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A summer of ThunderSpin games

Published

5 years ago

June 30, 2021

Reading Time: 4 minutes

Daily in the world new games are appearing and this summer is not that different from other seasons. A world-class independent game studio ThunderSpin provides a tour of its games’ portfolio, made up of high-quality, modern slots written in a high-standard coding language to provide seamless multi-platform performances in any market.

ThunderSpin, a market-leading independent game studio, has announced a summer tour of its games’ portfolio including Sky Lanterns, Halloween Witch Party, Kingdom of Glory, Book of Treasures, Vikings: Frozen Gods, Angels vs Demons, Egypt Story and The Money.

Starting at the top with Sky Lanterns, ThunderSpin details a slot in which players get to step into the romantic atmosphere of the Chinese New Year festival. This 6×5 video slot comes with an RTP of 95.8 per cent as players wait for the cascading appearance of a wide variety of paper lantern symbols and cluster wins. Additionally, the title comes with a Free Spins feature and a bonus mode that features numerous Free Spins and a Dragon that turns regular symbols into Wilds.

The second game on ThunderSpin’s summer tour is Kingdom of Glory, which allows players to rediscover the legends surrounding King Arthur and his Knights of the Round Table.

This 5×3, 20 fixed paylines slot comes with an RTP of 96.2 per cent. As players journey through the world, they will realise that the iconic characters, such as King Arthur or Morgana, represent high paying symbols. The maximum payout is x2000 the bet amount. Others, like a knight’s helm, gold staff, green goblet, and the emerald ring will pay out smaller amounts when discovered. Kingdom of Glory also contains special features such as the Nudge Reels, Free Spins and Wilds that are all hidden throughout the Kingdom.

The third title is Book of Treasures that sends players on an exploration adventure to find ancient riches from lost civilisations.

Book of Treasures is a 5×3 classic video slot with 243 winning ways, high and low symbols, classic ancient book symbols, Free Spins, a cloning symbols feature and an instant win up to x1500. This game has a variable RTP of 92.19 – 96.16 per cent. The Special Book symbol is Wild and Scatter at the same time, which is a feature that grants players a bigger mega winning chance. The slot is not only filled with ancient gold but there are also lots of Free Spins activated by the Special Book symbol. Another feature of this slot is the possibility to purchase the Free Spins.

The fourth game on the agenda is Vikings: Frozen Gods, a journey into the cold, dark lands of the Far North. Players will venture into the unforgiving land to fight enemies and claim territory for kin and clan, all in the name of the Gods of Valhalla. The game is a 5×3, 25 payline video slot which includes a 96.3 per cent RTP. In this game there is a Frozen Gods Meter which directly impacts multipliers. The Gods ask players for three pray points before awarding them their bonus.

Additionally, the trickster Loki will always be around to aid, acting as a Jumping Wild. The shapeshifter can take the place of any god to receive their pray points. If Loki gets three prey points, he reveals himself and adds one Loki Wild to the reels, which substitutes all symbols (except for scatters) and moves to a random position after every spin.

The Hela symbol, meanwhile, will unlock the Free Spins bonus round with guaranteed wins, so keep an eye out for it. During the Free Spins bonus round, you will get more and more valuable multipliers and more Jumping Loki Wilds, and you only spend your Free Spins when you win.

In the next title of ThunderSpin’s summer of games, players are transported to Egypt in a slot inspired by the history of an ancient land. Egypt Story sees players crawl inside caves full of dangerous traps to uncover the cursed treasure.

This title is a 5×3, 20 payline title which includes an RTP of 96.3 per cent along with a Free Spins mode which awards up to an 8x multiplier, as well as a Sarcophagus bonus. Aside from the various features, the game includes an avalanche-style cascading symbols mechanic, with new symbols falling to replace ones which have been removed due to forming a winning combination. The avalanches last as long as there are wins on the reels. This way, players can gain more winning combinations on a single stake. The multipliers increase winnings by х2, х4, and х8 for every consecutive win in cascades.

From the ancient to the mystical, on the sixth stop of ThunderSpin’s summer tour, players encounter an epic confrontation between the powers of light and darkness in Angels vs Demons.

Within the game, each side moves their armies towards each other to meet and trigger the Free Spins bonus game on the side of light or on the side of darkness. When the forces of Heaven and Hell meet in the centre, a hyper-valuable Totem bonus game starts.

This apocalyptic slot has a 5×3 grid and a Win Both Ways feature, Re-Spins with Moving Wilds and Stacked Wilds. Angels vs Demons has a 96 per cent RTP along with three types of Free Spins and 20 paylines.

The second to last slot from ThunderSpin sees players dress up for a spooky party where there will be more tricks than treats in Halloween Witch Party.

