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METANOMIC LAUNCHES ‘THUNDERSTRUCK’ – 1st gamer analysis tool powered by AI

Published

4 years ago

September 6, 2022

Reading Time: 4 minutes

Metanomic, the complete game economy and player analytics company, today proudly announces the global launch of its Thunderstruck player analytics platform; which is poised to revolutionise game developers’ use of behavioural data to improve retention and monetisation.

Thunderstruck is the first ever video game analytics platform to leverage AI-powered behavioural analytics. It makes use of Bayesian inference-backed AI to understand data from real in-game events, drawn directly from game servers. Thunderstruck analyses player motivations, play styles, and reward preferences, providing developers with live information on who their game is for, what types of players have the highest retention, and which players spend the most in-game. Until now, game creators have had to rely on outdated player classification models combined with market research, and plug gaps in insight with assumptions and guesswork.

Metanomic was founded in 2021 by veteran game designers, AI experts, and professional economists, and has successfully secured USD $2.9 million pre-seed funding to-date. Thunderstruck is launching with 7 player types – Killers, Achievers, Explorers, Socialisers, Speedsters, Conquerors, and Scientists – which can be tailored to the priorities of individual game titles. Player types will be refined and added to as the platform analyses data from more titles, while its Bayesian AI means Thunderstruck can even identify the series of events that lead to specific player actions.

Announcing the launch of Thunderstruck, Theo Priestley, CEO and Founder of Metanomic, said:

“For too long, game developers have relied on blunt instruments to understand their players. It’s no exaggeration to say that the bulk of the games industry’s framework for player classification dates back to a 1996 essay by Richard Bartle. A generation later, Thunderstruck is the next big leap forward, taking just a few days to generate more insight than a team of analysts could in a month. We understand that players can straddle multiple personas or even change persona based on their motivations, and use custom AI and live data to accurately anticipate how they’ll respond to metagame changes. Thunderstruck is all about empowering game developers with a better way to identify, acquire, and impact the right players for their game.”

Thunderstruck is equally suitable for mobile, console, and PC; existing as well as new games; and web3 as well as traditional web2 games. It works in tandem with Metanomic’s free Economy Engine platform, which was launched earlier this year to help studios to build, simulate and monitor their game economies.

Thunderstruck is launching with 7 player types.

Killers

These players enjoy killing, creating chaos, and competitive elements most of all. They focus on winning, climbing player rankings, obtaining status, provoking, and imposing drama onto others.

Achievers

These players are competitive and enjoy overcoming difficult objectives, whether set by the game or themselves, in order to obtain prestige, prizes, and other types of material possessions.

Explorers

Those that like to learn as much about the game as possible, Explorers seek to understand the finer details of game mechanics. The thrill of discovery and uncovering hidden areas or objectives motivate these players over points or prizes.

Socialisers

Players that experience fun in interacting with other players through social systems like using chat, managing guilds, or role-playing rather than playing the game itself. They tend to collaborate or join forces with others to achieve objectives than they could on their own.

Speedsters

Cheetahs race to objectives in order to be among the first to reach the end-game content or the highest level. They spend most of their time grinding experience and playing for long hours.

Conquerors

Conquerors enjoy the struggle against adversity and beating impossibly difficult odds. They are persistent, forceful, and repetitive in their pursuit to overcome their objectives.

Scientists

Commonly referred to as ‘Crafters,’ Scientists seek to improve their skills by gathering resources and creating or improving items for themselves and to sell to others. They find enjoyment in more passive forms of game mechanics and objectives.

The Thunderstruck player personas are also influenced by ‘passion’ – how often and how well they play.

They can also be tailored by the game developer or publisher depending on their priorities. For example, in different types of game, ‘Achiever’ could mean the highest skilled, the richest, or the players with the most wins.

In future, Metanomic will frequently add additional and more granular player types to further studios’ understanding of their players.

eSports

DATA.BET says esports betting GGR nearly doubles in Q1 2026

Published

53 minutes ago

May 15, 2026

Wladimir P.

data.bet-says-esports-betting-ggr-nearly-doubles-in-q1-2026

DATA.BET reported stronger esports betting performance in Q1 2026 across its partner sportsbook network, citing year-on-year gains in gross gaming revenue (GGR), turnover and player activity versus Q1 2025.

