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Second Chamber, Greg Ciach’s new studio, will specialize in creating AA games of a new genre
Greg Ciach and Krzysztof Czulec established Second Chamber, a studio dedicated to creating double-A games in the genre of Wanderer Adventure Game (WAG), which allows you to experience adventures in a world that lives independently of the player. WAGs will be constructed modularly, which will allow optimization of the production costs of subsequent titles. Ultimately, the company will be listed on NewConnect instead of Pixel Crow Games.
Second Chamber will be a company operating in the area of AA games. Grzegorz Ciach and Krzysztof Czulec, who run the company, are experienced specialists, previously associated with Techland, Amber Studio, and Platige Image, among others. The project is co-created by triple-A game developers who have worked on world-class hits (The Division, The Division 2, Frostpunk, Frostpunk 2, Pure Farming 2018, Motorstorm, Torment: Tides of Numenera, Mortal Kombat 11, Gamedec, Sniper Contracts 2, Medal of Honor, The Sims and FIFA). Other key players in the project will be revealed after their binding contracts expire.
As the result of the review of strategic options, Movie Games together with the president of Pixel Crow Games Damian Gasiński, and the chairman of the Supervisory Board of Pixel Crow Games Maciej Miąsik, decided, for the benefit of the cooperation, upon the sale of shares in the daughter company to the new managers of Second Chamber.
The new entity will receive support from Movie Games in the form of opportunities to use Pixel Crow Games for the development of the studio. The creators of Second Chamber will become the owners of Pixel Crow Games. Following the closing of the transaction, Movie Games will hold a 12.5% stake in the new entity.
“As a result of the current review of strategic options, Pixel Crow Games’ debts have been discharged, and thus significant funds will return to the Movie Games capital group. Subsequently, Movie Games will no longer consolidate the losses of Pixel Crow Games resulting from the reverse acquisition, which will have a significant impact on the consolidated result of the capital group,” comments Mateusz Wcześniak, president of the Movie Games capital group. “Most importantly, we will have shares in a large project, which will include world-renowned specialists. Movie Games will not only play an advisory role but will also be a beneficiary of the know-how that will appear in the capital group,” Wcześniak adds.
On behalf of Movie Games, Mateusz Wcześniak (new Chairman), Dr. Kamil Gemra, and Piotr Gnyp will sit on the Supervisory Board of Second Chamber.
Legendary gaming journalist Dariusz Michalski, or “Sir Haszak,” will also join the Supervisory Board. He was associated with cult Polish gaming magazines such as “Bajtek”, “Top Secret” and “Gambler”.
“The involvement of top Movie Games managers in the supervisory body is a reflection of the high faith in the long-term effects of the appearance of such an experienced project in the capital group,” explains Dr. Kamil Gemra, Chairman of the Supervisory Board of Movie Games.
Second Chamber has created a three-stage development plan for approx. 5 years, modeled on such specialized developers as Paradox Development Studio, which became the pioneer and leader of the grand strategy genre. Second Chamber will operate in the area of the genre it has identified.
“There is an as-yet-unnamed type of game on the market that attracts millions of players. It is represented, for example, by Mount&Blade 2: Bannerlord or Sid Meier’s Pirates. These titles have more in common than just loyal fans and great reviews. The set of genre features that connect them allows you to experience a great adventure in a vibrant, multi-layered world. However, these games are still described with a set of generalities: RPG, survival, open world, simulation, etc. Second Chamber has its own name for the genre: Wanderer Adventure Game,” says Greg Ciach, CEO of Second Chamber. “Using a strategically planned modular production process, we plan to define its features, iteratively produce larger and larger titles and dominate the genre in less than a decade, so that every new title released in this area will be compared to our games.”
