

gaming
Paco Rabanne & Bidstack Emerge Victorious With VR Invictus Campaign Featuring Tim Howard
Paco Rabanne, the leading fashion house and fragrance brand, have partnered with Starcom Worldwide and Bidstack to launch a branded virtual reality challenge. The campaign features Tim Howard and the world’s leading VR platform for elite athletes, Rezzil, to promote Paco Rabanne’s iconic fragrance, Invictus.
As a fragrance, Invictus embodies power, heroism and a drive to win and the campaign provides a unique challenge that allows players to test their athletic ability and become the in-game hero. By partnering with Bidstack, and Tim Howard, an athlete that embodies those characteristics, Paco Rabanne has created a unique activation that converges the real world with the virtual world, bringing their brand to life for gamers.
The activation will see a branded ‘Reaction Wall’ challenge added to Rezzil’s Player 22 VR game. Players will have the opportunity to test their athletic merit and improve their throwing technique, vision, reaction speeds and heading ability in-game surrounded by virtual Invictus branding that blends in seamlessly with the training environment. Players can also win a signed jersey from Tim Howard and their own bottle of the fragrance by sharing their results on social media with the hashtag #InvictusInGameChallenge.
Bidstack, the leading in-game advertising technology platform, worked with human experience company Starcom Worldwide to develop the concept for the ‘Scent of Victory’ campaign. Player 22, which is available for VR gamers using Quest, Quest 2 and Oculus Touch devices, offered an entirely new touchpoint for Paco Rabanne. The partnership with Tim Howard helped to combine the concepts of a legendary champion from a real-life sporting context and converged that with the game’s virtual world creating an authentic and interactive experience for gamers.
It is the first time a fragrance has created a playable sporting challenge in a VR environment, which encapsulates the innovative approach Paco Rabanne is taking to reaching their target audience for the 2021 holiday and gift-giving season.
Of the campaign, Tim Howard said “I’m really excited to be a part of this partnership. I’m always looking for ways to encourage people to strive to be the best that they can be, in everything they do. Invictus, a fragrance for men, is designed for people who will take on any challenge and strive to be victorious. As a former athlete, that is a motto that I have lived by throughout my life and career.
Platforms like Rezzil that utilise technology for real-life conditioning and training through gamification are the future. It’s great to see companies like Paco Rabanne, Starcom and Bidstack help lead the charge in making this a reality and I’d like to thank them for inviting me to be a part of this project.”
Adam Fisher, Head of US Sales at Bidstack added “Paco Rabanne continues to be a fantastic partner of ours. We love collaborating with them and exploring new and innovative ways to reach consumers through gaming.
For a brand like Invictus that represents determination, athletic merit and a winning mentality, we felt that our partner Rezzil was a great fit. Their VR platform helps individuals improve their physical and cognitive abilities through a wide range of sports and the icing on the cake in this activation was getting the opportunity to collaborate with Tim Howard.
Tim is a hero and legend in the world of soccer and encapsulates everything that Invictus is about.”
Andy Etches, Founder and Director at Rezzil said “We’ve loved working with Paco Rabanne on this in-game activation for Invictus with Bidstack and Starcom Worldwide. As a platform designed to train elite athletes it was fantastic to be able to work with Tim and put his skills to the test with our in-game challenge.
Creating branded experiences like this within the metaverse offers a glimpse of the future potential for brands. Our aim is to deliver world class training games that improve fitness and reaction times whilst also delivering a great user experience. With this campaign we’re proud to have been able to deliver on our core product offering in a way that respects and enhances the player experience.”
About Bidstack
Bidstack is the leading in-game advertising and video game monetisation platform. Their sophisticated technology allows brands to serve advertisements into natural spaces within video games whilst protecting the gaming experience.
These branded experiences can vary from trackside banners and cityscape billboards to pitchside LED boards, skins or any other contextually relevant spaces within the metaverse.
The company has more than 80 staff across five international locations and is a public company listed on the London Stock Exchange.
