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Opera buys owner of GameMaker and starts a Gaming division
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Opera, the browser developer and consumer internet brand, announced its acquisition of YoYo Games, creator of the world’s leading 2D game engine, GameMaker Studio 2, for approximately $10 million. The tuck-in acquisition represents the second building block in the foundation of Opera Gaming, a new division within Opera with global ambitions and follows the creation and rapid growth of Opera’s innovative Opera GX browser, the world’s first browser built specifically for gamers.
Krystian Kolondra, EVP Browsers at Opera, said: “With Opera GX, Opera had adapted its proven, innovative browser tech platform to dramatically expand its footprint in gaming. We’re at the brink of a shift, when more and more people start not only playing, but also creating and publishing games. GameMaker Studio2 is best-in-class game development software, and lowers the barrier to entry for anyone to start making their games and offer them across a wide range of web-supported platforms, from PCs, to, mobile iOS/Android devices, to consoles.
Annette De Freitas, Head of Business Development & Strategic Partnerships, Opera Gaming, added: “Gaming is a growth area for Opera and the acquisition of YoYo Games reflects significant, sustained momentum across both of our businesses over the past year. Our new Opera GX browser hit 7 million MAUs in December, 2020, up 350% year over year, while YoYo Games’ GameMaker engine achieved 400K new registered creators in 2020. We’re tremendously excited by the opportunities the combination creates not only for our combined users, but also for the expansion of Opera’s gaming community.”
Stuart Poole, GM at YoYo Games who will remain with the business alongside technical lead Russell Kay stated, “For over twenty years, the vision behind the GameMaker engine was to not just create more games, but expand development within and beyond the game studio. We think the transaction with Opera – whose products are known, trusted and used worldwide by millions of people every month- represents a massive opportunity to accelerate fulfilment of that founding vision, during a period of exceptional growth for both companies.”
“We are very excited to start working with the team at YoYo Games,” said Krystian Kolondra, EVP Browsers at Opera. “We see the Game Maker Studio platform as being an ideal acquisition to complement our global ambitions in gaming, and to help drive awareness and traffic to our Opera GX gaming browser.”
Opera GX, YoYo Games and GameMaker will unite under Opera Gaming, focusing on innovating across the gaming, game development, and browser experience. “We look forward to further growing Opera GX and driving the growth of GameMaker as part of a broader ecosystem, making it more accessible to novice users and developing it into the world’s leading 2D game engine used by commercial studios,” continued Krystian Kolondra. “Opera Gaming will be focusing on accelerating the growth of this emerging ecosystem, combining the 7+ million highly engaged gamers using Opera GX with millions of GameMaker creators. We are also thrilled to continue realizing synergies between YoYo Games’ products and Opera GX.”
GameMakerStudio is an integrated game development software, performance-tuned 2/2.5D engine that fuels many games, including multi-million hits like Risk of Rain, Undertale, or Hyper Light Drifter on an extensive range of mainstream platforms. Starting to build games with Game Maker Studio requires little to zero coding skills. Due to its extensive functionalities and ease of use Game Maker Studio lowers the barriers to entry and empowers a variety of creative people to make their games come alive and share them with the world.
Kolondra explained further: “Performance is essential to even 2D gaming, and sustaining that performance across mobile devices and laptops as well as variable bandwidth and connectivity requires thinking outside of traditional application silos. The line between building good games and good browsers has been eroding for years – with gaming interactivity across internet connections ramping up and browsers growing more multi-function and sophisticated. Traditionally the two types of technology compete for hardware and bandwidth resources. But as Opera GX proved, there was a better way to address that competition and improve the experience across both functionalities. YoYo Games’ team, development expertise and studio relationships lay the groundwork for turning the Opera GX vertical into a new kind of horizontal. This horizontal opportunity is why we’re building Opera Gaming and its infrastructure – so that we can further integrate gaming and browsing in ways beneficial to both in terms of not only monetization, but also experience.”
