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

Published

3 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 Until now, game creators have had to rely on outdated player classification models combined with market research, and plug gaps in insight with assumptions and guesswork.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.

Digitain

Digitain Earns Double Nomination at SiGMA Eurasia Awards 2026

Published

6 minutes ago

February 5, 2026

Wladimir P.

digitain-earns-double-nomination-at-sigma-eurasia-awards-2026

Digitain has secured two prestigious nominations for the SiGMA Eurasia Awards 2026, contending for both Best Sports Provider and Best Platform Provider.

These nominations reflect Digitain’s continued focus on building technology that delivers measurable value for operators. From advanced sportsbook functionality to a robust, scalable platform ecosystem, every solution is designed with one clear goal: turning features into figures.

The SiGMA Eurasia Awards are widely regarded as one of the industry’s most respected benchmarks, celebrating companies that push boundaries while delivering real-world results. Digitain’s nominations reinforce its position as a trusted B2B partner for ambitious operators looking to lead in competitive markets.

Being recognised in the Sports Provider and Platform Provider categories highlights Digitain’s holistic approach, showcasing how they combine technology, data and human expertise to support sustainable operator growth.

The post Digitain Earns Double Nomination at SiGMA Eurasia Awards 2026 appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

Alvarez & Marsal

BGC: Licensed Gambling Advertising Continues to Decline in the UK

Published

6 minutes ago

February 5, 2026

Wladimir P.

bgc:-licensed-gambling-advertising-continues-to-decline-in-the-uk

Gambling advertising spend by licensed operators in the UK is continuing to decline, according to new independent analysis commissioned by the Betting and Gaming Council (BGC). The findings come as the industry warns that unregulated online advertising by illegal operators is becoming the real risk to consumers.

The research, conducted by Alvarez & Marsal (A&M), set out in the Gambling Advertising and Sponsorship Report 2025, shows that gambling advertising accounted for 2.7% of total UK advertising spend in 2024, down from 3% the previous year.

The report also found that overall gambling advertising spend by licensed operators has been declining steadily since 2021, falling by 1.7% year-on-year, driven largely by a £30 million reduction in television advertising.

At the same time, a substantial share of advertising is dedicated to player protection. Around 20% of all gambling advertising is now focused on safer gambling messaging, reinforcing awareness of tools and support.

This focus is delivering tangible results. During the most recent Safer Gambling Week, engagement increased significantly, with 14% more people setting deposit limits and 22% more safer gambling tools in place.

Advertising compliance remains extremely high, with Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) rulings relating to fewer than 0.02% of gambling adverts, highlighting the strength of the UK’s regulatory framework.

Regulated gambling advertising supports 9900 jobs across the advertising, media and creative supply chain, contributes c.£500 million in Gross Value Added (GVA), and underpins 1400 full-time marketing roles. It also plays an important role in supporting free-to-air sport, lower-league and grassroots sport, as well as wider media revenues outside subscription-based models.

Grainne Hurst, CEO of the Betting and Gaming Council, said: “This independent analysis shows that gambling advertising by licensed operators is continuing to fall, with spend increasingly concentrated on safer gambling messaging and consumer protections. Our members operate within some of the strictest advertising rules of any industry and continue to raise standards across the sector.

“By contrast, illegal operators are advertising aggressively online with no safeguards, no age checks and no consumer protections, posing a huge risk to consumers. Any serious approach to advertising must be led by evidence and focused on tackling the harmful black market.”

Adam Rivers, Managing Director at Alvarez & Marsal, added: “We are pleased to have worked with the BGC on this report, which offers an insight into the state of the gambling advertising and sponsorship sector in the UK, based on actual advertising expenditure data from licensed operators.”

The report also highlights the growing scale of illegal gambling advertising. Illegal operators are increasingly using unregulated digital channels, including influencers, search engines and AI-generated content, to target consumers. Many explicitly advertise that they are “not on GAMSTOP”, while others impersonate trusted charities and institutions to deceive the public.

While licensed advertising continues to decline, separate industry analysis estimates that black market sites are spending between £500 million and £700 million on advertising their illegal sites.

The post BGC: Licensed Gambling Advertising Continues to Decline in the UK appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

Australia

Konami’s SYNK Vision Named Finalist in Regulating the Game Global Awards 2026

Published

6 minutes ago

February 5, 2026

Wladimir P.

konami’s-synk-vision-named-finalist-in-regulating-the-game-global-awards-2026

Konami Gaming subsidiary Konami Australia is a finalist in the Regulating the Game Global Awards 2026, adjudicated by representatives from the International Betting Integrity Association (IBIA), International Masters of Gaming Law (IMGL), The Responsible Gambling Council (RGC) and Leagues Clubs Australia. Konami’s SYNK Vision biometric player tracking solution has been named a finalist for “RegTech Solution of the Year”, recognising innovative technology improving compliance, anti-money laundering (AML), safer gambling or integrity outcomes.

Tom Soukup, senior vice president & chief systems product officer at Konami Gaming, said: “The potential for SYNK Vision to deliver transformative advancement is unmistakable, especially as it relates to anti-money laundering, compliance, and player protection. This important acknowledgement of Konami’s SYNK Vision in the Regulating the Game Global Awards is credit to our valued casino customers and team members for working collaboratively, pushing casino systems technology to new heights of innovation, efficiency, and responsibility.”

Organised by the annual gambling law and regulation conference Regulating the Game, the Regulating the Game Global Awards 2026 event takes place on March 10 in Sydney, Australia. SYNK Vision has been independently selected as a finalist in this year’s programme, bringing Konami’s patented facial-recognition technology to the forefront of responsible gaming. Installed at casino table games and electronic gaming machines (EGMs), SYNK Vision can securely identify, track and protect players automatically based on biometric facial characteristics, regardless of whether they are members of the venue’s established player loyalty programme.

Gerard Crosby, senior vice president & chief games product officer at Konami Gaming and director of Konami Australia, said: “SYNK Vision equips gaming facilities to rapidly detect barred players, immediately notifying personnel and locking the machine from play if associated with an EGM—all while preserving player privacy across its gaming ecosystem. In addition, its advanced identity‑verification capabilities enhance AML tracking and compliance efforts across regulated venues. Konami is happy to support regulated gaming markets with this previously unattainable ability, to the benefit of countless communities and individuals.”

The post Konami’s SYNK Vision Named Finalist in Regulating the Game Global Awards 2026 appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.