The main features of Wanderer Adventure Game titles are:
- a committed gaming community, producing many mods and ensuring the long life of games;
- open world cheaper to produce than competing solutions thanks to the symbolic representation of the journey on a visual map instead of a fully modeled world;
- emergent gameplay and narrative, i.e. scenarios and situations that naturally result from the actions of the player and the game’s NPCs living their own lives;
- the sandbox nature of the game, allowing you to play dozens of unique campaigns lasting hundreds of hours;
- a narrative mode that supports the sandbox, in which the player receives a compact, several-hour story that uses the same systems.
Initially, the studio is going to have 40 employees. Then, within three years, it will develop a second team and increase the staff to approx. 100, in order to lead three teams with a total of about 150 people within five years. The first game will be a test of the modular approach to the production of games in the genre. It will be followed by a game that will serve to develop and polish the tools. The third title is to define the genre and to establish Second Chamber as its dominant force.
Movie Games will provide support through its managers in the field of marketing, production, and quality control. Cooperation will be carried out as early as the concept stage to ensure full synergy and coordination of activities in every area.
“For Movie Games, this is another step on the path of implementing the strategy of moving the company towards the AA area, which was announced some time ago. This, apart from the huge monetization potential of such titles, will ultimately significantly distinguish us on a market rich in companies creating indie games,” says Mateusz Wcześniak, President of the Management Board of Movie Games.
“You can observe that the current game dev market is saturated with indie companies. Observation of listed companies, on the other hand, shows that AA studios are more frequently noticed and appreciated. Therefore, the cooperation around Second Chamber fits in with our business strategy,” comments Dr. Kamil Gemra.
“I met Greg a few years ago while working for another publishing house. We always wanted to work together, so when I heard that he was going to set up his own studio, I immediately thought of Movie Games as a capital group providing an opportunity to implement such ideas. I am glad that after several weeks of talks, this idea is becoming a reality,” says Piotr Gnyp, CMO Movie Games.
For some time now Second Chamber has been quietly recruiting for its first production.
Underdog Fantasy, one the fastest-growing sports gaming and media companies in the US, was recognized as the number 15 company on LinkedIn’s 2024 Top Startups list in the US, alongside startups recognized for employment growth, engagement, job interest, and attraction of top talent. This marks the second consecutive year Underdog has made LinkedIn’s top startups list. Underdog is the only sports gaming company to make the list in 2024, and is the only sports gaming company to make LinkedIn’s list since Underdog’s founding in 2020.
LinkedIn’s annual startup rankings are based on LinkedIn data across four categories: employee growth; jobseeker interest; member engagement within the company and its employees; and incoming talent from LinkedIn’s Top Companies list. To be eligible, companies must be fully independent, privately held, have 50 or more full-time employees, be five years old or younger and be headquartered in the US.
“Underdog was founded with innovation at its core, and we have a relentless focus on one mission: build new products that make sports more fun for fans, and we are building faster and faster every day. We are seeing the results, and so are those in the industry who know and it’s why we’ve seen a flood of top talent from some of the biggest companies in our industry and beyond come to Underdog in the last year. We are extremely proud of what we have built and this recognition from LinkedIn is a testament to the work put in by everyone at Underdog,” said Jeremy Levine, founder and CEO of Underdog Fantasy.
This past year has seen Underdog expand its fantasy sports offerings, now played in 41 states, and launch its first sports betting app, in the state of North Carolina, with plans to add more sports betting states. Underdog continues to see massive growth in its highly successful media content network, which now boasts the fifth-largest daily sports show in the US, across all platforms, and has seen major additions this year to its roster of programs, including a partnership with eight-time Super Bowl Champion coach Bill Belichick.
A steady influx of sports gaming veterans and innovators from top operators have joined Underdog this year to lead and execute the company’s massive ambitions, and the current ranking from LinkedIn only further confirms the company’s position as an emerging leader in the industry.
