Press Releases
Create an offline game for Opera GX to never get bored when your WiFi is out
We all know the horror of bad online connections. Ever lost the game due to lag? Got kicked out from a server when your WiFi went crazy? The Internet is great when it works. But what if it doesn’t?
Opera GX [NASDAQ: OPRA], the world’s first web browser built specifically for gamers, today announced a challenge for the best in-browser offline game: the Opera GX Game Jam 2021.
‘When the internet is out, some browsers get on our nerves with dinosaurs or surfing games which only reminds gamers that without the internet we’re back to the stone age and can’t surf the web. We created the Opera GX Game Jam to call on all artists and creative gamers to make the offline experience fun,’ said Maciej Kocemba, Product Director of Opera GX.
The Opera GX Game Jam competition will give one winner the unique opportunity for their game to be played by millions in the Opera GX offline page. The top three artists will also win cash prizes of $3k, $7k and $10K. The winning game will gain the prestige of becoming the first playable game to ever feature in Opera GX, helping to entertain gamers during those rare offline moments that would otherwise make them cry.
The GX Game Jam is being hosted with GameMaker Studio 2 – the world’s leading 2D game development engine, and in collaboration with Game Jolt, one of the largest communities for games and the people who make and play them.
The best game will receive expert development support from the GameMaker team, before being unleashed within the Opera GX desktop browser. Once completed, it will also be promoted to Opera GX’s millions of users through the browser’s GX Corner and across the social accounts of Opera GX, GameMaker Studio 2 and Game Jolt.
The Opera GX Game Jam will be open for submissions starting on the 29th of July, when the theme for the event will be revealed.
The expert jury includes:
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Maciej Kocemba (Opera GX Product Director)
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Russell Kay (GameMaker Studio 2 CTO)
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Yaprak DeCarmine (Game Jolt co-founder and CEO)
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GameMaker game creators:
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Johan Vinet (Canari Games – LUNARK),
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David Galindo (AKA chubigans – Cook, Serve Delicious!)
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dietzribi (Toodee and Topdee)
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Artists and game creators can register their interest, receive a free GameMaker Studio 2 licence for the duration of the jam, and read the terms and conditions by visiting this LINK.
“GameMaker Studio 2 is the perfect engine for Game Jams, as it allows anyone to convert creative ideas into playable games quickly. Whether using the intuitive no-code/low-code Drag and Drop system or it’s powerful GameMaker Language (GML), anyone can use GameMaker to take part in the Opera GX Game Jam 2021,” commented Russell Kay, CTO for GameMaker Studio 2. “It’s imagination that counts most, so get involved!”
AI
SoftConstruct unveils RecSys AI game recommendation system at AIBC Eurasia
In an iGaming Real Talk interview in Dubai, the firm says the tool reads player emotion and context to guide operator actions.
SoftConstruct AI has unveiled RecSys, an AI Game Recommendation System, during an exclusive iGaming Real Talk interview recorded at AIBC Eurasia in Dubai on Thursday 30th April.
Mushegh Khachatryan, Chief AI Officer at SoftConstruct AI, said RecSys is designed to move beyond traditional recommendation models by interpreting player emotions in real time and accounting for context, with the goal of suggesting “the next best action” for operators. “You can understand your customer’s emotions in real time and suggest the next best action. We are building intelligent systems which can reason and act.”
Khachatryan said SoftConstruct built an AI Center of Excellence by hiring talent from outside the iGaming sector, and described RecSys as part of “production-ready agentic AI” intended to support personalised campaigns and decision automation. Surya Palli, host of iGaming Real Talk, said: “SoftConstruct is essentially building a Netflix-style personalised experience for the iGaming industry, where every player gets a lobby made just for them.”
Responsible gaming was also discussed, with the company claiming AI can detect risky behaviour faster and more consistently than human teams, and recommend timely breaks while balancing player protection with sustainable growth.
Khachatryan also stressed the need for explainable, controlled deployment. “AI should help teams perform five times better rather than replace them… Without proper boundaries, short-term momentum boosts with AI can actually hurt your company in the long term.” The company said operators can manage campaigns, personalisation and risk through chat interfaces, with at least 85% accuracy “from the first interactions,” and directed viewers to the full interview on the iGaming Real Talk YouTube channel.
- SoftConstruct; https://softconstruct.com/ Company background and official information on SoftConstruct and its business units.
- iGaming Real Talk YouTube channel; https://www.youtube.com/ Source location for the full interview referenced in the announcement (editor can add the specific video URL once identified).
- AIBC Eurasia; https://aibc.world/ Event organiser site to corroborate the conference setting and provide context on AIBC Eurasia.
The post SoftConstruct unveils RecSys AI game recommendation system at AIBC Eurasia appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
Betty Tűndik Co-Founder at HIPTHER
HIPTHER Appoints Elena Stepanyatova as Event Content & Production Manager
HIPTHER strengthens its growing international events portfolio with the appointment of an experienced leader in content strategy, production, and large-scale event execution.
HIPTHER is pleased to announce the appointment of Elena Stepanyatova as Event Content & Production Manager, joining the team during an exciting period of expansion across Europe and beyond.
With more than 20 years of leadership experience spanning executive management, sales development, business growth, and premium event organization, Elena brings a powerful combination of strategic vision and operational excellence to the HIPTHER ecosystem.
