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OpenAI beats Dota 2 pros; Elon Musk warns AI risk scarier than N Korea
The AI research unit OpenAI has developed an AI capable of beating the world’s best Dota 2 players, prompting Elon Musk to send out a warning that we should be more frightened of AI than North Korea.
Elon Musk is one smart cookie, so when he says something, I tend to believe him, and over the weekend, the Tesla and SpaceX owner, told the world, via Twitter, that we should be more concerned about Artificial Intelligence (AI) safety, than any threat from North Korea.
Musk made the claim, after the non-profit AI research outfit he backs, OpenAI, created a bot that took the world’s best Dota 2 players to the cleaners at the recent Dota 2 The International World Championships.
Amongst those beaten by the OpenAI bot were the top pro gamer Danylo Ashutin, and Musk’s reaction was as morose as you can get, sending out a tweet of a photo of a concerned woman with the words, In The End, The Machines Will Win (the photo was an old Australian government anti-pokie campaign photo).
But it’s not all doom and gloom.
The pro players who faced the bot said they learned a lot and would like to use the bot as a future training tool. Co-founder and CTO of OpenAI, Greg Brockman, said the bot improves by continually playing against a copy of itself.
The next stage is for the OpenAI team to create a five AI bot Dota 2 team to take on the world’s best Dota 2 teams. Beyond that, Brockman foresees a future where humans and AI compete together in professional competition.OpenAI beats Dota 2 pros; Elon Musk warns AI risk scarier than N Korea
It maybe the first time that an AI has defeated an esports pro, but it’s not the first time an AI has beaten the very best in a complicated game. In the mid-90s, IBM’s chess AI, Deep Blue, beat the world champion, Garry Kasparov. Today, Kasparov is one of the men pushing for competitive AI/human teams in chess.
In May, Google’s AI AlphaGo beat the one of South Korea’s top Go players, Ke Jie. Jie later told the press that he was able to improve his game by learning from the AI.
And at the turn of the year, Carnegie Mellon University’s AI Libratus beat four of the world’s top poker players in Heads-Up No-Limit Hold’em. I do not doubt that in the future we will see teams of AI/humans competing together in both online and live formats of the game.
During Raising for Effective Giving’s (REG) recent H1-2017 earnings report, close to $90,000 of the $700,000 raised by poker players were donated to the Machine Intelligence Research Institute (MIRI), a non-profit organisation that researches safety issues related to advancements in AI.
Team Liquid Wins The International
And talking about The International, Team Liquid was crowned the new World Champions, after a clean sweep (3-0) against Newbee in the final.
The European based esports team picked up a cheque for $10,806,301, the largest in esports history. The total prize pool was $24 million, another world record, thanks to the Dota 2 fans who purchase in-play items with a percentage going towards the record prize pool.
Final Standings
1. Team Liquid – $10,862,6822
2. Newbee – $3,950,066
3. LGD.Forever Young – $2,592,231
4. LGD Gaming – $1,728,154
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Saroca Unveils the Transformational Leadership Program for 2025
Saroca Reimagines Leadership Development for the Gaming Industry
Saroca, a leader in professional development for the gaming industry, is proud to announce its Transformational Leadership Program, launching February 2025. Building on the success of the 2024 LeadHERship Program—a pioneering initiative for women in gaming—the new program expands its reach with two distinct cohorts: one exclusively for women and another open to all genders.
The Legacy of LeadHERship
The 2024 LeadHERship Program achieved an exceptional Net Promoter Score (NPS) of 90, with participants citing transformative growth. With participants like Clemence Dujardin citing it as a “game-changer”. Confidence in leadership abilities rose by 46%, resilience increased by 27%, and imposter syndrome diminished by 39%.
Participants praised the program’s focus on emotional resilience, feedback mastery, executive presence and communication all in a supportive community.
Leadership Development: A Game-Changer for Gaming
In a rapidly evolving and diversifying industry, strong leadership is essential. Saroca’s programs go beyond skill-building to foster resilience, trust, and inclusivity—key traits for thriving in the global gaming market.
