA World Cup runs across the USA, Canada and Mexico and expands to 48 teams, 104 matches and a 39-day schedule. Under the new format, the field is split into 12 groups of four, with the top two in each group plus eight best third-placed teams moving into a newly added Round of 32.

GG.BET said its World Cup offering includes “Fast Markets” for selected matches and a Bet Builder product for custom combinations, alongside “exclusive tournament bonuses” and “fast payouts.” The company did not disclose the campaign’s prize pool size or any eligibility terms in the release.

The operator also published outright odds taken from gg.bet “as of 12:00 CET on June 11, 2026,” noting they are subject to change. GG.BET listed Portugal at 5.17, followed by Spain (5.77), Germany (5.87), England (7.2), Colombia (8.62), Argentina (9.88), France (9.89) and Brazil (10.38).

In the release, GG.BET pointed to the tournament opener on June 11 between Mexico and South Africa at Azteca Stadium, describing it as “the first stadium in history to host a men’s FIFA World Cup for the third time.”

The post GG.BET rolls out Big Game Summer campaign tied to FIFA World Cup 2026 appeared first on EE Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

Counter-strike

Team Vitality opens V.Hub fan zone for IEM Cologne Major

Published

1 hour ago

June 11, 2026

Wladimir P.

team-vitality-opens-v.hub-fan-zone-for-iem-cologne-major

Team Vitality is launching an official fan zone, V.Hub, to coincide with the 2026 IEM Cologne Major. The venue will run June 18-21 at KWB im Stadtpalais, a short walk from the LANXESS Arena.

Access to V.Hub will be free for fans who sign up, with limited availability. Team Vitality said the space is intended to bring together its community, partners and Counter-Strike fans attending the event.

The fan zone will include dedicated areas hosted by Team Vitality and partners Skin.Club, ASUS ROG, EVNIA and Blacklyte. The club said activations will include hands-on experiences and opportunities to play bespoke Counter-Strike maps.

Team Vitality also plans match watch parties, a pop-up shop for official merchandise and giveaways, including an ASUS ROG x Team Vitality co-branded mousepad. During the playoff stage, the club said V.Hub will be set up for trophy photo opportunities with its Major trophies.

Food and drink will be available on site throughout the event, including vegetarian options.

The post Team Vitality opens V.Hub fan zone for IEM Cologne Major appeared first on EE Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

2026 FIFA World Cup

Playradar ships four football-themed casino games ahead of 2026 World Cup

Published

2 hours ago

June 11, 2026

Wladimir P.

playradar-ships-four-football-themed-casino-games-ahead-of-2026-world-cup

Sportradar’s iGaming brand leads with bracket-style World Football x2026, plus updates to Virtual Football and Lucky 6.

Playradar, Sportradar’s iGaming brand, has released four football-themed titles ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which begins on June 11. The drop includes two original games and two updated versions of existing products.

The releases are World Football x2026, Virtual Football World Championship 2026, Football Plinko Pro, and Lucky 6: Football edition. Playradar said the games are designed to target different player segments and to connect sports bettors and casino players through content that links both verticals.

The headline launch, World Football x2026, is a bracket-based game using Mines-style mechanics. Players pick outcomes from the Round of 16 and progress through each round to the final; one incorrect prediction ends the game, while a cash-out option is available.

The other launches include Football Plinko Pro, which adapts the plinko format to a football theme; Virtual Football World Championship 2026, which Playradar said runs a 32-team, 64-match World Cup structure with pre-match and in-play markets such as over/under goals and goalscorer; and Lucky 6: Football Edition, a bingo-style title using balls with flags from participating nations.

Edo Haitin, EVP of iGaming said: “The scale of the 2026 World Cup is unprecedented, with the sheer volume of fans entering markets worldwide creating huge demand for football-themed content, and the operators best placed to succeed are those with games that meet every need. These four titles have each been designed with that in mind. The World Cup attracts a huge spectrum of customers, and when taken together, this product stack provides operators with the tools needed to keep them engaged throughout the tournament.”

The post Playradar ships four football-themed casino games ahead of 2026 World Cup appeared first on EE Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.