Players are tasked with rounding up as many ghosts as possible at the haunted hotel to make the party a success. This 95.6 per cent RTP slot has five reels and 25 paylines with numerous bonus modes and a Free Spins round. Moreover, a winning combination of Ghost symbols activates the Avalanche Feature where Ghost symbols fly in through the hotel windows and new symbols drop from the top of the reels. As soon as any ghost counter is full, the Ghost Bonus is triggered. Each Ghost symbol variety has its own set of Free Spins and features. Also, finding three Holiday Pumpkin symbols in the left, middle and right reels will instantly launch the real Halloween Witch Party with lots of Free Spins and additional rewards.

Last, but not least, is simply The Money; a game which makes the world go round. Players can dive into a world of cash, golden coins, wallets and bags full of riches as they collect Dollar symbols to trigger bonus games and Golden Key symbols to win higher rewards.

The Money has an average RTP of 96.2 per cent and is designed in the classic video slot format with 5×3, 20 paylines. There are lots of wilds and scatter symbols, Free Spins with multipliers, and a possible maximum win up to x1000 the bet. If the player lands three or more Dollar symbols it opens the Free Spin bonus, while this bonus game special Golden Key symbol is appearing. Each Golden Key symbol adds five Free Spins and increases the multiplier up to x7.

To experience these titles and more, visit ThunderSpin’s game portfolio, or for more news about ThunderSpin visit the News section.

More new games to be announced in upcoming months.

Africa

State of the African Video Game Industry 2026: Xsolla Backs SpielFabrique’s Definitive Market Report

Published

1 hour ago

February 9, 2026

Wladimir P.

state-of-the-african-video-game-industry-2026:-xsolla-backs-spielfabrique’s-definitive-market-report

Xsolla today announced its support for State of the African Video Game Industry 2026, a comprehensive new report from SpielFabrique and researcher PhD Prince Oguguo that maps the size, structure, and growth dynamics of Africa’s fast-evolving games ecosystem. The study delivers data-driven insight into developer realities, market infrastructure, monetization trends and strategic recommendations for partners and investors.

Key findings at a glance

Market size: Africa’s video games industry generated approximately $1.8 billion in revenue in 2024, driven predominantly by mobile gaming (≈90% of the market).
Growth drivers: A young, mobile-first population, rising smartphone adoption and broader digital services are fueling above-average expansion across the continent.
Structural challenges: Persistent pain points include payment friction, limited funding, uneven internet and platform infrastructure, and the lack of a unified continental market.
Diverse ecosystems: The report stresses regional variation — with deep dives into Nigeria, South Africa, Kenya, Egypt, and Morocco — showing how local payment systems, regulation and culture shape monetization and discoverability.

Why this report matters

“Supporting research like this helps ground industry conversations in real data and lived developer experience,” said Ilayda Bayari, VP of Business Development, MEA + Southern Europe at Xsolla. The report equips publishers, platforms, investors and policy-makers with actionable intelligence to build more sustainable partnerships with African developers.

Focus areas and recommendations

SpielFabrique’s study examines three critical levers for growth:

Payments & distribution: Local payment methods and mobile money are essential to improve conversion and lifetime value for African titles.
Funding & infrastructure: Targeted investment and improved developer tools/platforms are needed to scale studios beyond domestic markets.
Talent & esports: Clearer talent pathways, education programmes and esports ecosystems will strengthen local production and audience engagement.

Regional snapshots

The research highlights how national differences influence outcomes: strong indie scenes in Nigeria and Kenya, established studios and distribution channels in South Africa, and growing developer communities in North African markets such as Egypt and Morocco.

Launch and supporting activity

The State of the African Video Game Industry 2026 report became available on January 29, 2026, and was launched with a coordinated website feature, social media rollout and a post-launch community webinar to share insights and facilitate industry discussion.

Voices from the field

“After more than seven years working alongside African game makers and ecosystem builders, I’m proud to share this comprehensive overview of where the market stands today,” said Pr. Odile Limpach, Co-founder of SpielFabrique. The report aims to catalyze cooperation and make markets more visible — enabling partners to act on opportunities while appreciating local challenges.

The post State of the African Video Game Industry 2026: Xsolla Backs SpielFabrique’s Definitive Market Report appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

betting automation

Huddle Launches Upgraded Ice Hockey Odds Feed for 2026 Winter Olympics & NHL Coverage

Published

2 hours ago

February 9, 2026

Wladimir P.

huddle-launches-upgraded-ice-hockey-odds-feed-for-2026-winter-olympics-&-nhl-coverage

Huddle, the premium odds-feed provider, today announced a major upgrade to its global ice hockey product ahead of the 2026 Winter Olympics. The release adds proprietary automation, broader market coverage and enhanced uptime—bringing sharper player-prop pricing and deeper pre-match and live micro-markets for operators worldwide.

