Latest News
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 Until now, game creators have had to rely on outdated player classification models combined with market research, and plug gaps in insight with assumptions and guesswork.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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eSports
Esports community establishes Latin-American Esports Institute (ILAE)
The Latin-American Esports Institute (ILAE) was established following a General Assembly held on 6 March 2026 in Rio de Janeiro. The organisation was founded with the stated goal of promoting competitive integrity, legal safety, and institutional research within the esports sector.
Carlos Gama, Vice President of Games and Esports at the Rio de Janeiro branch of the Association of Brazilian Information Technology Companies (ASSESPRO) and President of the Advisory Council of FERJEE (Rio de Janeiro Esports Federation, involved with the upcoming IEM Rio) was elected as Executive President to lead a multidisciplinary team tasked with developing frameworks for the industry’s regional growth.
One of the primary objectives of the ILAE is the creation of a local Esports Arbitration Chamber. This mechanism is intended to serve as a specialized venue for the mediation and resolution of conflicts, such as contractual disputes between players and organisations. The model aims to offer a technical alternative to the traditional judicial system, seeking to provide greater legal security and faster resolutions for administrative and professional disagreements within the competitive environment.
The ILAE’s structure is centered on an Executive Board that includes:
- Vice-President Marcella Ferreira (former pro player and current sports psychologist),
- Administrative-Financial Director Vinicius Verly (FERJEE), and
- Project Director Marianna Muniz (FERJEE and OnFire Agency).
Technical oversight is managed by lawyers:
- Dr. Antonio Carlos Bratefixe (Research and Knowledge) and
- Dr. Osmar Berardo, who will direct the institute’s Arbitration Chamber.
The Fiscal Council is led by: Dr. Soraya Vasconcelos, who also leads Brazilian organisation Galorys, responsible for financial and institutional oversight.
Regarding the institute’s mission, Carlos Gama stated that the organization intends to facilitate dialogue across the Latin American esports community. “We want to bring together athletes, teams, researchers, organizations, companies, and public managers to build a common development agenda for the region,” Gama noted. He also highlighted that a priority for the ILAE will be the production of research on strategic themes, such as social inclusion and competitive integrity policies.
The ILAE’s governance framework also incorporates individuals with competitive backgrounds, aiming to ensure the organisation remains informed by the practicalities of the sector. This includes the participation of former FPS and eFootball pros Marcela “Callax”, Renato “Rentão”, Monik Bisoni, Gabriela Tavas, and Gabriel “Franja” within the various councils and administrative chairs.
By integrating these perspectives alongside legal and academic professionals, the institute intends to address the specific needs of the regional ecosystem. The organization has opened associations to professionals, researchers, and entities.
The post Esports community establishes Latin-American Esports Institute (ILAE) appeared first on Americas iGaming & Sports Betting News.
Latest News
SPORTRADAR AND BSN STRENGTHEN PARTNERSHIP TO ELEVATE BASKETBALL IN PUERTO RICO
Sportradar AG (NASDAQ: SRAD) has expanded its agreement with BSN Puerto Rico (Baloncesto Superior Nacional), reinforcing its long-term commitment to supporting professional basketball in Puerto Rico through advanced technology, data and integrity solutions. Basketball is the most bet upon sport in Puerto Rico and the second most popular across the LATAM region.*
Sportradar holds the exclusive betting and gaming audiovisual (AV) and data rights for BSN basketball competitions worldwide, alongside non-exclusive coaching and talent scouting rights, to drive the growth of Puerto Rican basketball and strengthening fan engagement across international markets.
The agreement features the provision of Integrity Services, such as Sportradar’s proprietary Universal Fraud Detection Service (UFDS AI) for comprehensive real- time betting market surveillance. Additionally, BSN Puerto Rico will access a portfolio of sports performance and management solutions, including Synergy Stats and the Competition Management Platform, to support league operations, performance analysis and regulatory compliance.
“We are proud to deepen our ties with BSN to accelerate the development of basketball in Puerto Rico,” said Raphael Sobral, Sports Partnerships Director, LATAM at Sportradar. “By combining our cutting-edge technology with our unmatched data and integrity services, Sportradar is providing the backbone for BSN’s next phase of global growth and operational excellence.”
“This partnership reaffirms BSN’s commitment to modernization and operational excellence across the league. Having a partner like Sportradar allows us to strengthen our processes, elevate the use of official data, and ensure the highest standards of integrity and performance as we look ahead to the 2026 season and the future of professional basketball in Puerto Rico,” said Ricardo Dalmau, President of BSN.
The extended partnership further strengthens Sportradar’s role as a trusted technology and data partner for more than 20 basketball competitions in regulated markets worldwide, including the NBA, EuroLeague, ACB Spain, LNB France, Lega Basket Italia and NBL Australia.
The post SPORTRADAR AND BSN STRENGTHEN PARTNERSHIP TO ELEVATE BASKETBALL IN PUERTO RICO appeared first on Americas iGaming & Sports Betting News.
Conferences
R. Franco Digital to showcase premium portfolio at GAT Expo Cartagena 2026
At the heart of the exhibition is the IRIS platform, R. Franco Digital’s GLI-certified, open-architecture solution. Designed to deliver a seamless experience across casino, sports betting, and retail operations, IRIS gives operators the flexibility, scalability, and security required to grow efficiently across multiple Latin American markets.
In addition to its robust infrastructure, R. Franco Digital will present its latest high-performance gaming titles, including Strange Spins, Genie Triple Bonanza, Diamond King Gorilla, Luxury Blast, Zorro: Final Duel, and The Phantom. Each game incorporates localized mechanics and culturally relevant themes, ensuring maximum engagement for LatAm players.
Javier Sacristán Franco, International Business Director at R. Franco Digital, commented:
“Latin America is a cornerstone of our global strategy. GAT Expo Cartagena provides an essential platform to connect with partners and showcase how our technology evolves alongside the region’s regulatory landscape. We are excited to highlight the latest advancements in our IRIS platform and our expanding game portfolio, both designed to deliver operational excellence and support regulated operators across LatAm.”
Visitors to the expo will be able to experience live demonstrations of the IRIS platform and explore R. Franco Digital’s diverse content offerings, emphasizing the company’s commitment to innovation, localization, and operator success in the region.
The post R. Franco Digital to showcase premium portfolio at GAT Expo Cartagena 2026 appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
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