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20 Years in Gaming – 5 Breakout Trends
The last 20 years of gaming have undoubtedly stood as the most extensive yet experienced. With leaps in technology, this world has opened up possibilities like never before, possibilities which continue to expand with each new console and piece of gaming tech. Taking five key examples from the past 20 years, we want to look at where these originated, what made them special, and what influence they hold to this day.
PUBG: Battle Royale Genre – 2017
In the first few days of PlayerUnknownâs Battlegrounds, when it remained a mod for ARMA 3, the game was much-celebrated, but rarely embraced by the masses. Once it found its official release as a standalone product in 2017, however, the game quickly found international fame.
At its all-time peak, PUBG had over 3.2 million concurrent players, according to the official Steam Charts. It might have eventually lost the battleground popularity contest to Fortnite, but there is no doubt the genre started with PUBG.
DOTA: MOBA Games – 2004
Another game which started as a mod, Defence of the Ancients was originally a fan-made addition to Warcraft 3. Eventually proving more popular than the base game, the rights would eventually be bought by Valve, who went on to create the sequel.
Modern DOTA 2 currently stands as the most popular competitive eSports game off all time, as illustrated by the yearly tournament The International. According to the DOTA 2 Prize Pool Tracker, 2019 had over $32 million of prizes on the line, a number that since 2014, has only been growing.
Casino Gaming:Â Digital Betting â 2008
Despite having their start in 1996, it took over a decade for online casino games to really find their feet. Now worth close $60 billion in 2020, the expansion of this market has been near-unprecedented while showing no signs of slowing down.
Online betting games, while always popular on PC, saw significant success when translated to mobile devices. Now games like bingo are accessible to anyone and everyone, with services that focus on omni-channel solutions which have offered the most in pushing the envelope and customer-friendly engagement across multiple platforms.
World of Warcraft: MMORPGs â 2004
World of Warcraft (WoW)Â was hardly the first massively multiplayer online role-playing game, but it was the one which raised the public visibility of MMORPGs into the public eye. At its peak in 2012, WoW boasted a massive 12 million subscribers, bringing developers Blizzard around $180 million a month in subscription fees alone.
Even today, WoW remains popular, with many other MMOs borrowing from the patterns which it established so long ago. It might not hold the prestige it once did, but there is little doubt that Warcraft is the most influential MMO in gaming history.
Minecraft: Creative Gaming â 2009
When it comes to creative gaming, none have matched the force that Minecraft has. Originally borrowing the idea from a game called Infiniminer, Minecraft would bring people of all ages together in the pursuit to tame and then dominate their creative worlds. Both as a vanilla package and as one supported by the modding community, Minecraft offers near-endless opportunities. In fact, according to some basic math, the total hypothetical area of a Minecraft world is equal to about 8 times the surface of the earth.
Of course, given the size of modern gaming, these 5 examples only scratch the surface of what is out there. Make no mistake though, if youâve played any digital games within the last 20 years, chances are youâve felt the influence of this list in some way or another, and this influence is only going to grow more pronounced.
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ECA and AGEM applaud creation of Association Assembly at ICE Barcelona
The news that Januaryâs ICE Barcelona will include a major new feature dedicated to global gamingâs most influential trade associations has been welcomed by organisations in Europe and abroad.
Making full use of the additional space at the Gran Via Fira de Barcelona, the first ICE Association Assembly has been created to enable trade bodies to promote their values and create new opportunities for the gaming community across every sector and geography, including both the Brussels-based European Casino Association (ECA) and the Association of Gaming Equipment Manufacturers (AGEM), the global trade association for gaming equipment suppliers with its primary headquarters in Las Vegas.
Erwin Van Lambaart, Chair of the ECA confirmed: âOur members are already planning their week in Barcelona and they will be at this historic edition of ICE in great numbers. ICE is a pivotal event for the global gaming community and having a show floor feature which will enable us to engage directly with all sectors is a unique opportunity.
“Traditionally, our association’s involvement at ICE and its Conference program has primarily centred around networking and product development orientationâconnecting with our members, regulators, suppliers, and fellow trade bodies. However, ICE 2025 marks a significant milestone. For the first time, the ECA will have the chance to fully interface with the global industry supply chain in its entirety. We are looking forward to this unique opportunity to articulate our vision for the future to a diverse and comprehensive audience, where innovation, responsibility and significant partnerships for guest and customer centricity will have centre stage.”
Daron Dorsey, CEO of AGEM added: âWe represent the interests of our gaming suppliers whose well-known brands are global in reach, so to be given the opportunity to explain our agenda and engage with what is a truly international audience of association colleagues on the ICE show floor is invaluable.â
Januaryâs editions of ICE and iGB Affiliate will occupy 120,000sqm of space compared to the 100,00sqm at ICE 2024. In a major endorsement of the opportunities offered by the relocation to Barcelona 72% of the 25 biggest exhibitors will have an increased stand presence at ICE 2025.
Industry Awards
Blask Wins Prestigious “Startup of the Year” at 2024 Starlet Awards
Blask, the pioneering AI-powered analytics ecosystem for iGaming, has been named “Startup of the Year” at the prestigious 2024 Starlet Awards. The company earned this recognition for developing a groundbreaking market intelligence platform that has redefined how gaming operators leverage data and market insights.
Award Recognition
The award confirms Blask’s revolutionary approach to market analytics and its significant impact on how iGaming companies access and utilise market intelligence. Powered by AI models including Computer Vision and Natural Language Processing, Blask analyses billions of data points across 2000+ active brands to provide unprecedented market insights.
The Starlet Awards recognition follows Blask’s recent SiGMA Asia Startup Pitch 2024 Award victory. “Winning these awards affirms our belief that innovation and bold ideas can reshape the iGaming landscape. The recognition underscores the impact of our cutting-edge AI technology and our relentless pursuit to transform data into actionable insights”, reflects Max Tesla, CEO and Co-founder of Blask
Blask provides operators with a strategic edge across multiple critical areas. Its real-time market analysis capabilities deliver instant access to crucial market metrics, while the high-granularity data available at one-hour intervals enables swift, informed decision-making. The sophisticated AI modelling system estimates GGR and FTD by analysing a comprehensive range of inputs, including historical data, third-party OSINT data, market performance, competitor metrics, historical brand performance, market reports, and public company disclosures.
Beyond analytics, Blask offers robust brand monitoring and competitor analysis tools, alongside strategic and tactical planning capabilities particularly valuable for market entry decisions and maximising performance during major events. The recently introduced customer profile feature harnesses AI to generate detailed, country-specific user profiles, adding another layer of strategic insight for operators.
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The CONCEPT cabinet line has been designed to maximize space in casinos, adapting to any configuration. Its efficient design allows for different bank arrangements, making the most of the available area. This gives operators greater flexibility in organizing their gaming floor.
Additionally, the integrated LED strips in CONCEPT eliminate the need for extra signs or wedges, creating a sleek and attractive visual at all times.
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