Christian Genetski
IGT Named FanDuel Sportsbooks’ Exclusive Retail Sports Betting Platform Provider in North America for Four Additional Years
International Game Technology PLC announced that it recently renewed a multi-year retail sports betting agreement with FanDuel, North America’s premier online gaming company and an operating unit within Flutter Entertainment plc. Under the terms of the agreement, IGT PlaySports will continue as the exclusive retail sports betting platform provider for FanDuel’s retail sportsbooks across North America for four additional years, starting September 1, 2024. IGT PlaySports and FanDuel have worked together since 2019, when FanDuel opened its first sportsbook in the US at The New Meadowlands Racing & Entertainment in New Jersey.
“For more than five years, IGTPlaySports’ team and technology have helped FanDuel’s retail sportsbook operation deliver a best-in-class customer experience while helping us maintain our position as America’s #1 Sportsbook. Given IGT’s experience as a global land-based casino supplier, we believe it offers the experience and capabilities we needed supporting our retail locations,” said Christian Genetski, President of FanDuel.
“IGT PlaySports looks forward to supporting FanDuel as its exclusive retail sports betting platform provider in North America for four additional years. IGT PlaySports is committed to helping our customers realize the full potential of the retail sports betting market and differentiate their products through exceptional player experience and reliable technology,” said Joe Bertolone, IGT Senior Vice President of Sports Betting.
Compliance Updates
Koi Nation of Northern California Casino Plan Meets Requirements of Indian Gaming Laws
The Koi Nation of Northern California is in full compliance with the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act’s “Restored Lands Provision” in the tribe’s pursuit of the Shiloh Resort & Casino project in unincorporated Sonoma County, California.
“The promise of the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act’s “restored lands provision” was to remedy the tragic history of forced removal and relocation by allowing restored lands to be utilized for tribal gaming. Like it or not, a rigid set of rules exists to qualify for this provision of federal law — and we’ve dutifully met them all,” said Darin Beltran, Chair of the Koi Nation of Northern California’s Tribal Council.
The Koi Nation’s ancestors relocated to Sonoma County after rejecting the Bureau of Indian Affairs’ offer of a Rancheria in neighboring Lake County in 1916 that the agency itself deemed uninhabitable. This tragic series of events rendered the Koi Nation landless and led to the improper termination of its federal recognition status, ending its ability to pursue gaming through the same rights afforded to all other federally recognized tribes.
The Koi Nation’s federal recognition status was finally restored in 2000, and a 2019 ruling in a case overseen by the Chief Judge of the U.S. District Court of the District of Columbia, Beryl A. Howell, recognized the tribe’s ability to pursue gaming through the “restored lands provision”.
“This unique provision of federal law allows tribes restored to federal recognition status, such as the Koi Nation, to pursue gaming according to strict statutory and regulatory requirements,” Beltran said.
These requirements include the demonstration of a “significant historical connection” to the site of proposed gaming projects.
In its filing for a restored lands opinion, the Koi Nation methodically details the tribe’s deep ties to Sonoma County. These include their ancestors’ well-regarded roles as Sonoma County Native American political leaders who advocated for 1928 federal native claims legislation, Native American social rights and community organization with other Pomo tribes, and voters for the tribe’s organization under President FranklinRoosevelt’s Indian Reorganization Act of 1935.
“Since that time, the center of Koi Pomo life – and death – has been in Sonoma County. Our application is in full compliance with Indian Gaming Regulation Act’s restored lands provision,” said Dino Beltran, Vice Chair of the Koi Nation of Northern California’s Tribal Council.
The Koi Nation’s strong historical connection to Sonoma County was recently supported by an opinion piece published by the project site’s local paper of record, the Press Democrat.
Additionally, the largest native American news publication in the US, Indian Country Today, published an opinion piece supporting the Koi Nation’s utilization of the restored land provision in the face of recent opposition.
The publication of these two pieces demonstrates that the opinions contained therein are significant not just in the region surrounding the proposed Shiloh Resort & Casino project, but for all of Indian country throughout the US.
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