

gaming
Gunzilla Games Raises $46M to Redefine the Battle Royale Genre By Letting Players Trade Their In-Game Items in “Off The Grid”
Gunzilla Games, a AAA game studio, announced that they have raised a total of $46M in their latest investment round. This new round of investment will allow the studio to build out their new platform called GunZ, empowering players by granting them complete ownership over their in-game possessions. GunZ will be the foundation for “Off The Grid” (OTG). One of the OTG’s standout mechanics is “in-game item trading”, the first game where players will be able to buy new in-game items from other players who collected them in the game or acquired them from each other. Trading will be handled via an internal blockchain based marketplace or any third-party marketplace which supports NFT technology. This investment round is led by Republic Capital. Other major participants include Griffin Gaming Partners, Animoca Brands, Jump Crypto, Raptor Group, CoinFund, Shima Capital, Dominance Ventures, GSR, Kucoin Labs, Spartan Investment Group, AlphaCrypto Capital, Blizzard, Digital Strategies, Morningstar Ventures, Gamegroove Capital, NGG and Huobi Group, who will also assist in maintaining the technical infrastructure of the project. Notable angel investor and advisor include Justin Kan, co-founder of Twitch.
Gunzilla assures gamers that they will never sell NFTs directly to their player community, nor will they hide progression or any game features behind a monetized paywall, the trading is entirely optional. Gunzilla believes that the GunZ platform has the potential to radically change the core gaming experience for players, and those not interested in trading are able to completely skip this feature and simply enjoy the full game for free without any limitations.
Vlad Korolev, CEO and Co-Founder of Gunzilla, explains: “We are striving to provide players with complete freedom in every detail of OTG, and with each step of its gameplay. In OTG additionally to the core gameplay, players will be able to own and trade their in-game items with other players. As well as assure players that their hard-earned items remain theirs to keep, no matter what. In today’s free-to-play games, if you pay for something, it isn’t yours. You do not, and cannot, own anything. Anyone can read the EULA of any game to verify this. If you’re banned, for example, any item can be taken away from you, even if your ban is accidental. When you stop playing any free-to-play game, the money you’ve put in also disappears. We are re-inventing the system, putting the power back in the hands of gamers, and are using blockchain technology to make this happen. With OTG and GunZ, we are creating a universe that will set a new standard for the industry”
Players will also be able to take their items out of the game. As the universe of OTG continues to evolve, gamers will discover new items each time they play. In-game items that players can trade will include the one-of-a-kind characters that players create themselves, custom weapons, clothing items and accessories.
This investment round follows the recent released teaser-trailer of Gunzilla’s new game OTG, a AAA Battle Royale 2.0, third-person shooter, led by the studio’s Chief Visionary Officer and Oscar nominee Neill Blomkamp. A free-to-play (F2P) title, OTG, that features a strong narrative focus with unique gameplay mechanics and is due for release across next-generation platforms in 2023.
Brian Johnson, a Senior Director of Republic Capital, said “The Gunzilla team is nothing short of stellar with industry veterans having contributed to games that many of us grew up playing. We believe that free-to-play reigns supreme and that by combining it with an optional Crypto component, Gunzilla will lead by example, marrying the Crypto and gaming worlds. There’s no doubt that the future of Crypto gaming needs to involve next-gen consoles, and we believe Gunzilla will allow this to happen with ease.”
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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