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METANOMIC LAUNCHES ‘THUNDERSTRUCK’ – 1st gamer analysis tool powered by AI
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 Until now, game creators have had to rely on outdated player classification models combined with market research, and plug gaps in insight with assumptions and guesswork.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.
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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. |
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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. |
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The leading iGaming aggregator Alea has announced a new partnership with FAZI, the internationally recognized gaming provider with more than 30 years of experience delivering casino entertainment across more than 60 markets worldwide.
Through this collaboration, FAZI’s portfolio of nearly 300 games will become available to Alea’s global operator network through a single API integration, supporting the company’s expansion across regulated markets in Latin America, Africa, and Europe.
The agreement brings a selection of FAZI’s best-performing titles to the Alea platform, including Wild Hot 40, Golden Crown, Wild Hot 40 Free Spins, Very Hot 5, and Wild Hot 40 Blow.
“We’re happy to welcome FAZI to the Alea platform,” said Eduard Verdaguer, Partnerships Manager at Alea.
“They have a strong portfolio with games that already perform well in different markets, and we’re looking forward to making their content available to our operators.”
“Alea’s strong operator network makes them a valuable partner in scaling our distribution globally,” said Bojan Mitic, CEO of FAZI.
“This collaboration allows us to reach new markets more efficiently and strengthen our position across key regions.”
The partnership further expands the range of content available through Alea’s aggregation platform, giving operators access to a wider variety of games through a single integration while continuing to simplify distribution across global markets.
Alea
Alea is a leading iGaming aggregator, offering a customizable platform that provides operators worldwide with seamless access to over 23,000 games from 170+ top-tier providers through a single API integration.
Known for its innovative technology, Alea simplifies the integration journey and delivers a flexible, scalable solution designed to enhance game variety, player experience, and operational efficiency.
Alea is highly committed to a security-first infrastructure, ensuring reliability and trust at every level.
In addition to game aggregation, Alea has introduced Alea Pay, an exclusive payment gateway that further optimizes financial transactions.
With a strong focus on security, compliance, and ongoing support, Alea continues to empower operators with cutting-edge tools to thrive in the evolving iGaming market.
The post Alea expands global content offering through partnership with FAZI appeared first on Americas iGaming & Sports Betting News.
Yaspa, a leading fintech specialising in payments and identity solutions, today announced the appointment of Justin Fears as US Director, Enterprise Sales.
Fears joins the company during a period of rapid international expansion and will lead Yaspa’s strategic commercial growth across North America.
Based out of Yaspa’s Atlanta office, Fears will be responsible for supporting Yaspa’s expansion throughout North America, helping gaming operators modernise payment experiences through real-time bank payments, intelligent transaction solutions, and next-generation payment innovation.
He will work closely with Yaspa’s recently bolstered US and global commercial leadership teams to scale strategic partnerships and market adoption.
Fears brings more than 18 years of specialised experience spanning payments, fintech, SaaS, and AML compliance specific to the gaming industry.
Throughout his career, he has built a reputation for aligning emerging technologies with practical commercial outcomes.
Prior to joining Yaspa, Fears held senior leadership positions at prominent industry organisations including Kinectify, First Data Corporation, Glory Global Solutions, DiTronics Financial Services, NEXGEN Technology, and CASINOMONEY.
Notably, at Kinectify, he played a key role in expanding the adoption of AI-driven AML and KYC solutions purpose-built for the casino industry. Fears is also a veteran of the United States Air Force.
James Neville, CEO of Yaspa, said: “We’re delighted to welcome Justin to the team as we accelerate our footprint in the US market.
His deep operational understanding of gaming-focused financial infrastructure, compliance technologies, and enterprise sales leadership makes him an incredible asset.
Justin’s appointment further strengthens our local team and underscores our commitment to helping North American operators lower costs, reduce fraud, and elevate the player experience through open banking.”
Fears said: “I’m excited to join Yaspa at such an important stage in the company’s growth journey.
The combination of open banking, innovative payment solutions, and intelligent transaction data represents a significant opportunity within the US iGaming market, particularly as operators continue to prioritise player experience, fraud reduction, and payment efficiency.
Yaspa has built an innovative platform uniquely positioned to support the evolving needs of regulated operators, and I look forward to helping expand the company’s presence and strategic partnerships across the US.”
In the last 12 months, Yaspa was named winner of the Real-Time Payments Innovation award at the 2025 Payments Awards and one of the CB Insights Top 100 Fintechs, a global ranking that spotlights the most promising and innovative companies shaping the future of financial services.
This comes during a period of sustained growth for Yaspa in the past 18 months and closed a $12m investment round in July, led by Discerning Capital.
This growth has culminated in the opening of its new Atlanta office in the US, as well as the opening of its tech hub in Leeds, UK, in August 2025.
The post Yaspa appoints US fintech and gaming veteran Justin Fears as US Sales Director appeared first on Americas iGaming & Sports Betting News.
Habanero has launched Nuwa Deluxe, a 5×3 slot themed around Chinese mythology. The game introduces a variable payline system and a progression-style Free Games feature that can unlock a second-tier bonus, according to the supplier.
In the base game, paylines can upgrade at random on any spin, moving from 28 to 38, 58 or 88 active lines. The title also includes expanding Wilds that cover the entire first and third reels.
During Free Games, players collect five element symbols. Completing the set during the round unlocks Super Free Games, where full-reel Wilds are guaranteed on two reels on every spin.
Habanero said Nuwa Deluxe supports its Jackpot Race
and Buy Feature. The launch follows recent releases Steampunk Plinko and Raiden Shogun.
Toni Karapetrov, Head of Corporate Communications at Habanero, commented: “Nuwa Deluxe is an exciting new release that boasts a variable payline system to keep engagement high at the base game, while the element collection mechanic in free spins gives players something to work towards beyond simply triggering the bonus.
“The Super Free Games tier is where the action really kicks in with guaranteed full-reel Wilds on every spin. It is another strong addition to our portfolio and one we expect to have a genuine impact with players.”
The post Habanero launches Nuwa Deluxe slot with variable paylines and two-tier free spins appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
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