“We believe leadership is not about hierarchy—it’s about transformation,” said Emily Leeb, CEO of Saroca. “The Transformational Leadership Program reflects our commitment to cultivating leaders who will shape the future of gaming.”
Transformational Leadership Program Highlights
The program builds on the proven curriculum of its predecessor, featuring:
- Two Cohorts: A women-only cohort and a new all-gender cohort to enrich perspectives.
- Eight Modules: Covering topics such as emotional intelligence, self-advocacy, and radical candor.
- Community and Growth Tracking: Strengthening connections and measuring individual progress.
Registration Now Open
The Transformational Leadership Program begins in February 2025, with limited spots available. Scholarships are also offered to ensure accessibility. For more information, visit Saroca’s website or contact [email protected].
About Saroca
Saroca is a leader in leadership development for the gaming industry, committed to empowering professionals through inclusive, high-impact programs that drive personal and professional growth.
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Play’n GO announces partnership with Austrian state lottery operator Win2Day
Play’n GO, the world’s leading casino entertainment provider, has today announced a partnership with Austrian state lottery operator Win2Day.
This partnership sees legendary titles from the Swedish-founded gaming giant, such as Reactoonz, Rise of Olympus, and Rich Wilde and the Tome of Madness live on Win2Day’s platform for players to enjoy.
As of November 2024, Play’n GO offers a portfolio of over 350 premium titles in over 30 jurisdictions worldwide.
Tove Aldefors, Head of Regional Sales Central and Western Europe at Play’n GO, said “It’s exciting to launch our games with the Austrian state lottery, and Win2Day are the perfect partner for our brand. They share our beliefs about a regulated, sustainable, player entertainment-led industry. We’re looking forward to many years of success working together.”
Georg Wawer, Managing Director win2day, added “We are the only licensed operator in Austria. Therefore our objective is to provide all major igaming operators on our platform. Play’n GO is one of the international powerhouses and therefore we are delighted to be able to offer their content on our platform. We view Play’n GO as a competent and responsible partner for win2day and we’re confident this partnership will prove fruitful.”
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Week 47/2024 slot games releases
Here are this weeks latest slots releases compiled by European Gaming
Introducing Magawa vs Mines, the debut game from Slammer Studios – a fresh new player in the industry. With the launch of this vibrant 7×7 slot, the studio is kicking things off in style. Inspired by the legendary Magawa, a rat whose life-saving landmine detection skills have earned worldwide acclaim, this game pays tribute to this incredible hero. With Magawa vs Mines, players get to honour the courage of an extraordinary rat, reliving his daring missions through high-energy gameplay.
Spinomenal has added Zeus Unchained Hold & Hit to its marvellous Mythology series. Zeus Unchained Hold & Hit presents a grid framework of 5×3 and is set at 25 fixed lines. Once the action is underway, players join Zeus, the ancient Greek god of sky and thunder for a battle on the reels. A powerful soundtrack heightens the anticipation as players look for Wild symbols on screen.
Betsoft Gaming brings players to the heights of Mount Olympus with Coins of Zeus – Hold & WinTM, an engaging video slot with a 3×3 grid and 5 paylines set in a stunning Ancient Greek theme. From immersive visuals to thrilling gameplay features, Coins of Zeus – Hold & WinTM brings mythology to life, delivering divine entertainment and win potential.
BGaming is helping players hunt for ancient treasures in its latest release Catdiana. Boasting two purr-fect bonus games, the gameplay is further enhanced through cat-themed scatters, coveted coins and high-value gem symbols. The 5×3 reel action unfolds deep within a mystical cat temple where Catdiana goes on the prowl, performing as a wild to guide players to hidden treasures and big wins.
Tom Horn Gaming, a leading igaming software supplier, has unveiled its latest game, Wild Snowfakes, just in time for the winter season. A winter-themed slot transports players to a serene snowy wonderland filled with excitement and rewards. This medium-to-high variance game is played across a 5×3 gaming grid, populated with frosty fruit symbols and snowflakes, which act as wilds.
