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Videogame culture provides overlooked opportunity to engage with climate change, says new report

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Organisations wishing to have an impact on climate change shouldn’t overlook the opportunities presented by working with the breadth of videogame culture, according to a report from the global entertainment and research charity OKRE and commissioned by UKRI.

Ahead of COP26, Iain Dodgeon, Director of OKRE, said: “Videogames are a global cultural force. Relentless technological and creative innovation alongside the core consideration of the player in the game design process has propelled the sector’s expansion. No other media exhibits quite such a mutability of form and purpose.”

And indeed as videogames have evolved, so too has how people engage with them – not just playing videogames, but playing with them in other media and in other areas of our lives.

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Iain Simons, co-author of the report and curator-at-large for the National Videogame Museum, said: “Because so much of the industry marketing around them is about technology – ‘faster! more realistic! better than last year’s model!’ – it’s tempting to think that games are just hardware and software. The most interesting and important part of videogames is how we live with them. They’re a fantastically rich place for public engagement, both in the games themselves and in the cultures we build around them.”

As games such as Fortnite have become social destinations in their own right, they provide a significant and mostly untapped opportunity for public engagement. However rather than focusing on developing a single game with climate themes, the report, Playing With Videogame Culture, identifies seven broader strategic opportunities for public engagement with climate science through videogames

These opportunities include embracing the breadth of videogame culture in both digital and non-digital spaces. This culture includes streaming, fan communities, fan-fiction and cosplay, and provides a rich and collaborative space that can reach diverse audiences.
Harnessing interest in videogames to inspire engagement with a wide array of STEAM skills and careers is another area of focus, and the report says practitioners should particularly try to understand their potential applications in other sectors, such as future innovation around climate change.

Enabling a more diverse range of communities to creatively explore opportunities for climate action is also key, and one recommended way to go about this is by utilising no-code game design tools to open up participation and creative expression, removing a requirement for technical skills. Organisations should also prioritise local and hyper-local engagement, focusing on social and environmental concerns of more direct relevance to these communities who are often underrepresented in public engagement work.

One opportunity for doing this is through the creation of site and time-specific games – projects that are uniquely relevant to different communities and calendar events, and which can enable people to interact with their area in new and exciting ways.

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Digital exclusion is a key concern, and OKRE’s report recommends that both digital and non-digital access points should be included in any programme, with public engagement practitioners embracing board games, card games and other physical games alongside videogames to maximise engagement and access.
Iain Dodgeon said: “By embracing the breadth of opportunities available to engage with videogame culture, organisations can create lasting impact in their public engagement work. This is an area that has been overlooked until now, and so there is really exciting potential for organisations to work in fresh ways.”

The report brings to light past and present examples of videogames engaging with climate change and work being done within the industry in a bid to mitigate its own carbon footprint. It concludes that engagement with climate change should not focus on the development of a single game with climate themes, but rather consider the opportunities available within wider videogame culture to engage diverse communities and increase impact.

OKRE is a new charity providing a global centre for collaboration and knowledge exchange across research, the entertainment industry, and the social impact sector. The charity runs the OKRE Network, which connects professionals across sectors, as well as curating events such as the OKRE Development Rooms, and providing funding and resources to catalyse the creation of entertainment that benefits from alternative insights brought via research and lived experience.

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Evoplay rolls out successful third-person shooter title Star Guardians to wider operator network

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Evoplay, the award-winning game development studio, has expanded the availability of its groundbreaking skill-based title, Star Guardians to all its partners following a successful exclusive release.

Star Guardians blends the mechanics of slot games with the immersive action of third-person shooters. Players can choose from a range of unique characters, each equipped with their own special boosters and abilities, adding layers of strategy and customisation.

The game can be experienced in automatic or manual mode, where movement and shooting are controlled by the player, enhancing the skill-based element of the title.

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Released as Evoplay’s flagship title in 2021, Star Guardians was originally released on an exclusive basis for operators. Due to its exceptional performance and popularity, the game is now being rolled out to the studio’s wider partner network.

