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CRKD™ Debuts The NEO S™ BRUNO MARS 5 Fret Edition, Compatible with Fortnite Festival!
CRKD Collaborates With Licensed Special Edition NEO S™ Controller, Complete with 5 Fret Festival Attachment
CRKD™, the premium collectible gaming brand behind the award-winning Nitro Deck™ and NEO S™ collectible controllers, announced today the NEO S BRUNO MARS 5 Fret Edition, a licensed, special edition NEO S controller, designed for use with Fortnite Festival and other rhythm-based games.
Compatible with Nintendo® Switch™, PC, Mobile, Tablet and Smart TV’s, the NEO S BRUNO MARS 5 Fret Edition celebrates the global superstar artist’s arrival in Fortnite Festival.
The ideal companion for Bruno Mars and Fortnite Festival fans, the limited-edition NEO S Controller features artwork inspired by the 16-time GRAMMY winner himself, matching the artwork appearing in Fortnite Festival.
Available for pre-order now, the NEO S BRUNO MARS 5 Fret Edition is expected to ship in September of this year.
The NEO S BRUNO MARS 5 Fret Edition is the third NEO S controller in CRKD’s Festival range, bringing gamers closer to the music they love and transforming the Fortnite Festival experience thanks to the unique Festival Attachment (included), which replicates the frets found on a real guitar, providing a more authentic and immersive experience.
The NEO S BRUNO MARS 5 Fret Edition follows the recently announced NEO S LINKIN PARK 5 Fret Edition controller, as well as the long-awaited CRKD Gibson® Les Paul™ Guitar Controller range, which will also be fully compatible with Fortnite Festival, bringing rhythm music fans more ways to play and enjoy their favorite music.
All products in the CRKD music controller range have been designed to continue the proud legacy of dedicated rhythm-based controllers, with the new hardware designed and engineered by team members behind the much-loved hardware for Guitar Hero™ and DJ Hero™.
Attaching with ease to the NEO S, the Festival Attachment has been ergonomically designed to fit in the palm of your hand. Featuring five action buttons which replicate the frets on a guitar, fans of rhythm music games such as Fortnite Festival or Rock Band™ will feel right at home.
The NEO S BRUNO MARS 5 Fret Edition can be used to play multiple instruments within Fortnite Festival, including Guitar, Keytar, Drum, Mic and Bass song parts. Compatible with multiple community-based rhythm music games, players can easily remove the Festival Attachment, to enjoy their NEO S controller with all regular games.
With robust wireless compatibility and compact footprint, the NEO S is the ideal controller for gaming at home or on the move. With Hall-Effect Thumbsticks, ‘Stick Drift’ is a thing of the past and the ‘No Deadzone Mode’, integrated Motion Controls and Adjustable Trigger Sensitivity mean that the NEO S is a highly adept controller, no matter what you’re playing. Remappable Back Buttons provide extra controls when you need them the most, and Adjustable Vibration and Swappable Stick Tops provide a wealth of customizable options. Thanks to Bluetooth® technology, the NEO S can even be used with Smart TV’s, mobile devices and tablets, delivering a mighty controller for all your gaming!
Like all CRKD hardware, the NEO S BRUNO MARS 5 Fret Edition is fully compatible with the CRKD ‘True Collection System’ a free mobile App for iOS™ and Android® which will register the product number and rarity ranking of your hardware into your personal secure collection, adding to your bragging rights and giving instant oversight to all your CRKD gaming gear. CRKD products with Bluetooth capabilities also connect to CRKD CTRL feature within the App which allows users the ability to customize the adjustable features of their controller.
The NEO S BRUNO MARS Edition is available for pre-order today crkd.gg, and is expected to start shipping from September this year for a suggested retail price of $59.99/ €69.99 / £59.99. Browse the full 5-Fret Festival collection crkd.gg/pages/fortnite-festival.
This collaboration was facilitated by Epic Games’ licensing agency IMG Licensing.
Stay up to date with all the latest news, product releases, and more by following CRKD on all social media channels @crkdgg or visiting go.crkd.gg/socials
To join the CRKD Discord, a growing community of engaged gamers and collectors please visit: go.crkd.gg/discord
To read our latest blog post to the rhythm community please visit: go.crkd.gg/rhythm
The post CRKD™ Debuts The NEO S™ BRUNO MARS 5 Fret Edition, Compatible with Fortnite Festival! appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
Latest News
Meridianbet Doubles Down on Belgium: New Casino License Unlocks €455m Market Segment
Editor’s Take
Why this matters: This is a classic “Cross-Sell” play. Meridianbet has already spent seven years building a sports betting database in Belgium. By securing this B+ license, they can now monetize those same users with higher-margin casino products (slots, table games) without needing to acquire new traffic from scratch. With the Belgian casino sector growing at 20% year-over-year, this is a significant revenue unlock for the GMGI portfolio.
The Full Story
Meridianbet, the sports betting and gaming operator owned by Golden Matrix Group Inc. (NASDAQ: GMGI), has successfully expanded its regulatory footprint in Europe by securing a B+ online gaming license in Belgium.
The new license (B+ 4016) authorizes the company to launch a comprehensive online casino platform—featuring slots, table games, and automated live games—starting in January 2026. This move significantly broadens the operator’s capabilities in the country, complementing its existing sports betting operations which have been active in the Belgian market for seven years.
