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Animal Crossing + NERDS Candy = NERDS World

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NERDS® ANNOUNCES NERDS WORLD; AN IMMERSIVE EXPERIENCE WITHIN NINTENDO’S ANIMAL CROSSING: NEW HORIZONS 

In Partnership with Non-Profit Cybersmile, NERDS World Will Support Brand’s Ongoing Commitment to Make the Internet a Friendlier Place  

Iconic candy brand NERDS® announced the launch of NERDS World, an interactive branded experience debuting within Nintendo’s highly-popular life simulation game Animal Crossing: New Horizons. Available in the United Kingdom, Australia and Canada, NERDS World offers players a positive outlet, allowing them to engage in a unique, user-generated experience including fun and inspirational activities.

NERDS World is in support of the brand’s ongoing “Stay NERD” campaign, which encourages consumers to “embrace their nerdiness” by believing in themselves and supporting others. As part of this mission, NERDS partnered with The Cybersmile Foundation in early 2020, with a shared goal of making the internet a safer space for young users by tackling issues related to cyber-bullying and online abuse.

“At NERDS, we stand for inclusivity, belonging and positivity, because as a brand we celebrate how we are all better together,” said Kelly Peyser, Senior Brand Manager for NERDS. “We saw Animal Crossing: New Horizons as an ideal place to bring these values to life, as the game creates a positive, fun experience where players don’t compete against one another but instead work together to create thriving communities online.”  

 

Inside the NERDS World  

A vibrant island destination, NERDS World is perfectly imperfect-shaped just like NERDScandy, and covered with decorations in the brand’s signature colors – purple and pink – along with stickers and fun Easter Eggs surprises. While in NERDS World, players can explore and engage in fun activities and win prizes:

  • Fans can explore within the island by themselves or with others.
  • Players can receive a guided visit to NERDS World – which is led by a NERDS avatar – by using a Dodo Code that NERDS will share via Instagram and Facebook. Dodo Codes will be accessible at @NERDSCandiesAUS (Australia), @NERDSCandies_UK (UK), and @NERDSCandies_Canada (Canada), or fans can simply visit NERDS World via a Dream Address.
  • Throughout the game, fans have the chance to receive special merchandise as well as take pictures with the different photo spots all through the island.
  • Fans can stay tuned for more surprises throughout the month with special activities and challenges released in the NERDS World platform throughout the month-long activation.

Driving Good in the World Through NERDS World  

NERDS World will serve as a resource for players who want to learn more about or seek help related to online abuse or cyber-bullying. The island will be equipped with an innovative AI Assistant tool and QR codes, which will provide access to different Cybersmile resources, and will be populated with positive messages and tips throughout.

The activation is launching at a record-breaking time for Animal Crossing: New Horizons, which became Nintendo Switch’s fastest selling title ever after launching in March 2020, selling 13.4M units in its first six weeks. Animal Crossing: New Horizons is Nintendo’s second-best selling game of the year, selling 22.4 million copies since its release. The wide popularity of the game globally can be attributed in part to social circumstances surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic, where isolation has resulted in many consumers seeking indoor activities which allow them to stay engaged and connected to others.

“Especially during a time where the world looks different these days, NERDS World will provide players of all ages with the opportunity to connect virtually with friends and family, as well as build an even broader community online,”stated Scott Freeman, Cybersmile Director. “We are incredibly excited to be working with NERDS to introduce this creative destination, which will serve as a support system for young internet users across the world.”

Starting today, NERDS World will be available through December 17, 2020. Animal Crossing: New Horizon can be enjoyed on a Nintendo Switch console and is rated E for everyone. For more information, please visit www.staynerd.live.

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Olympian Legends: Galaxsys’ New Slot Game Inspired by Ancient Myths

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6 hours ago

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April 30, 2025

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Galaxsys, the award-winning games developer, is proud to announce the launch of Olympian Legends, a new slot game that brings the power and majesty of ancient mythology to life.

More than just a tribute to ancient mythology, Olympian Legends combines breathtaking visuals, innovative features, and dynamic gameplay, promising players an unforgettable journey through the myths of Olympus. As players progress and reveal mythic features, they face the power of ancient gods. With cascading symbols and exciting bonuses, the game delivers a dynamic adventure that’s truly worth exploring.

This marks the third slot title that Galaxsys has announced over the last two months, following the launches of Funny Faces: Hoglet-Moglet and El Dorado.

What Makes Olympian Legends Special
Olympian Legends stands out by blending rich narrative elements with innovative slot mechanics. The progress bar on the right side of the grid consists of five elements. Each time a winning combination is formed, the progress bar fills from bottom to top, triggering a mythical feature when an element is completed. Additionally, the Buy Bonus option allows players to take fate into their own hands, enabling them to access the bonus game at any time they choose.

Dynamic animations and sound design ensure every encounter with Zeus, Poseidon, and more characters feels like stepping into an epic saga rather than playing a traditional slot.