Automated, adaptable trading for every competition

Huddle’s enhanced offering is powered by an adaptable trading model built to handle tournaments, league play and one-off matches. Operators accessing the product via Huddle’s Unified Odds Feed or through direct integration will gain reliable markets across top competitions including the NHL, Sweden’s SHL, and the Czech Extraliga. The update targets historical volatility in non-major leagues and simplifies trading across rule variations and local formats.

Deeper markets, better player-prop accuracy

The upgraded feed increases market depth for both pre-match and in-play action, with focused coverage on popular player-prop markets such as Player Goals, Points, and Next Goalscorer—plus a range of micro-markets that drive re-betting and longer player engagement. Improved automation reduces manual intervention, delivering faster, more accurate lines and higher uptime for operator platforms.

Engineered for uptime and regional coverage

Huddle reworked the underlying architecture to meet the demands of global distribution and local league nuances. The resilient framework gives operators confidence that regional competitions and live events are priced consistently—removing friction and reducing operational risk when covering the full ice hockey calendar.

Operator benefits: trust, revenue, and retention

By combining precise player props, expanded market coverage and robust uptime, Huddle’s ice hockey upgrade helps operators:

Increase re-bet frequency and session length through granular micro-markets
Improve conversion with reliable live pricing and reduced latency
Expand product breadth across markets and regions without excessive engineering overhead

Leadership view

Francesco Borgosano, CEO at Huddle, said the Winter Olympics spotlight makes consistent coverage crucial: “We recognize that an NHL-centric approach isn’t enough… we’ve established a model that accounts for all variables to deliver the most premium, wide-ranging odds feed. From the gold medal game in Milan to a regular season match in the Extraliga, we’ve honed our product to be adaptable and profitable.”

Market context and next steps

The ice hockey upgrade follows Huddle’s recent distribution expansions for its NBA pricing feed, applying the same granular trading approach to hockey markets that are growing across Europe and the U.S. Operators can integrate via the Unified Odds Feed or direct API to unlock expanded ice hockey markets in time for Olympic and league-season demand.

The post Huddle Launches Upgraded Ice Hockey Odds Feed for 2026 Winter Olympics & NHL Coverage appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

combat sports

GoldenRace & ISIBET Pro Partner to Expand Virtual Sports Across Italy

Published

2 hours ago

February 9, 2026

Wladimir P.

goldenrace-&-isibet-pro-partner-to-expand-virtual-sports-across-italy

GoldenRace has signed a strategic distribution and integration deal with ISIBET Pro to accelerate the availability of premium Virtual Sports across the Italian online market.

The partnership connects GoldenRace’s award-winning portfolio to roughly 20 operators through a single technical bridge, instantly scaling reach and simplifying operator onboarding.

Fast scale, one integration

By integrating with ISIBET Pro’s platform, GoldenRace offers operators a turnkey route to deploy high-performance virtual betting content without multiple separate integrations. This “one integration, many operators” approach reduces time-to-market and technical overhead while giving operators immediate access to GoldenRace’s most popular titles.

A sportsbook-first virtual experience

ISIBET Pro selected GoldenRace to meet growing operator demand for “sportsbook-first” Virtual Sports—products engineered to mimic real sporting dynamics, deliver authentic betting markets, and drive sustained player engagement. GoldenRace’s portfolio emphasizes realism and playability, including:

Virtual Football — the world’s most-played virtual football product
Realistic Horse Racing — high-frequency, realistic race simulations
Combat Sports — unique, fast-paced virtual fight content

Executive perspectives

“Our focus has always been to be where the players are, but doing so efficiently is what separates a good strategy from a great one,” said Martin Wachter, CEO & Founder of GoldenRace. “Italy is a core market for us, and by joining forces with ISIBET Pro, we ensure that our market-leading Virtual Sports are just a click away for a huge segment of the Italian online audience.”

Romano Biondi, CEO of ISIBET Pro, added: “Integrating GoldenRace into our platform allows our partners to offer a premier Virtual Sports experience that Italian players already know and trust. It’s about adding real value and reliable revenue drivers to the online vertical.”

Benefits for Italian operators and players

Operators on the ISIBET Pro network gain competitive advantages including:

Immediate access to proven Virtual Sports content via one unified technical bridge
Enhanced player engagement through sportsbook-style markets and realistic simulations
Faster deployment and reduced integration costs, increasing potential revenue streams

Outlook

This strategic alliance strengthens GoldenRace’s footprint in a key European market and solidifies ISIBET Pro’s position as a platform provider focused on premium, sportsbook-first virtual content. For Italian operators seeking high-quality virtual product integrations and reliable revenue drivers, the GoldenRace–ISIBET Pro partnership delivers scale, speed, and proven player appeal.

The post GoldenRace & ISIBET Pro Partner to Expand Virtual Sports Across Italy appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.