gaming
Winners announced for first-ever Scottish Games Awards
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ION LANDS’ CloudPunk lead the charge with three wins
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David Jones, Founder of DMA Design wins the Lifetime Achievement award
The winners of the first-ever Scottish Games Awards have been announced following a gala ceremony which took place last night [Thursday, 27th of October]. The inaugural awards ceremony took place at Malmaison, Dundee and was the climax of Scottish Games Week, which saw events take place all over the country in a bid to showcase games as Scotland’s secret weapon in the tech sector.
Celebrating the very best of the games industry across Scotland, the winners include Dundee studio Team Terrible whose title ‘The Baby In Yellow’ was crowned Best Small-Budget Game, Aberdeenshire’s Brilliant Skies Ltd who won the Technical Achievement award, and BAFTA-winning Amicable Animal who have now lifted the Audio trophy for its work on SOLAS 128. With a Glasgow-based lead writer and artists from Edinburgh, ION LANDS’ epic Cloudpunk won three titles- Art and Animation, Creativity and Best Large-Budget Game, while Dundonian games industry veteran David Jones won the Lifetime Achievement award.
The Scottish Games Awards winners in full are:
Art and Animation
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Cloudpunk (ION LANDS)
Audio
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SOLAS 128 (Amicable Animal)
Best Educational Programme
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Dundee & Angus College: HN Games Development
Best Educator
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Dr Lynn Love
Best Large-Budget Game
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Cloudpunk (ION LANDS)
Best Small-Budget Game
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The Baby in Yellow (Team Terrible)
Creativity
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Cloudpunk (ION LANDS)
Diversity Champion
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Tanya Laird
Lifetime Achievement
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David Jones
Stewart Gilray Award (Community Spirit)
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Colin MacDonald
Technical Achievement
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From the Depths (Brilliant Skies Ltd.)
Tools and Technology
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Dislectek
Chaired by renowned journalist and author Chris Scullion, the award winners were selected by a jury of games industry experts with a deep knowledge of the sector, including:
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Brian Baird: Technical Director at Bethesda Games Studios Austin
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Joe Donnelly: Feature Writer at GamesRadar+
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Alisdair Gunn: Director at Glasgow City Innovation District
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Steven Hamill: COO at Scottish Edge
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Keza MacDonald: Video Games Editor at The Guardian
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Jim Trinca: Games journalist and video producer
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Jo Twist: CEO of UKIE
Chris Scullion, journalist and author of The NES Encyclopaedia said: “It’s been a huge honour to chair the judging panel for the inaugural Scottish Games Awards. The quality of the nominees is a perfect indicator of the enormous degree of talent that can be found in the Scottish games industry, and I’m looking forward to the awards (and Scottish Games Week as a whole) acting as a catalyst to help the industry grow from strength to strength.”
Angus Robertson, Culture Secretary, said: “Scotland has a world class reputation for games development as the winners of the first Scottish Games Awards have clearly demonstrated.
“The focus this week on the dynamism of the games sector and its growth potential shows the important role the industry has in supporting our economy. The technology and creativity that drives the sector has also brought benefits to other key areas such as education, healthcare, energy and financial services.”
Brian Baglow, Director of Scottish Games Week and Founder of the Scottish Games Network said: “The level of creativity and technical expertise across Scotland is outstanding, as is the passion, enthusiasm and commitment that we see from so many people across the whole games ecosystem. Today we are celebrating those achievements and turning the spotlight on the individuals, organisations and games that make Scotland’s games community such a vibrant and fun place to be.
“As the culmination of Scottish Games Week, these awards are a stake in the ground which proclaim that games are important, that we have a significant role to play in Scotland’s future and that we are going to be a far larger, louder and more prominent part of Scotland’s digital future.”
The Scottish Games Awards concluded Scottish Games Week, an expertly curated week of events across Scotland, with events focussing on onboarding the uninitiated, bringing together educational institutions and the games ecosystem.
Scottish Games Week is being delivered by the Scottish Games Network and is supported by the Scottish Government’s Ecosystem Fund, delivered as part of its Scottish Technology Ecosystem Review (STER) programme. Scottish Games Week is sponsored by 4J Studios, Blackadders LLP, Johnston Carmichael, YAHAHA, Aream and Co, Escape Technology, 4Players, NLAE and The SQA. Scottish Games Week is supported by partners Barclays Eagle Labs, Barclays Games & Esports Team, CodeBase, Dimoso, GT Omega, Digital Xtra Fund and Citizen Ticket.
gaming
Evoplay rolls out successful third-person shooter title Star Guardians to wider operator network
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.
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.
gaming
BGaming introduces first bird’s eye view crash game Top Eagle
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.
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.”
The post BGaming introduces first bird’s eye view crash game Top Eagle appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
gaming
PopOK Gaming Unveils “First Balloon” in the Thrilling Crash Series
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.
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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