Latest News

Kwalee Reaches One Billion Mobile Games Installs Milestone

Published

3 years ago

January 30, 2023

Reading Time: 2 minutes

Kwalee, a leading global game developer and publisher, is ecstatic to announce that its mobile app games portfolio has reached the much-anticipated milestone of 1 billion installs. This achievement is a testament to the hard work and dedication of the entire Kwalee team, partners and the support of its loyal players. Kwalee games have been downloaded on every continent – even Antarctica.

Founded in 2011, Kwalee has become the leader of hypercasual mobile game development in the UK, and its success prompted the company to open studios in India, China, and Portugal. It has consistently delivered fun and innovative titles such as Draw it, Teacher Simulator, and Airport Security. Kwalee has over 45 chart-topping games, and with over 200 million installs last year alone, it has accelerated towards the 1 billion install milestone.

Kwalee CEO, David Darling CBE, says, “We’re elated to reach this milestone. As a founder of Kwalee and someone with a long history in the games industry, it’s incredibly rewarding to see us reach this level of success. I’ve always been passionate about creating games that bring joy and entertainment to people, and to have reached one billion installs is a clear indication that we’ve been able to achieve that goal.

We’ve always believed in the potential of mobile games as a medium to connect people from all walks of life. I’m incredibly proud of our team and their work to get us to this point, and I’m excited to still be playing Kwalee games when we hit 2 billion installs.”

First introduced in 2017, Creative Wednesdays was one of the defining innovations that enabled Kwalee to achieve this astronomical success. Team members in all parts of the business are given the freedom to pitch games and share in the profits if they become a success. Every week, in addition to hearing new pitches, the full Kwalee team gathers in person and remotely to share news, trends and play a new game together. This creative culture has helped Kwalee attract top talent, with the team reading tens of thousands of applications a month for its many remote and hybrid vacancies.

In addition to the success of games developed in-house, Kwalee has built a strong community of third-party game developers from around the world. Games such as Rocket Sky, Let’s Be Cops 3D and Build Your Vehicle were all developed by independent studios. They partnered with Kwalee to benefit from industry-leading marketing, monetisation, funding and development guidance from Kwalee’s expert hypercasual and casual teams. Developers are encouraged to sign up to Kwalee’s Publishing Portal to access free coaching and game testing.

Its strong marketing credentials and commitment to collaborate closely with talented game developers have made Kwalee the partner of choice for established and up-and-coming mobile game developers. Over a tenth of its billion installs have come from publishing external developers, with a success rate recognised by industry awards – Kwalee won Publisher of the Year at both the TIGA and Mobile Game Awards in 2022.

On this special occasion, Kwalee thanks its players, developers, and in-house teams who have driven this success. The company is thrilled to continue growing and expanding its community of players and is looking forward to many more years of successful mobile, PC and console game development.

eSports

Esports Foundation names Faker Game Ambassador for EWC and ENC through 2028

Published

9 hours ago

July 15, 2026

Wladimir P.

esports-foundation-names-faker-game-ambassador-for-ewc-and-enc-through-2028

Lee “Faker” Sang-hyeok joins Cristiano Ronaldo and Magnus Carlsen in the Esports Foundation’s Ambassador Program.

The Esports Foundation (EF) has appointed Lee “Faker” Sang-hyeok as a Game Ambassador for the Esports World Cup (EWC) and Esports Nations Cup (ENC) through 2028, the organization said on July 15, 2026 in a statement issued from Riyadh and Paris.

EF said Faker joins Cristiano Ronaldo, listed as the Foundation’s Global Ambassador, and Magnus Carlsen as part of the Esports Foundation Ambassador Program. The Foundation said Faker will represent “the perspective of esports players” across its international events, athlete initiatives, media engagements and leadership forums.

“You can’t talk about esports without mentioning Faker. He is the defining athlete of competitive gaming: a champion whose excellence, discipline and longevity have inspired an entire generation,” said Ralf Reichert, Chief Executive Officer of the Esports Foundation. “As our Game Ambassador, Faker represents something fundamental to the Ambassador Program: esports creates its own global sporting icons. Across EWC, ENC and NGSC, he will help ensure that the players who built this sport have a voice in shaping where it goes next.”