The supplier said esports GGR nearly doubled YoY, while turnover rose 70.6%. It also reported higher activity levels, with placed bets up 33.2% and combo bets increasing 72.1%. DATA.BET attributed the combo bet lift in part to recent UX changes to its Single Page Application (iFrame) and said higher-value wagering from “premium-segment partner platforms” supported a rise in average single bet size.

By title, DATA.BET said CS2, Dota 2, League of Legends and Valorant all delivered “strong double-digit growth” across profit, turnover, bet counts and active users. It also highlighted “niche disciplines” as a profit driver, reporting a 245% YoY increase in profit for that segment. Rainbow Six was singled out for growth following the addition of new markets, including combined Total Over + Win and Win First Half + Win Map, and expanded match coverage, with the company pointing to Latin America as a key audience.

Rocket League posted quarter-on-quarter growth, according to DATA.BET, with turnover up 85.3%, bet counts up 18.7% and active players up 50.1%, alongside a stated 94% live coverage conversion rate. The company also pointed to Valorant EMEA Clash 2026 as a contributor to acquisition, saying newcomers made up 68.6% of all new players and 55.4% of total bets placed.

According to Bohdan Holovnov, Head of Esports at DATA.BET, partners increased activity as returns improved: “High margin efficiency has been a real catalyst this quarter. Partners have increasingly recognized that esports can deliver meaningful commercial returns, encouraging them to scale up promotional campaigns and drive more traffic into the vertical. That feeds directly into more new users, higher turnover, and stronger margins. At the same time, we continue to offer the broadest match and discipline coverage on the market, and the impact is also reflected in the rapid growth of combo bets across our partner platforms.”

DATA.BET said official data events were up 5.2% YoY and the overall event calendar increased 10.8%. It added that top-tier events outperformed low-tier events on turnover, profit and bet count, while low-tier volume grew—particularly in CS2—following Valve’s restructured Major qualification system. Holovnov added: “Q1 of 2026 set a new benchmark for what esports betting can deliver. GGR nearly doubling year over year, combined with a player base growing by more than 56% and increasingly sophisticated betting patterns, suggests the vertical is maturing in exactly the right direction. We’re entering the rest of 2026 with strong momentum, an expanding market portfolio, and partners who are seeing tangible commercial impact quarter after quarter.”

The post DATA.BET says esports betting GGR nearly doubles in Q1 2026 appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

Baltics

HIPTHER Celebrates Estonia’s Startup Ecosystem & Tallinn Homecoming with Eestistartup

Published

53 minutes ago

May 15, 2026

Wladimir P.

hipther-celebrates-estonia’s-startup-ecosystem-&-tallinn-homecoming-with-eestistartup

HIPTHER is proud to announce a new community-driven initiative for HIPTHER Baltics & Nordics: Tallinn 2026, opening 50 fully complimentary delegate passes for members of Eestistartup.ee, one of Estonia’s largest startup communities, bringing together more than 1,000 startups across the country’s fast-growing innovation ecosystem.

The initiative is launched in collaboration with Daniel Gunba, founder of Eestistartup, long-standing friend of the #hipthers community, and recurring HIPTHER conference speaker. Designed as a friendship project rooted in shared respect for Estonia’s founders and innovators, the initiative aims to support local startup access to international industry dialogue, networking, and business opportunities.

Taking place on 2 June 2026 at Hilton Tallinn Park, HIPTHER Baltics & Nordics: Tallinn 2026 will explore Digital Governance, Startup Innovation, Nordic Market Expansion, fintech, compliance, AI, digital identity, investment, and regulated technology ecosystems — making the collaboration a natural fit for Estonia’s startup community.

Through the initiative, selected Eestistartup members will receive full access to the conference programme, networking sessions, lunch, and the evening networking party, including one complimentary drink.

