Latest News
Overwolf Raises $52.5M To Unlock Modding For Game Developers and Publishers with The Launch of CurseForge Core, a UGC as a Service Platform
Overwolf, the all-in-one platform that enables creators to build, distribute, and monetize in-game apps and mods, today announced a $52.5 million Series C round and the launch of CurseForge Core, a User Generated Content (UGC) as a service platform. CurseForge Core provides an SDK for game developers that integrates into the game itself and functions as a gateway for users to discover and install mods in-game, across all platforms and storefronts. The round was co-led by Griffin Gaming Partners and Insight Partners with participation from investors including Ubisoft, Warner Music Group, Meg Whitman, Gen.G Co-Founder, Kevin Chou, and existing investors Marker, Intel Capital, Liberty Technology Venture Capital, and Atreides Management. The funding will be used to boost development firepower dedicated to creating services for creators. It will further be used to create more opportunities and vehicles to invest in, and with, the in-game creator community.
In 2020, as part of its commitment to empower in-game creators, Overwolf acquired CurseForge from Twitch, the biggest repository of mods for video games including top titles like World of Warcraft and Minecraft. CurseForge and Overwolf have supported creator communities for over 15 years with a combined platform that includes over 30,000 creators, 90,000 mods and add-ons, and 18 million monthly users. Overwolf has experienced 300% growth in the last year as the market for content around games rises.
âWe are at a new user-generated content inflection point, and the strong growth of gaming lies largely in the hands of âin-game creators,â a term we coined to categorize this new generation of in-game app creators and mod authors. The more content and customizability a game has, the more likely a gamer will keep experiencing its content and by that extending the longevity of the game and generating more value for game developers and publishers in the long run,â commented Uri Marchand, Overwolf CEO and Co-Founder. âBy offering CurseForge Core, we are accelerating the community-created content movement by enabling publishers to easily integrate mods safely and seamlessly into their existing and new games. With the backing of the most notable investors in the space, we are confident that the Overwolf platform will lay the groundwork for a new era of AAA game creation.â
Overwolf believes in a future in which the community can participate with the game developer in creating new, moderated, and safe game experiences. This benefits game developers, as game development costs continue to rise, adding community firepower can be critical. With CurseForge Core, Overwolf manages content moderation, UGC-related live ops, and creator payment, enabling game developers and studios to access community-created content easily without incurring additional costs. CurseForge Core offers the following benefits:
Cross-Platform Modding — Integrate Overwolfâs open-source SDKs and plugins to let players discover and install mods in-game, across all platforms and storefronts.
Full Analytics Dashboard — Get a full modding usage dashboard to learn which mods are popular. Gather insights on what content players find enjoyable, which genres are trending, and much more.
Safe and Secure Moderation — Each mod submitted is scanned for viruses or inappropriate content. Defined policies and guidelines on what is permitted are enforced by Overwolf, and only authorized content is published.
Creator Relations and Payment — CurseForge supports creators with Author Rewards Program, fund investments, developer contests, and hackathons.
âSimilar to how developers use Unity to build a game, we see Overwolf as the framework for everything UGC related to games. Overwolf allows for one of the only means of monetization for the thousands of creators, in turn, this translates to increased engagement for the publishers and more content for gamers. Services like Overwolf set the stage for the industry to see a new generation of user-generated content and we are excited to invest in the leading company moving this space forward,â commented Nick Tuosto, Co-Founder of Griffin Gaming Partners and Managing Director at LionTree.
âWe’ve been following UGC in gaming for many years and believe Overwolf has established itself as a leader in this category,â said Teddie Wardi, Managing Director at Insight Partners. âAAA game studios will want to allow creators to build and express themselves, and Overwolf is positioned as the platform to make this possible by ensuring that creators are recognized for their contributions, and easily integrating creations into games. Overwolf has proved themselves to be strong champions of the creator community and we look forward to helping them scale up in 2021.â
âOverwolf is developing the holy grail of frameworks for UGC for both publishers and in-game creators. Enabling all major publishers like us, to allow the creation of mods in a safe, secure, authorized, and profitable manner; is a game changer for all creators and IP holders,â said Oscar Navarro, Head of Corporate Development for Ubisoft.
To learn more about how CurseForge Core can support AAA developers and game studios, please visit https://link.overwolf.com/cfcore.
Latest News
Springbok Casinoâs Wild November Feature âBackyard Gangstersâ Offers 25 Free Spins on new Clue Chronicles: Mirror Mansion slot
Unravel the murder mystery and get 25 Free Spins on Clue Chronicles: Mirror Mansion, a feature-packed slot!
Springbok Casinoâs November feature article introduces the “Backyard Gangsters” a playful look at the diverse animals that inhabit our gardens, highlighting their unique roles in maintaining ecological balance.
“Our backyards are teeming with life, and itâs fascinating to see how these cheeky animals each play a vital role in the ecosystem. From flashy sunbirds to silent assassin geckos, these creatures are portrayed as the true rulers of our garden turf, each contributing to the garden’s dynamic.” â Daniel Van Wyke, Springbok Casino Manager.
To celebrate these gang of wild characters, the leading South African online casino is offering all depositing players 25 free spins on the new RTG slot, Clue Chronicles: Mirror Mansion, until November 30th.
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BACKYARD GANGSTERS: THE SECRET RULERS OF YOUR GARDEN TURF
Tiny Titans: The Insect Underbosses maintain order in the garden with their clever strategies and ruthless efficiency. For instance, the “Bees: the Buzzing Businessmen” and the “Butterflies: the Glamorous Gangsters” ensure that plants and flowers are pollinated, keeping the garden lush and vibrant.
