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Colt Canyon crowned ‘Best Game’ and LUNARK ‘Most Anticipated’ at GameMaker Awards 2021
The judges have deliberated. Over 33,000 votes have been cast. And we can now reveal that Colt Canyon has been crowned ‘Best Game’ and LUNARK ‘Most Anticipated’ game of the year, at the GameMaker Awards 2021.
Created by German-based developer Retrific, Colt Canyon is a stylish western-themed pixel art shooter combining roguelike elements with real-time combat. The judges were impressed with Colt Canyon’s highly engaging gameplay and heavily pixelated artist style. While in the popular vote, members of the GameMaker and Opera GX communities voted Colt Canyon the clear winner.
The other finalists for ‘Best Game’ included: Chicory: A Colorful Tale, Jet Lancer, Post Void and Cook, Serve, Delicious! 3?!.
The winner of ‘Most Anticipated’ game is LUNARK, from Canari Games. LUNARK is a 2D cinematic platformer, designed in the vein of ’80s and ’90s classics. The game challenges players to run, jump, hang, climb, roll, and shoot their way through a kaleidoscope of different environments. These include mysterious alien ruins, a flying penitentiary, a high-tech megalopolis, and a majestic forest.
The judges were blown away with how the Canari Games team have pushed the creative limits of cutscenes and pixel art in GameMaker, to create a game that is both visually stunning and great to play. Set for release later this year, LUNARK also made a big impression with the voters – who overwhelmingly crowned it the ‘Most Anticipated’ game of 2021.
The other finalists for ‘Most Anticipated’ game included: NYKRA, Jitsu Squad, APICO and Toodee and Topdee.
The GameMaker Awards, in partnership with SpecialEffect, a charity that uses video games to enhance the lives of those people with physical disabilities, celebrate creativity and innovation in Indie game development, honouring the best games created using GameMaker Studio 2 as well as the Indies and Studios that designed them.
From over 200 entries, only 5 games for each category were selected by an expert panel of industry peers, including GameMaker Studio CTO Russell Kay, Opera GX Product Director Maciej Kocemba, and Into Indie Games Editor Harry Cole.
Russell Kay, CTO, GameMaker Studio, said: “This year’s GameMaker Awards has redefined what we’ve come to expect from the indies and studios that choose GameMaker as their creative engine of choice. Each of the finalists have demonstrated both amazing creativity, plus the technical ability to harness GameMaker’s powerful functionality to design a game that really pushes the boundaries. Given the incredible standard of this year’s entries, I am only glad that the final decision was left in the hands of our loyal GameMaker and Opera GX communities.”
Jonathan Mannshoven of Retrific, said: “Colt Canyon wasn’t a bestseller when it launched last year. It wasn’t free from criticism either. But by working closely with the community, I’ve been able to make many improvements to the game which have helped turn a lot of criticism into positive feedback. Having all that hard work now paying off with Colt Canyon winning ‘Best Game’ at the GameMaker Awards 2021 is an overwhelming and surreal feeling – just incredible!
“GameMaker has always been my engine of choice as it is just so easy to use yet also powerful, enabling me to reach maximum productivity. Which as a solo developer is extremely valuable. Put simply – I wouldn’t be a game developer now if it wasn’t for GameMaker.”
Johan Vinet of Canari Games, added: “LUNARK started as a passion project to create a game in the genre I loved in my youth. Making it a reality became so clear that I decided to quit my job, start my own studio and launch a Kickstarter campaign. Winning the “Most Anticipated Game” award is an incredible recognition from the players and the GameMaker Community, which brings some welcome legitimacy and a massive confidence boost to actually finish the game! Thank you!”

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Red Rake Gaming releases Super 60 Stars, the newest slot in its successful Super series
Red Rake Gaming has released Super 60 Stars, the latest addition to its acclaimed Super series, now available to all partner operators.
This new release retains the fast-paced gameplay and wide variety of features that have made the series one of the most popular in the iGaming industry, while also introducing an exclusive new addition that adds even more excitement to the game.
The new feature in Super 60 Stars is the “Super 60 Stars” symbol, which can appear anywhere on the reels and trigger the brand-new “Super 60 Gold X” minigame. In this minigame, players can land the “Super X” symbol to multiply the value of the silver coins and accumulate big wins through the gold coins. On top of that, the “Super 60 Coins” system brings the familiar “Minor, Major and Grand” prizes, offering great win potential.
The game also includes some of the most successful features from previous titles in the series, such as “Sticky Wins” and progressive multipliers triggered by the “Super 25 Stars Wild” symbol, as well as the “Crystallize Symbols” and “Lucky Multipliers”, with multipliers of up to x50, and the «Star Fusion Minigame», which merges symbols for bigger rewards.
Other popular features also make a return, including the “Super 10 Stars Mini-Slot” and the “Frenzy Wheel Minigame”, with multipliers of up to x100, plus expanding Wilds with Respins, the “Wheel Bonus”, and “Free Spins”.
With its polished design, fast-paced gameplay and broad variety of features, Super 60 Stars strengthens the appeal of an already established series and stands out as a key release for operators looking to offer high-performing, differentiated content to their players.
Now available across all Red Rake Gaming partner casinos, as well as through its renowned tournament tool.