Evoplay has continued to hone in on skill-based gaming experiences, including its most recent flagship title, the 3D racing game Adrenaline Rush which is currently available as an exclusive to its partners.

Ivan Kravchuk, CEO at Evoplay, said: “By merging role playing game elements with gambling, Star Guardians delivers an innovative and unique gaming experience for players.

“As a first-of-its-kind title, Star Guardians has consistently grown in popularity since its debut. With Gen-Z and millennial audiences playing an increasingly significant role in shaping the industry, we expect this wider release to drive even greater success.”

The post Evoplay rolls out successful third-person shooter title Star Guardians to wider operator network appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

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BGaming introduces first bird’s eye view crash game Top Eagle

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Popular iGaming content provider BGaming has released its new take on the popular crash game genre with Top Eagle. The title has five unlockable plane skins on top of the default one, motivating personal milestones, a flight history bar and an altitude meter which registers multiplier levels.

Brave players must take off and then open their parachute ahead of the plane’s unfortunate crash. After landing safely and winning the prize, their bets will be multiplied. The altimeter at the bottom right of the screen registers the distance the aircraft covers and reflects the possible winning multiplier. Players who cash out after x2, x5, x10, x50 or x100 unlock additional skins for their plane, with one skin per milestone available.

Further tailored milestones await in Top Eagle, with a special Best Drop icon on the top right of the game field. This displays the highest multiplier value scored throughout the gaming session, while the Leading badge is earned once the plane successfully surpasses the player’s previous longest attempt.

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During each round, the bar at the top of the main game records the biggest multiplier reached before crashing. If the player successfully cashes out, the multiplier shows as white, while a non-winning round remains pale grey.

As in other BGaming crash games, Top Eagle’s autoplay mode allows players to preset the number of flights they wish to take, while the automatic cashout gives them the chance to set a multiplier value at which the game will cash out.

Players may also switch between two energetic soundtracks, “Attack” or “Recon”, to dictate the atmosphere of the game, while changing the skin of their plane as they make progress through the game.

Mikalai Dzeneladze, Chief Casual Game Producer at BGaming, said: “Crash games have quickly become a staple in our portfolio, with their appeal stretching across many regulated markets, including LatAm. With its unique top-down view which offers diversity of the background and the illusion of flight, players will remain engaged for longer.

“This game is not to be missed by both long-term crash game fans looking for a new experience, and new players trying the genre for the first time.”

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The post BGaming introduces first bird’s eye view crash game Top Eagle appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

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PopOK Gaming Unveils “First Balloon” in the Thrilling Crash Series

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PopOK Gaming is excited to announce the release of “First Balloon,” the latest game in its popular Crash series. This new addition promises to take players on an exhilarating adventure, where they will soar through the skies and experience breathtaking moments and enticing rewards as their balloon ascends.

“First Balloon” offers a unique and thrilling gameplay experience that will keep players on the edge of their seats. As the game begins, players place their bets and watch as the multiplier starts increasing from 1x and continues to rise. The goal is to cash out at just the right moment to secure a multiplied payout. However, there’s a catch: if players don’t cash out in time, they risk losing their bet.

The excitement builds as players navigate the challenge of timing their cash-outs to maximize their winnings. With the potential to win up to x10,000, “First Balloon” offers the chance for massive rewards.

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How does it work?

Place a bet
Watch the multiplier increase from 1x upwards
Cash out anytime to get your bet multiplied
“First Balloon” is designed to provide a thrilling and immersive gaming experience, combining the excitement of risk and reward with the beauty of a soaring balloon journey. It’s the perfect game for those seeking adventure and the thrill of high-stakes gameplay.

Don’t miss out on the latest addition to PopOK Gaming’s Crash series. Start your adventure today with “First Balloon” and experience the excitement for yourself!

The post PopOK Gaming Unveils “First Balloon” in the Thrilling Crash Series appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

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