Evoplay, the award-winning game development studio, has revealed its latest immersive slot, Dolce Dreams, offering a sweet twist on the classic Italian café culture, with the experience designed for high engagement and substantial win potential. Set against the backdrop of a charming streetside cafe, Dolce Dreams features stacked Wilds in the form of waffle ice creams, which substitute for other symbols to maximise winning combinations.
Relax Gaming is taking players on an exhilarating snowy adventure with the launch of Winter Champions, a sports-themed slot that propels players through the mountain tops in pursuit of golden victories. At the heart of Winter Champions is the innovative Sliding Respins mechanic, ensuring the reels remain active as long as winning combinations continue to land, adding a layer of non-stop excitement to the gameplay.
Nolimit City is serving up a twisted carnival treat in Munchies. Step into the fair grounds as Nolimit’s latest Labs game released following the release of Outsourced: Slash Game. As a Labs title, expect a fresh and experimental spin on the classic Nolimit style. In the heart of the carnival tents lies a curious attraction: Fluffers—a cute, cuddly, but oh-so-smelly creature that’s causing quite the commotion among visitors. Some may say it’s the attraction of the year!
Thunderkick has unveiled Split Happens, the latest addition to its product portfolio that combines a quirky bowling theme with Walking Wilds and respins to provide a unique and compelling gaming experience. The action takes place across a classic 5×3 grid, where winning combinations can be formed both ways to help unlock 3,000x maximum wins.
Amusnet has released its latest video slot, 10 Bulky Fruits. It is not an ordinary fruit slot but a dazzling, energetic and exciting game. This is a 5-reel, 10-fixed paylines video slot that offers vivid gameplay, epic sound effects and a variety of features. Keep an eye out for the Clover Wild Symbol and its great rewards – it appears on the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th reel. The Star and the Dollar are the shiny Scatter symbols boosting the winnings.
It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas, and Booming Games are getting in the spirit early with the November arrival of their fresh, festive game, Holly Jolly Bonanza 2. ‘Tis the season for snowy slots, and just like Santa Claus himself, Holly Jolly Bonanza 2 delivers in style. This sparkling sequel is a sure-fire Christmas classic, a 5×6 game with cascading reels, introducing new features to the festive game.
How deep do you dare to descend in Yellow Slotmarine by Twin Win Games – the exciting new slot where cash prizes can be accumulated and collected on any base game spin, but three bomb symbols are always lurking to potentially blow players out of the water. Utilising just three reels and one row of symbols, Yellow Slotmarine introduces a completely new mechanic where every character that lands contributes towards a specific cash pot.
Gaming Corps is proud to announce the release of Wet and Wild Beavers. This charming new slot game also marks the debut of the exciting new A-MAZE-CADES™ mechanic. This playful adventure takes players down to the river, where a team of ingenious beavers plot their daring escape by the riverbank. Follow Red Rocket, Old Blue and Yella Fella as they utilise a series of creative bonus features to escape the dam and get their hands on wins of up to 10,000x the player’s stake.
Explore a prosperous underwater world and harness the power of the formidable Greek God of the Sea Poseidon in Stakelogic’s latest release, Trident of Legends. This enchanting aquatic adventure invites players to tap into the awe-inspiring power of the mythical Poseidon as they embark on a quest for fortune. With Poseidon’s legendary Trident in hand, players can trigger enticing bonuses while playing for wins of up to 10,000x their stake.
Play’n GO invites players to join the Wilde family in Wildest Gambit, a globe-trotting 5×3 slot that combines adventure, mystery, and massive win potential with an x20,000 Multiplier. Wildest Gambit unites the legendary Wilde family – Rich, Cat, and Uncle Gerard – in an epic journey across four unique destinations. From the golden sands of Egypt to the dense jungles of South America, players will experience a dynamic blend of Expanding, Sticky, and Multiplier Wilds.
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