For additional information please contact: [email protected]
The post Red Rake Gaming releases Super 60 Stars, the newest slot in its successful Super series appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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GAMSTOP reports record registrations in 2025
- 44% increase in under 25s choosing to self-exclude from gambling
- Younger consumers choosing six-month exclusion to manage their gambling
- New chair Chris Pond to take up post in September
GAMSTOP, the national self-exclusion scheme for online gambling, has reported a 19% increase in registrations in 2025, with monthly registrations breaking all previous records twice in successive months.
The increase in registrations has been driven by younger consumers, aged 16-24, with self-exclusions increasing by 44% year-on-year in the first six months of the year. Four out of ten are choosing to exclude for the minimum six-month period, up from 36% in the previous year which could mean they are using GAMSTOP as a flexible, preventative tool to manage their gambling, though more research is needed to understand patterns of behaviour.
With self-exclusion at record levels, the Gamstop Group has announced its new chair will be Chris Pond, who replaces the outgoing Chair Jenny Watson CBE in September after her seven-year stint. Mr Pond is highly experienced in financial services and has worked across the public, private and non-profit sectors.
He is currently Chair of the Money and Mental Health Advisory Board and the Financial Services Consumer Panel at the Financial Conduct Authority. He has previously chaired the Financial Inclusion Commission, served as the CEO of two national charities and was a Work and Pensions Minister during his eight years as a Member of Parliament.
Since GAMSTOP’S inception in April 2018, nearly 600,000 vulnerable consumers have registered for the service and self-exclusion is continuing to increase at record rates. In April 2025, a record 10,281 consumers registered with GAMSTOP – the first time the monthly figure had ever topped 10,000 –and Monday April 7th, two days after the Grand National, was the busiest ever day with 437 registrations. However, the monthly record was eclipsed in May, with 10,344 new registrations.
The 2025 data reveals a growing preference for six-month exclusions across all age groups, a 29% year-on-year increase. However, the maximum five-year exclusion remains the most popular amongst all age groups, except under-25s and currently accounts for nearly one in two of all exclusions (47%). Since 2018, 53% of all registrations have been for the maximum five-year period.
GAMSTOP introduced a new ‘5 years with auto-renewal’ exclusion in December 2024 for vulnerable consumers looking to extend their exclusion from gambling websites and apps. The new 5 -year auto-renewal option was developed in direct response to feedback from users and the take-up has been high, with nearly half of those registering for a five-year exclusion choosing this option.
New registrations – H1 2025
16-24 | 25-34 | 35-44 | 45-54 | 55+ | |
6 months | 39% | 27% | 23% | 21% | 22% |
1 year | 26% | 26% | 23% | 22% | 22% |
5 years | 35% | 47% | 54% | 57% | 56% |
Registrations – all time
16-24 | 25-34 | 35-44 | 45-54 | 55+ | |
6 months | 33% | 23% | 20% | 20% | 20% |
1 year | 26% | 23% | 22% | 21% | 22% |
5 years | 41% | 54% | 58% | 59% | 58% |
Fiona Palmer, CEO of GAMSTOP, said:“Our data shows a significant spike in the number of younger consumers who are GAMstopping to manage their gambling, and this has driven the record registrations in 2025. They are increasingly choosing six-month exclusions, which suggests that GAMSTOP is being used as a tool to allow them a break from gambling. We have worked very hard to increase awareness of GAMSTOP amongst younger consumers and to destigmatise the use of self-exclusion. We want them to realise that GAMSTOP can be used as a preventative tool alongside other solutions, giving them breathing space to take back control”.
The post GAMSTOP reports record registrations in 2025 appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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STAKE SIGN FOOTBALL LEGEND PATRICE EVRA AS GLOBAL AMBASSADOR
Betting giants, Stake has today confirmed that former Manchester United and Juventus legend, Patrice Evra, has signed a deal to become a Global Ambassador for the brand.
Evra is the latest football legend to partner with Stake, joining fellow Premier League icon, Sergio Aguero as part of the Stake family. The former left-back enjoyed a trophy laden career, winning 17 major titles, including the UEFA Champions League, and five Premier League titles as part of an iconic Manchester United squad.
Evra’s larger than life personality has seen him remain a source of great entertainment since his retirement. Now considered a respected pundit, Evra has become known for his strong opinions and sharp wit.
Patrice Evra commented:“I am so excited to be working with Stake, and joining the family. They are such a fun and exciting brand who are at the top of their game, and to be joining their team of iconic Ambassadors is a privilege.
“I am a massive MMA fan, and Stake is a brand that everyone thinks of when it comes to the sport. To be on the same team as MMA Champions is great, and also to have a former rival from Manchester City, Sergio Aguero, now on my team, is fantastic.”
Akhil Sarin, Chief Marketing Officer at Stake, said: “Patrice is a footballing icon and one of the best players to ever play in his position. As much as his incredible credentials, we love his eccentric, larger than life personality and his strong opinions on the beautiful game. We see great synergy between Patrice and the Stake brand, and are really looking forward to what will be a great partnership.”
The post STAKE SIGN FOOTBALL LEGEND PATRICE EVRA AS GLOBAL AMBASSADOR appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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