Faker said: “Competition has shaped my life, and I am proud to join the Esports Foundation as Game Ambassador. I want to continue competing for the biggest titles with T1 while representing the players and fans who have helped esports grow worldwide. Through the Esports World Cup, Esports Nations Cup and the Foundation’s wider platforms, I hope to inspire the next generation to pursue excellence, remain resilient and believe in how far competitive gaming can take them. There is still much more to achieve.”

EF highlighted Faker’s competitive record, describing him as a six-time League of Legends World Champion, EWC 2024 winner, two-time MSI champion and ten-time domestic champion with T1. The Foundation also said Faker became the first esports athlete to receive the Blue Dragon Medal in 2026, describing it as the Republic of Korea’s highest sporting honor awarded by President Lee Jae-myung.

The post Esports Foundation names Faker Game Ambassador for EWC and ENC through 2028 appeared first on EE Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

Brand Partnerships

Midnite signs as Middlesbrough FC principal partner for 2026/27 season

Published

16 hours ago

July 15, 2026

Wladimir P.

midnite-signs-as-middlesbrough-fc-principal-partner-for-2026/27-season

Midnite has agreed a partnership with Middlesbrough FC that will see the UK bookmaker become the club’s principal partner and front-of-shirt sponsor for the 2026/27 campaign, which Middlesbrough describes as its landmark 150th season.

The companies announced the deal alongside a fan activation at Riverside Stadium on Thursday, July 9, branded “This Season’s On Us”. The initiative offered supporters prizes including 2026/27 season tickets, 2026/27 shirts, match tickets, or a £25 club shop voucher, with fans required to answer Middlesbrough trivia and complete a football challenge.

Middlesbrough former players Craig Hignett and David Wheater attended the event, and, according to the company, took bonus attempts on behalf of participants who missed out.

Andrew Mook, Midnite’s Head of Brand Marketing, said:

“Middlesbrough have a storied history and we’re delighted to announce this partnership during such a monumental year with the club celebrating their 150th anniversary.

“It was great to see so many Middlesbrough fans at the “This Season’s On Us” activation, we hope they enjoyed taking part and meeting club legends, with David Wheater hitting top bins on several occasions and allowing fans to win big with season tickets.

“We can’t wait to get to Riverside Stadium in August to kick-off a new season and we’re excited to say that we have plenty of new and captivating campaigns planned.”

Lee Fryett, Middlesbrough FC Chief Commercial Officer, added:

“We’re delighted to welcome Midnite as our new Principal Partner.

“We’re looking forward to working closely with Midnite to develop engaging campaigns, content and unique experiences that bring our fans even closer to the club.

“We’re confident this partnership will provide real value for our supporters while supporting our ambitions both on and off the pitch.”

The post Midnite signs as Middlesbrough FC principal partner for 2026/27 season appeared first on EE Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

AGCO

ThrillTech secures AGCO supplier licence for Ontario launch

Published

16 hours ago

July 15, 2026

Wladimir P.

thrilltech-secures-agco-supplier-licence-for-ontario-launch

ThrillTech has been awarded a Gaming-Related Supplier licence by the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO), clearing the company to launch in Ontario’s regulated market.

The licence allows ThrillTech to deploy its opt-in side bet jackpots technology with regulated online casino, sports betting and lottery operators across the province.

Benjamin Bradtke, Co-Founder of ThrillTech, said: “Securing our AGCO licence is a major step in our mission to transform how jackpots are delivered at scale across regulated markets. This latest certification is testament to our robust technology and trusted compliance frameworks, allowing us to continue our global growth trajectory. We are thrilled to bring our proven, compliant jackpot technology to Ontario, empowering locally licensed operators to uplift revenue without cannibalising existing spend.”

The company said its “ThrillPots” mechanics sit as an independent, player-funded side bet and do not alter the underlying game’s return-to-player mathematics.

ThrillTech said the Ontario approval enables its existing multinational partners that also operate in the province to launch its side bet jackpots locally, while it also holds talks with potential new operator partners. The company lists its regulated footprint as including the United Kingdom, Sweden, the Netherlands, Romania, Malta, Gibraltar, Brazil and Peru.

The post ThrillTech secures AGCO supplier licence for Ontario launch appeared first on EE Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.