About Starcom Worldwide
Starcom is the Human Experience Company. A world-renowned media communications agency, we harness the power of media, technology and data to create experiences people love and actions brands need.
With more than 7,000 employees worldwide, Starcom partners with the world’s leading marketers and new establishment brands, including Bank of America, Best Buy, Coca-Cola, Kellogg Company, KraftHeinz, Novartis, P&G, Samsung, Visa and more.
Starcom is part of Publicis Media within Publicis Groupe [Euronext Paris FR0000130577, CAC40], one of the world’s leading communications groups.
gaming
Current Games Activates the Nitro on Neon-Soaked Arcade Combat Racer: Cyber Clutch: Hot Import Nights

Current Games, a new name in indie publishing, based in the Netherlands, announced that it has assumed publishing rights for Cyber Clutch: Hot Import Nights, a heart-stopping, breakneck combat racing game, soaked in a neon lit future where speed and survival are the only routes to success!
A thrilling arcade style experience, Cyber Clutch: Hot Import Nights was first launched in Early Access on Steam in 2024, building a loyal community of dedicated fans passionate in seeing the game succeed. Current Games have heard the call and have spent a considerable amount of time diligently working under the hood, implementing a host of game-changing upgrades, delivering a fully revamped, nitro-powered experience, worthy of the Hot Import Nights (HIN) brand.
With the major update due to go live on July 24th 2025, speed demons are in for the ride of their lives as Cyber Clutch: Hot Import Nights power-ups on Steam, as well as launching on PlayStation®5, Xbox Series X|S and Epic Games® Store!
Make no mistake, this is no mere tweak, from July 24th, a whole host of surprises await fans of the game and newcomers alike. Some of the changes include:
- An all-new sprawling racing track to discover and master
- More cars mean more fun! Discover your favourite vehicles and race like your life depends on it!
- Major balancing changes based on extensive community feedback
- A new single player career mode with championship races
- Overall improvements to the game’s experience and stability
In taking over publishing for Cyber Clutch: Hot Import Nights Current Games is keen to emphasise their commitment to engaging with and supporting the community. Planned initiatives arriving soon include the reactivation of the games’ Reddit account, a new Discord server and a planned playtest scheduled for pre-launch.
In Cyber Clutch: Hot Import Nights, street legends are built after dark, as gamers brave enough to face the neon-soaked streets of the future, race, fight, and ultimately conquer with up to eight players competing head-to-head in a fight to survive and pass the winning line alive.
Each chariot in Cyber Clutch: Hot Import Nights is equipped with an arsenal of outlandish offensive and defensive weapons, enabling players to outmanoeuvre and outgun their opponents as they speed towards victory. Choose from a diverse range of customizable vehicles across three weight classes, each with distinct advantages. Lightweight vehicles boast speed but sacrifice defence, while heavyweight vehicles offer greater protection at the cost of agility. Weapons can be charged through pickups or by executing perfect drifts, adding a strategic layer to the high-speed action.
Accessible yet challenging, easy to play, impossible to put down, ruthlessly hard to master and never anything less than exhilarating, Cyber Clutch: Hot Import Nights is racing like you’ve never experienced before!
Roderick Roode, CEO of Current Games commented on the major upgrade and console release of Cyber Clutch: Hot Import Nights, “We are honoured to assume publishing rights for Cyber Clutch and determined to give this high-impact combat racing experience the love, attention and polish it deserves. Cyber Clutch has attracted a loyal audience in the year since launch, but we know the game is destined for even bigger things, and we’re thrilled to finally deliver a fully levelled-up experience, which we’re convinced will delight combat racing fans. In addition, we’re excited to bring the full Cyber Clutch experience to more gamers than ever, releasing on PlayStation, Xbox and the Epic Game Store, and cannot wait to see players assume their position on the starting grid later this month.”