Source: Latest News on European Gaming Media Network
This is a Syndicated News piece. Photo credits or photo sources can be found on the source article: Opera buys owner of GameMaker and starts a Gaming division
Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) Chairman and CEO Alejandro H. Tengco on Monday, September 8, pushed for stricter regulations for online gaming instead of an outright ban, saying that prohibition would only encourage illegal operations and deprive the government of needed revenues.
Speaking before industry stakeholders at the Light & Wonder iGaming Symposium at Newport World Resorts in Pasay City, Mr. Tengco said reforms implemented by PAGCOR — including reductions in license fee rates — has spurred robust growth in the electronic gaming sector.
From Php58.16 billion in 2023, gross gaming revenues (GGR) from Electronic Games climbed to Php154.51 billion in 2024 which accounted for nearly half of the industry’s Php372.33 billion GGR.
In the first half of 2025 alone, the sector contributed Php114.83 billion, surpassing revenues from land-based operations and boosting PAGCOR’s total revenues to Php59 billion.
“The iGaming story in the Philippines is no longer just about growth; it’s about how we grow — safely, fairly, and sustainably,” Mr. Tengco said. “We support stricter regulations to protect our people, but we are against a total ban which will only drive players to illegal operators and result in loss of revenues and jobs.”
Mr. Tengco also emphasized PAGCOR’s ongoing reforms, including the separation of regulatory and operational functions, stronger responsible gaming safeguards, stricter advertising standards, the upcoming launch of a 24/7 helpline, and the adoption of digital tools such as the PAGCOR Guarantee portal and AI-driven monitoring systems.
He also called on industry players to practice “compliance by design” in their operations, strictly follow anti-money laundering regulations, strengthen their KYC (Know Your Customer) guidelines, and fully support PAGCOR’s Responsible Gaming initiatives.
“With responsible growth, compliance, and transparency, the Philippines can develop a safer, stronger, and globally competitive iGaming industry,” he added.
Mr. Tengco also expressed gratitude to Light & Wonder for organizing the event, highlighting its role as a key partner in strengthening the country’s gaming sector.
Light & Wonder, a global leader in cross-platform gaming, provides content, systems, and solutions for casino, online, and social gaming operators worldwide. Its innovations have supported PAGCOR in broadening product offerings and keeping the Philippine gaming industry competitive in the rapidly evolving iGaming market.
The post PAGCOR chief pushes for stricter regulation, not online gaming ban appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
A mother in Knivsta, Sweden, could hardly believe her eyes when she recently played the slot game Reel King Riches Jackpot King on LeoVegas. With a bet of just SEK 10, she quickly entered a bonus round, where the screen lit up with the words “Jackpot King” and the amount SEK 41,509,344, equivalent to approximately EUR 3,775,603 or GBP 3,275,917. She now plans to pay off her mortgage and invest for the future.
The winner, who wishes to remain anonymous, usually plays a variety of games, with her favorite being the classic Book of Dead. But on this particular day, she decided to try her luck on Reel King Riches Jackpot King from Blueprint Gaming—a decision she will never forget. After selecting a SEK 10 bet and pressing the spin button, the game swiftly triggered a bonus round. Moments later, it was clear: she had hit the top prize, Jackpot King, worth a total of SEK 41,509,344 (EUR 3,775,603/GBP 3,275,917).
“It’s completely unreal! I thought, this can’t happen to me. When the words Jackpot King appeared and the numbers started rolling, I couldn’t believe it was true—I was in shock. Is this really happening? I told my partner right away, and he didn’t believe it either. But it was real! Now I’ll be investing for the future and paying off the mortgage!” says the winner of the jackpot worth over SEK 41 million.
“This is one of the biggest jackpots ever at LeoVegas, and we are incredibly proud to bring this kind of excitement to players in Sweden. I would like to congratulate her once again on the win and wish her the very best with her future investments!” says Mattias Wedar, CEO of LeoVegas Group.
LeoVegas Group offers an ever-growing jackpot, which now stands at over SEK 388 million, across its online casinos LeoVegas, expekt, and BetMGM. All of the Group’s brands, including GoGoCasino, feature games from the Reel King series, with Reel King Riches Jackpot King available on several of them.