More than a delegate pass, the initiative reflects HIPTHER’s commitment to opening doors for ambitious builders, connecting founders with decision-makers, and celebrating Tallinn’s role as one of Europe’s most dynamic centres for digital governance, entrepreneurship, and technology leadership.

As HIPTHER OÜ proudly calls Estonia home, Tallinn 2026 carries special meaning for the #hipthers team. The event represents both a regional milestone and a homecoming — a chance to bring HIPTHER’s international community closer to the founders, innovators, and tech leaders shaping Estonia’s next chapter.

“Estonia has always represented something bigger than just a startup ecosystem. It’s a mindset, practical innovation, digital-first thinking, and founders who build without waiting for permission. As HIPTHER OÜ proudly calls Estonia home, creating this initiative together with Daniel and the Eestistartup community felt natural. Tallinn 2026 is not just another conference stop for us; it’s a chance to give back, open doors, and connect local builders with an international network of decision-makers, investors, and innovators. Also, let’s be honest… in Estonia, even bureaucracy somehow feels like it runs on startup logic.” said Zoltan Tundik, Co-Founder & Head of Business at HIPTHER.

The collaboration with Eestistartup strengthens HIPTHER Tallinn’s mission to bring together startup founders, regulators, investors, fintech leaders, gaming and tech companies, compliance experts, and digital policy voices in one focused, high-value environment.

With Estonia widely recognised for its digital-first mindset and startup success stories, Tallinn offers the ideal setting for conversations that move beyond theory and into practical ecosystem growth, cross-border cooperation, and future-ready innovation.

Daniel Gunba, Founder of the Eestistartup Community, commented: “Through the collaboration between the Estonian startup community and HIPTHER, we are opening the doors for industry professionals to connect with our startup founders. This is the moment when the crowd will experience 100% synergy between founders who have been on the market for many years and founders who are ready to create, explore, and grow.

Estonia has always been a talent hub, and I am happy that together with Zoltan and his team, we found a way to empower it even more!”

HIPTHER Baltics & Nordics: Tallinn will serve as the grand finale of the 2026 HIPTHER Baltics series, following the highly successful Vilnius and Riga editions, and will also host the HIPTHER Baltic & Nordics Gaming Awards Ceremony & Closing Party.

Complimentary passes for Eestistartup members are limited to 50 and available through the official application form.

Apply here: https://hipther.com/events/tallinn/eestistartup/
Event information: https://hipther.com/events/tallinn/

The post HIPTHER Celebrates Estonia’s Startup Ecosystem & Tallinn Homecoming with Eestistartup appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

Canada

CasinoCanada announces partnership with Slota Casino

Published

18 hours ago

May 14, 2026

GamingAmericas.com

casinocanada-announces-partnership-with-slota-casino

CasinoCanada.com has entered into a partnership with Slota Casino aimed at increasing the platform’s visibility and directing traffic from non-regulated Canadian markets.

As part of the collaboration, CasinoCanada will prepare and publish informational materials describing Slota Casino’s features and game offerings.

The partnership includes ongoing content development, efforts to increase platform visibility and user acquisition activities across CasinoCanada’s media channels.

CasinoCanada is an online casino guide focused on the Canadian market, operated by SEOBROTHERS.

Eugene Ravdin, Head of PR at SEOBROTHERS, commented:

“We focus on delivering accurate information about the Slota Casino platform while maintaining consistent content updates and supporting steady traffic growth across our channels.”

Slota Casino was launched in 2024 by GBL Solutions N.V. under a Curacao licence.

Slota Casino is operated by the Slota Partners affiliate program.

The platform provides access to more than 12,000 online casino games from 130 providers, including Play’n GO, Endorphina and Games Global.

A representative of Slota Casino said:

“We’re genuinely excited about teaming up with CasinoCanada. This is a major step forward for us.

The Canadian market has enormous potential, and partnering with a portal as respected as CasinoCanada gives our brand the visibility and credibility it deserves in this region.”

The post CasinoCanada announces partnership with Slota Casino appeared first on Americas iGaming & Sports Betting News.