Throughout her career, Elena has successfully launched and scaled new ventures, managed teams of up to 60 professionals, negotiated with government institutions and VIP stakeholders, and overseen high-profile events for audiences of up to 2,500 attendees.
Most recently, as Partner & Executive Director of LLC “MAP,” she played a central role in building and managing an event management company from the ground up, leading recruitment, business development, event concept creation, and commercial strategy. She also directed international business tours for Russian-speaking entrepreneurs to destinations including the United States, South Korea, and Japan.
At HIPTHER, Elena’s responsibilities will include agenda development, speaker and moderator coordination, event content planning, production workflows, and enhancing the attendee experience across the company’s growing portfolio of conferences and summits.
Her first major assignment is already underway: helping shape and implement the agenda for HIPTHER BALTICS: Riga 2026, the next stop in HIPTHER’s expanding Baltics series.
Zoltán Tűndik, Co-Founder and Head of Business at HIPTHER, commented: “Elena joins us with exactly the kind of energy, experience, and execution mindset we value. Great events are built long before the doors open, and her ability to combine business acumen with production precision makes her a major addition to our team.”
Betty Tűndik, Co-Founder at HIPTHER, added: “Finding the right person for this role was not an easy decision. We spoke with several highly experienced professionals and went through a deep selection process, because this position requires much more than event knowledge alone. From our first conversations with Elena, and later when we met in Prague, it became clear that she understands not only events, content, and production, but also people.
Human understanding is incredibly important in our industry. Elena brings professionalism, intuition, structure, and a strong sense of psychology to the way she works. I am truly impressed by her experience and by the way she connects ideas, teams, speakers, and communities. We believe she is a perfect fit for HIPTHER, and we are excited to welcome her into our team.”
Elena Stepanyatova added:“When I first met Zoltán and Betty during the interview, I immediately thought that this was a place where I wanted to work — I liked it, and I liked them as people. When we met in Prague, I felt it was a true match. We share the same goals and values, not only in our work but also in life.
It is truly special when professional ambitions are fueled by team spirit. I am very happy to be a member of the HIPTHER team, and I believe I can bring something new and meaningful to it. Together, we will keep moving toward the stars and reaching the heights that inspire us.”
As HIPTHER continues to expand its footprint across gaming, fintech, technology, compliance, and innovation sectors, Elena’s appointment marks another important step in scaling world-class event delivery across multiple markets.
The post HIPTHER Appoints Elena Stepanyatova as Event Content & Production Manager appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
Blask reveal
US prediction markets surge 5x in eight months, Blask reveal
New data from Blask reveals that branded demand for prediction markets in the United States has increased more than fivefold since August 2025, signaling a sustained resurgence in interest toward event-based trading platforms. To support deeper analysis of this fast-growing segment, Blask has also rolled out a dedicated prediction market analytics feature, enabling operators to track demand dynamics, competitive positioning, and regional distribution in real time.
Despite this rapid growth, the category has not yet reached its historical peak. Current demand levels remain approximately 49% below the all-time high recorded during the November 2024 US election cycle — a spike largely driven by a single, high-impact event.
From event-driven spikes to sustained growth
Unlike the sharp, short-lived surge seen in 2024, the current rally has developed steadily over eight consecutive months without a comparable macro trigger. This shift suggests a structural evolution of the category, moving from episodic attention toward more consistent user engagement. At the same time, the competitive landscape has consolidated rather than diversified.
A tightening duopoly
As of March 2026, Polymarket and Kalshi jointly account for approximately 94% of all branded demand in US prediction markets. Both platforms have strengthened their positions during the growth period, increasing their respective market shares while the overall category expanded.
State-level data reinforces this dominance. In Kansas, Polymarket controls 95.5% of branded demand, compared to Kalshi’s 3.5%, representing the most extreme imbalance. Louisiana shows the closest competition, with Polymarket at 59% and Kalshi at 35.3%. Across all states, however, the two operators overwhelmingly dominate user interest.
These insights are now directly accessible through Blask’s prediction market analytics, allowing operators to benchmark performance not just nationally, but at the state level where competitive dynamics can differ significantly.
Challengers remain marginal — but signals are emerging
Beyond the leading duopoly, the rest of the market accounts for just 6% of total branded demand. Myriad currently ranks as the closest competitor, holding under 1% share.
Meanwhile, Robinhood presents the fastest growth trajectory in the category, with a year-over-year increase of +983.4%. While its absolute share remains low at 0.24%, the momentum indicates potential early-stage positioning in the space.
Demand concentrated in key states
The expansion of prediction markets is national in scope, but demand remains highly concentrated geographically. California leads with 15.9% of total US branded demand, followed by New York at 10.8%. Together, these two states account for over a quarter of the entire category’s interest.
This geographic distribution further highlights the importance of granular analytics, as operators competing in prediction markets increasingly need localized insights rather than relying on aggregate national trends.
A maturing category
The latest data points to a category transitioning from volatility to structure. While prediction markets are still influenced by major real-world events, the current growth pattern suggests increasing baseline demand – and a competitive environment defined by scale rather than fragmentation.
As the market continues to evolve, the key question is no longer whether interest will return, but how it will be distributed – and whether new entrants can meaningfully challenge an increasingly entrenched duopoly.
The post US prediction markets surge 5x in eight months, Blask reveal appeared first on Americas iGaming & Sports Betting News.
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