Targeting the Largest Market Segment The strategic rationale behind the license is clear: Casino is now the dominant force in Belgian gambling. According to the Belgian Gaming Commission, the online casino vertical generated €455 million in Gross Gaming Revenue (GGR) in 2023, representing a 20.2% year-over-year increase.
By entering this vertical, Meridianbet gains access to the largest and fastest-growing segment of a market that generated a total of €944.6 million last year.
Tech-First Entry Meridianbet plans to deploy its proprietary AI Casino Recommender technology for the Belgian launch. This system analyzes player behavior and preferences in real-time to deliver personalized game suggestions, a crucial differentiator in a highly concentrated market where just ten operators account for 94% of all online wagers.
Regulatory Context Belgium is known for having one of Europe’s strictest regulatory frameworks, characterized by rigorous compliance standards and player protection protocols. Securing this license validates Meridianbet’s operational standards and deepens its foothold in a “mature” market that is notoriously difficult for new entrants to penetrate.
The post Meridianbet Doubles Down on Belgium: New Casino License Unlocks €455m Market Segment appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry Newsroom.
Latest News
LinkDataMedia Drops ‘Startup’ Look with Major 5th Anniversary Rebrand
Editor’s Take
Why this matters: In the iGaming affiliate space, the five-year mark is a critical survival threshold. Many media startups fade away before reaching it. LinkDataMedia’s decision to rebrand now is a classic “graduation” signal. By shedding their startup skin for a more corporate, “blue-chip” aesthetic (the stability-focused blue triangle), they are telling operators and partners that they are no longer just an affiliate project, but a stable infrastructure partner ready for larger commercial deals.
The Full Story
LinkDataMedia, the parent company behind the popular affiliate portal Gamblers Connect, has announced a comprehensive corporate rebrand to coincide with its fifth anniversary.
The overhaul includes a completely refreshed brand identity, a redesigned logo, and a fully revamped website, all of which are now live. The move is described by the company not as a mere cosmetic update, but as a strategic pivot designed to distance the business from its “startup roots” and reflect its current status as an established player in the competitive iGaming media landscape.
Visualizing Maturity The new visual language features a modernized blue triangular logo, a shape chosen to represent “stability and forward momentum.” The digital user experience has also been streamlined, offering partners a cleaner interface that aligns better with the company’s matured operational capabilities.
Management Commentary Gjorgje Ristikj, Founder and CEO of LinkDataMedia, commented on the significance of hitting the half-decade milestone in such a volatile industry:
“Surviving the first five years in business takes more than luck. It takes belief, resilience, and the right people around you. This milestone, and the rebrand, reflect exactly that.”
Implementation The new branding has already been deployed across the main corporate website and is currently being rolled out across LinkDataMedia’s social media channels and internal communication platforms. As the company enters its sixth year, the refreshed identity aims to set the stage for a new phase of expansion and innovation.
The post LinkDataMedia Drops ‘Startup’ Look with Major 5th Anniversary Rebrand appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry Newsroom.
Latest News
Win Systems to Debut New ‘Gold Club Colors’ and WIGOS Upgrades at ICE Barcelona
Editor’s Take
Why this matters: As ICE makes its historic move to Barcelona, established tech providers like Win Systems are under pressure to bring their “A-game” to the larger venue. The focus here isn’t just on cabinets; it’s the ecosystem. By highlighting WIGOS (their CMS) alongside WIN PAY, Win Systems is positioning itself as an infrastructure partner, not just a hardware supplier. The debut of the Gold Club Colors roulette specifically targets the growing demand for visually customizable electronic table games (ETGs).
The Full Story
Win Systems, the global provider of technology for the gaming and entertainment industry, has confirmed its product roadmap for ICE Barcelona 2026, the sector’s most significant international event taking place from January 19 to 21.
Exhibiting at Stand 3M30 at the Fira Barcelona Gran Via, the company will leverage the new venue to showcase a broad portfolio designed to cover the entire casino floor—from management systems to the gaming floor itself.
Systems and Fintech At the core of the showcase is WIGOS, the company’s flagship Casino Management System (CMS). WIGOS is widely recognized for connecting thousands of machines across multiple countries, and the Barcelona display will focus on advanced tools that streamline daily operations and optimize player retention.
Complementing the CMS, Win Systems will present WIN PAY, its secure transaction platform. As cashless and seamless payment solutions become standard requirements for operators, WIN PAY offers the necessary efficiency and security controls for modern gaming environments.
Hardware: Roulette and Slots On the hardware side, Win Systems is refreshing its electronic table game offering with the new Gold Club Colors electronic roulette. The Gold Club line has long been a staple in the company’s portfolio, known for its compact footprint and reliability; the “Colors” iteration promises to maximize visual impact on the floor.
Alongside the roulette, the company will display its latest slot hardware, including the Sublime and Rhapsody cabinets. These units are designed to house the company’s extensive game library, which has been adapted to suit diverse market profiles from Europe to Latin America.
Strategic Goals Win Systems aims to use the three-day event to reinforce its 30-year legacy in the industry. The company described its participation as a commitment to “continuous innovation,” inviting operators and regulators to explore how their integrated solutions can improve in-room performance.
The post Win Systems to Debut New ‘Gold Club Colors’ and WIGOS Upgrades at ICE Barcelona appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry Newsroom.
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