The post Swedish mom bet SEK 10 and won a jackpot of over SEK 41 million appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
- Team Vitality is proud to welcome ExpressVPN as an official partner. This collaboration brings together one of the leading digital privacy services with one of the most successful international esports clubs, aligning seamlessly with the needs of gamers, streamers, and esports fans across more than 180 countries.
- Already active in the gaming ecosystem, ExpressVPN will provide tangible benefits to Team Vitality’s community of fans, staff, and players, optimizing and securing their digital experience.
- By joining forces with a world-renowned digital privacy partner such as ExpressVPN, Team Vitality reaffirms its position as a leader in the global esports industry. Together, the two brands share a mission: to raise awareness around the importance of digital security while giving users greater control over their online experience.
Team Vitality is delighted to welcome ExpressVPN to its family of official partners. Designed to meet the needs of gamers, ExpressVPN’s technology is a natural fit for the esports community. For Team Vitality, this collaboration reflects shared values of performance and innovation, while placing digital privacy and security at the heart of joint initiatives aimed at a new generation of players and fans.
ExpressVPN has also recently partnered with the League of Legends EMEA Championship (LEC) 2025 and Premier League club Tottenham Hotspur. This new agreement with Team Vitality marks another step in ExpressVPN’s commitment to esports and its international growth.
AN EXCLUSIVE LAUNCH FOR THE TEAM VITALITY COMMUNITY!
The one-year partnership will span Team Vitality’s main competitive titles in Europe. Throughout the season, ExpressVPN and Team Vitality will deliver unique activations tailored to the esports community and Vitality fans worldwide.
Starting today, supporters of the club can enjoy a 14-day free trial of ExpressVPN through a dedicated platform, via this link expressvpn.com/vitality.
A VPN is a vital tool for gamers to have in their digital toolbox, offering:
- Protection against DDoS attacks and ISP throttling
- More stable connections and reduced ping during competitions
- Lag free access to your favourite gaming streamers
- Enhanced security on public Wi-Fi networks
This partnership reflects ExpressVPN’s commitment to delivering a fast, secure, and transparent digital experience for all. By taking advantage of an ExpressVPN subscription, players and fans alike can safeguard their online privacy across multiple devices simultaneously, while tapping into a worldwide network of servers. Its proprietary Lightway protocol is engineered for speed and efficiency, offering strong protection against DDoS attacks and ISP throttling. This means gamers can maintain a secure, high-performance connection that keeps them competitive during play. Additional activations will be rolled out across the year to provide practical, meaningful solutions for the esports community.
DRIVING BETTER DIGITAL EXPERIENCES FOR ESPORTS FANS
In a world where gamers and fans live increasingly online, ExpressVPN and Team Vitality aim to continue to empower online users by raising awareness of the importance of cybersecurity and supporting the gaming community to take greater control over their digital lives.
This partnership also underscores Team Vitality’s ability to attract leading global brands through strategic marketing initiatives. Together with ExpressVPN, the focus will be on delivering innovative, high-value solutions to an engaged international community. Leveraging Team Vitality’s advanced expertise in brand marketing, the two organizations will launch impactful campaigns throughout the year.
“We are thrilled to welcome ExpressVPN as one of our official partners. As Team Vitality strengthens its position as a leader in global esports, working with a recognized digital security brand like ExpressVPN perfectly aligns with our mission to serve our international community. Together, we want to drive performance and deliver the best possible digital experience to our fans. We cannot wait to kick off this exciting season.” said Nicolas Maurer, CEO and Co-Founder of Team Vitality.
“We’re excited to squad up with Team Vitality, one of the most competitive and successful organizations in esports. Like Vitality’s players, we’re focused on keeping the win streak going, whether that’s protecting against DDoS attacks, securing fast and stable connections, or giving gamers a free pick to play wherever they are. We’ve seen first-hand how our partnerships come in clutch for the gaming community, most recently as a Summer Split Partner of Riot Games. We can’t wait to build on that success with Vitality’s players and fans around the world.” added Zac Eller, GM, Global Partnerships, ExpressVPN.
The post EXPRESSVPN JOINS TEAM VITALITY AS OFFICIAL PARTNER TO ENHANCE ONLINE SECURITY appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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