Vigen Safaryan, CPO at Galaxsys, commented: “Olympian Legends combines strong gameplay mechanics with a detailed and dynamic theme. Our goal was to deliver a slot that feels rewarding to play while offering players a more refined experience through mythology. We paid special attention to balancing the game’s features to ensure that the experience feels dynamic, without overwhelming the player. From the visuals and animations to the way the bonuses unfold, every element was designed to create a journey that feels both entertaining and authentic.”

Olympian Legends is now live and available for Galaxsys’ global network of partners.

The post Olympian Legends: Galaxsys’ New Slot Game Inspired by Ancient Myths appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

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ESET Research

ESET Research analyzes tools from the China-aligned TheWizards group, with targets across Asia and the Middle East

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7 hours ago

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April 30, 2025

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ESET researchers have analyzed Spellbinder, a lateral movement tool used to perform adversary-in-the-middle attacks by the China-aligned threat actor TheWizards. Spellbinder enables adversary-in-the-middle attacks through IPv6 stateless address autoconfiguration spoofing, which allows the attackers to redirect the update protocols of legitimate Chinese software to malicious servers. Then the legitimate software is tricked into downloading and executing the malicious components that launch the backdoor WizardNet.

TheWizards has been constantly active since at least 2022 until the present and, according to ESET telemetry, targets individuals, gambling companies, and unknown entities in the Philippines, Cambodia, the United Arab Emirates, mainland China, and Hong Kong.

“We initially discovered and analyzed this tool in 2022, and observed a new version with a few changes that was deployed to compromised machines in 2023 and 2024,” says ESET researcher Facundo Muñoz, who analyzed Spellbinder and WizardNet. “Our research led us to discover a tool used by the attackers that is designed to perform adversary-in-the-middle attacks using IPv6 SLAAC spoofing to intercept and reply to packets in a network, allowing the attackers to redirect traffic and serve malicious updates to legitimate Chinese software,” explains Muñoz.

The final payload in the attack is a backdoor that we named WizardNet – a modular implant that connects to a remote controller to receive and execute .NET modules on the compromised machine. ESET researchers have focused on one of the latest cases, in 2024, in which the update of Tencent QQ software was hijacked. The malicious server that issues the update instructions is still active. This variant of WizardNet supports five commands, three of which allow it to execute .NET modules in memory, thus extending its functionality on the compromised system.

TheWizards and the Chinese company Dianke Network Security Technology (also known as UPSEC) – supplier of the DarkNights backdoor (also known as DarkNimbus), appear to be linked. According to NCSC UK, this malicious backdoor also has Tibetan and Uyghur communities among its primary targets. While TheWizards uses a different backdoor – the WizardNet, the hijacking server is configured to serve DarkNights to updating applications running on Android devices.

The post ESET Research analyzes tools from the China-aligned TheWizards group, with targets across Asia and the Middle East appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.

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Inaugural iGaming Event for Technology Leaders: Technology in Gaming Conference 2025

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April 30, 2025

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The iGaming industry is getting a dedicated space for its most forward-thinking technical leaders with the launch of the Technology in Gaming Conference 2025 (TiG 2025) — an exclusive new event created specifically for CTOs, CIOs, and senior technology stakeholders in the iGaming world.

Taking place on 1st July 2025 as part of London iGaming Week in partnership with iGB Live!, this specialist conference will bring together some of the most innovative minds in technology to explore the future of cybersecurity, infrastructure, artificial intelligence, compliance, and scalability. TiG 2025 is designed to give technical leaders a forum tailored to the real challenges and opportunities shaping iGaming today and in the years to come.

“I am delighted to see other organisers bringing their own events that meet the need of specialist verticals within the industry as part of London iGaming week. The team at iGB L!VE are pleased to be able to support this event, and encourage iGaming senior IT professionals to join what we know will be an event that offers excellent content and networking opportunities for them” said Naomi Barton, Portfolio Director at Clarion – Organiser of iGB Live!

Topics on the agenda include:

  • Scalable architecture & infrastructure
  • AI & machine learning in iGaming
  • Compliance & security in regulated markets
  • Future-ready platform innovation
  • Engineering teams, DevOps, and automation

“As an industry driven by technology I think it’s important to create a space that speaks specifically to the leaders developing and driving the change that has such a big impact on the growth and development of such an exciting sector” commented Shona ODonnell, Event Director. 

Pretty Technical, a leading provider of iGaming software and platform solutions, is proud to be named the headline sponsor of this inaugural event. The company’s commitment to innovation and modern architecture makes it a natural fit for an event designed to shape the next chapter of gaming tech.

“As a business that thrives on building technology designed for the next decade, not the last, we’re thrilled to support TiG 2025 and connect with the talented tech leaders shaping the future of iGaming,” said Emma Blaylock, CEO Pretty Technical.

The event is also sponsored by Claranet, experts in modernising and managing critical applications and infrastructure 24×7, and Marshall Wolfe, a dedicated hiring consultancy specialising in digital and technology sectors.

Registration is now open with tickets currently discounted by £200 until 31st May.

The post Inaugural iGaming Event for Technology Leaders: Technology in Gaming Conference 2025 appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

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