Feathered Mobsters: Birds that Rule the Backyard Skies are always on the hunt for territory and food to snatch. The vigilant Hadeda Ibis doesnât just feast on worms and insects; its incessant squawking serves as a warning to any trespassers in its domain.
The Night Watchers: Nocturnal Gangsters features stealthy bushbabies expertly bouncing between trees, raiding your fruit with finesse, while owls silently stalk the night, watching and waiting for rodents and insects from their perches.
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Springbok Casino provides customer service in English and Afrikaans, offering hundreds of slots and table games from Spin Logic, all played in rands. Games are playable on mobile devices or on your desktop as download, instant.
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Playân GO celebrates multiple win at 5 Star Media Awards
Playân GO, the worldâs leading casino entertainment provider, is today celebrating a five-award sweep in the coveted 5 Star Media Awards of 2024. Â
The legendary games studio nabbed a second consecutive Slot Supplier of the Year award, as well as being named the RNG Casino Supplier of the Year. The company also secured three of 5 Star Mediaâs âTop 20â Awards for co-founder and CMO Ebba Arnred, Director of Business Development Stuart Trigwell, and Head of Brand and Communication, Andrew Pink.Â
Playân GO has enjoyed a landmark 2024, breaking new ground by entering the South African market, as well as expanding its US presence into what is now five states.Â
Ebba Arnred, Co-Founder and Chief Marketing Officer at Playân GO, commented âWeâre always very pleased to have our work recognised at the various awards throughout the year, but to win five in one fell swoop is almost unprecedented. Itâs very special to be awarded Slot Supplier of the Year for a second year in a row, and RNG Casino Supplier of the Year is another well-received feather in our cap. We would like to thank 5 Star Media and the entire judging panel, as well as our entire team here at Playân GO, without whom these award wins simply wouldnât happen. On a personal level, Iâd also like to express gratitude for the individual recognition of a 5 Star âTop 20â Award.âÂ
Stuart Trigwell, Director of Business Development at Playân GO, added âIâd like to express a sincere thank you to 5 Star Media for being recognised in their âTop 20â Awards. We do our work not for individual accolades but for the success of the entire business, so itâs great to see Playân GO so well represented across the board.âÂ
Andrew Pink, Head of Brand and Communication at Playân GO, said âPlayân GOâs driving ambition is to be the best entertainment supplier there is. Aside from producing some of the most played games and best loved characters in the world, that ambition is often realised by things largely unseen by those outside the company. Itâs extremely gratifying for everyone at Playân GO to be recognised as Slot Supplier of the Year. Next year may just be our biggest and best yet.âÂ
eSports
Procedure to be followed by school clubs affiliating for the 2025 season
Mind Sports South Africa (MSSA), founded in 1984, is the national federation for Board games, Card games, Esports, and Wargames.
MSSA promotes all the different disciplines equally, although each school may pick-and-choose which discipline it wishes to promote at its school. Some schools will promote the whole gambit, while others will concentrate on only one discipline, and/or even just concentrate on one specific title.
The choice is ultimately up to the school.
MSSA has sent teams with full Protea Colours to international events since 1991 for wargames, 1996 for Morabaraba, 1997 for Checkers, and 2005 for Esports. Many members of the national teams have been scholars, and all have benefited from their involvement in the national Protea Team.Â
There is still the option open for a school to start a full-blown sub-club on its premises, but bearing in mind the tight regulatory conditions under which accredited schools have to operate in the Republic, the MSSA no longer deems it necessary for a school to start a sub-club.
As long as the school club has the approval of the school, and has an Educator-in-Charge, a school may affiliate by merely completing the Application for Affiliation Form and submitting such to MSSA.
Advantages of having a MSSA affiliated club: There are many advantages of having a MSSA affiliated club, such as:
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Being part of a community where your club has a real say in how things are done
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Being able to apply for National Lottery Funding â MSSA member clubs can apply for up to R800,000.00 in funding
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Being able to get assistance from your local government
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Experience increased media exposure of your events and your gamers
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Become part of the international community through the MSSA Registered players are able to become internationally recognised umpires, etc.
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Enable your gamers to take part in MSSA events, which may qualify them for Regional, Provincial, and National colours, overseas trips, and even sports bursaries at university.
- Private clubs:Â one vote per every five registered players, and
- School clubs: one vote per every ten registered players.
MSSAâs General Regulations  Â
The General Regulations comprises of decisions made by both Council and Executive Committee Meetings. The General Regulations deals with how sub-committees operate as well as to how teams are selected and development funding is distributed. Â Please refer to Schedule 10.12 in regard to the rights of clubs in hosting events.
MSSAâs Discipline Specific Regulations  Â
The Discipline Specific Regulations deal with rules concerning the different disciplines. The Disciplines that the MSSA caters for are; Board Gaming, Card gaming, Esports, and Figure Gaming.
When a club applies for membership, the applicant club must complete such form and return the same to the MSSA.Fee note for 2025
The fee note details the Affiliation Fees and Registration fees that are payable.
Player Registration Form  Â
The Player Registration Form needs to be completed by every player that is a member of a club and intends to participate in MSSA affairs.
MSSAâs Letter of Undertaking  Â
The Letter of Undertaking is for all registered players who sit on any MSSA committee.
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