The post Current Games Activates the Nitro on Neon-Soaked Arcade Combat Racer: Cyber Clutch: Hot Import Nights appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
Central Europe
German Federal Research Minister Dorothee Bär to open gamescom 2025

Federal Research Minister Dorothee Bär will take part in the official opening of gamescom on 20 August. This was announced today by Koelnmesse and game – The German Games Industry Association. The minister responsible for computer and video games in the German government will give a welcoming address at the opening of the world’s largest games event. Hendrik Wüst, Minister President of North Rhine-Westphalia, has also already been confirmed for the opening. During a tour of gamescom, they and other political guests of honour will gain an impression of the latest developments and trends in the games industry.
gamescom is the world’s largest and leading event for computer and video games. It brings together the international gaming community and entire games industry in a unique way, both in person in Cologne and digitally. gamescom 2025 will take place from August 20 to 24. The event will kick off on August 19, 2025 with gamescom Opening Night Live. gamescom is jointly organized by Koelnmesse and game – The German Games Industry Association.
The post German Federal Research Minister Dorothee Bär to open gamescom 2025 appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
gaming
Global release of Trophy Hunter – test your skills in the next evolution of hunting games

On July 3, 2025, Trophy Hunter – the latest game developed by the Ten Square Games team – launched globally across major markets. With this title, the company expands its presence in the fast-growing hunting game segment, where it already has solid experience. Trophy Hunter is the third Ten Square Games project in this genre – this time designed as a skill-based game, offering an accessible yet competitive experience for a broad player base.
“- Ten Square Games was one of the pioneers in the mobile hunting games segment. Since the release of Hunting Clash, the market has grown significantly, and players’ expectations have evolved. Trophy Hunter is our response to those changes – a skill based game that emphasizes fast-paced gameplay, reflexes, and strategic decision-making. We’re building on a world we know well, but offering a new style of play that opens up fresh growth opportunities,” says Jakub Noganowicz, Product Owner of Hunting Clash and Trophy Hunter.
About Trophy Hunter
Trophy Hunter is a hunting game designed for players who enjoy quick, dynamic gameplay and competitive PvP action. Its core mode features three-round duels where precision, reaction time, and decision-making under pressure matter most – rather than exploration or resource management. Players can upgrade their personal base (Hunter’s Lodge), customize weapons, and compete in a structured league system.
“- The launch of Trophy Hunter is a test for both an alternative gameplay model and a more hybrid approach to monetization. We see this moment as the conclusion of the game’s first development phase. Now begins the most important stage – one driven by player feedback. The success of the project will depend not only on how the game is received but also on our ability to scale the title and consistently grow its player base,” says Andrzej Ilczuk, CEO of Ten Square Games.
Trophy Hunter follows a free-to-play model with microtransactions that let players upgrade weapons and ammo. It also features rewarded video ads**, allowing revenue generation from non-paying users. Thanks to hybrid monetization and a lower entry threshold, Trophy Hunter is aimed at a broader audience. Its lower cost per acquisition offsets the lower ARPU* compared to other Ten Square Games titles. The hybrid business model allows room for scalable growth and expanding the game’s reach.
From prototype to global release
Development on Trophy Hunter began in Q1 2024. In the final production phase, the core development team included 10 directly involved contributors.
In late June 2025, as part of pre-launch preparations, Ten Square Games removed the test version of the app from Google Play and the App Store, replacing it with the final version and opening preregistration. Over 500,000 players only on Google platform used the opportunity to ensure the fastest possible access to the game on global launch day. Those who preregistered received an exclusive in-game reward – a replica of the Beretta BRX1 rifle and 10 rounds of special ammunition. This was made possible thanks to Ten Square Games’ collaboration with the globally recognized Beretta brand, originally established for Hunting Clash.
What’s next
At launch, the game includes 9 playable arenas. The release marks the beginning of a new development chapter for Trophy Hunter. The roadmap includes progressive content expansion and ongoing testing of the game’s global scalability. If this proves successful, future updates will bring more arenas, new gameplay modes, a LiveOps system, Battle Pass, and additional features to boost player engagement and expand challenge variety.
* ARPU – average revenue per user
** Rewarded video – an ad format where players voluntarily watch a video ad in exchange for an in-game reward.
The post Global release of Trophy Hunter – test your skills in the next evolution of hunting games appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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