Gaming
The official teaser of “I, the Inquisitor” is here!
In 2019, The Dust, a small gaming studio from Wrocław Poland, acquires the rights to create a game based on the book series by the renowned fantasy writer Jacek Piekara. A few months later, in September 2019, the studio holds a press conference, where they disclose the foundations of the project and reveal the game’s name. It is “I, the Inquisitor”.
We hear about the project again in September 2020, when we learn that the main character will be none other than the hero of the series – Inquisitor Mordimer Madderdin. Today, The Dust is showing us the first teaser and reveals the place of the game’s action – the town of Koenigstein and the mysterious NonWorld.
The darkness surrounds Koenigstein
Since the beginning of the game’s development, the Wrocław’s studio has been providently limiting the amount of information about it, due to the long-term marketing plan for “I, the Inquisitor”. To understand how important the project is for the studio and how much they believe in its success, we have to look at The Dust’s stock reports and from there draw our conclusions. They have signed a game trailer production contract with a world-famous Juice studio, increased the title’s budget, and enlarged their team from a few employees to a few dozens of specialists. All these actions are showing us the real progress of work The Dust did on the game. Now, we can also observe it on brand-new screenshots from “I, the Inquisitor” and the first, exciting video material.
In “I, the Inquisitor” players will take on the role of Inquisitor Mordimer Madderdin, a hero who under the guidance of the Holy Office, will be overseeing the law and order of the world. The story says, that Jesus Christ did not die on the cross, but came down from it, punished the unbelievers, and now rules the world. Mordimer Madderdin goes to the town of Koenigstein, where the entire plot of the game takes place. At the September conference, the studio revealed that they plan to focus on an in-game area, which they will be able to refine in the smallest detail.
“Koenigstein is divided into five districts. Each district is unique in terms of architecture, climate, and general feeling. The inhabitants of individual districts also differ significantly from one another. The locations architecturally reflect the era of the early Renaissance, which creates a very unique atmosphere.” – Kacper Szwajka | Art Director The Dust
The atmosphere straight from the pages of a novel
Thanks to the new screenshots, we can get a feeling of the game’s climate. The first thing we’ve noticed is that The Dust has put huge attention to details and the whole thing looks extremely coherent. Just take a look at the executioner’s quarters… We know that extracting information from suspects will play a very important role in the game, so the mere thought of interrogating people in this room is giving us shivers.
Speaking of the atmosphere, here is the first short teaser from “I, the Inquisitor” by The Dust studio. It perfectly reflects the stuffy and heavy feeling of the world that players will enter.
The teaser sees the main character praying in the privacy of a room, with a broken cross, the symbol of the inquisitors, hanging above his head. The whole thing is dark, mysterious, and incredibly atmospheric. It also shows us several districts of Koenigstein and the NonWorld, a place where Mordimer can transfer to, to seek answers to questions related to his investigation.
“The NonWorld will play an extremely important role. It is “a place that shows the true essence of things”, making it one of the most important tools for the player to use on his way to discovering the truth and solving the intrigues around him. It will often help to put certain facts together and to look for new clues. At the same time, the NonWorld is a dark, evil, and very dangerous place that Mordimer will have to face.” Damian Pawlak | Game Designer The Dust
The following months will be extremely busy for The Dust team. The studio claims that the game will be ready in 2022. Currently, the company is focusing on the alpha version of the game and continues presenting the title to global publishers, from which it will choose its partner this year.
Gaming
The mobile gaming market is growing and attracting new companies. GAMIVO is the latest example
Usually, consoles and PCs come to mind when discussing the gaming industry. The mobile sector is often treated as a child of a lesser god, even though it generates almost as much revenue as console and PC combined. Some companies can see this potential. For instance, the e-commerce platform GAMIVO has recently entered the mobile market, allowing players to buy in-game items cheaper.
Back on course
The entire video game industry has evolved incredibly, but the most spectacular has been the growth of the mobile sector. It expanded from 36.9 million dollars in 2016 to 93.2 billion in 2021. Unfortunately, the gaming market suffered from a decline that stemmed from the overoptimism of the pandemic era. As a result, the mobile gaming industry revenues dropped to 92.2 billion in 2022 and to 90.5 billion in 2023. Recent information has indicated this was a necessary correction rather than a long-term trend.
The latest Newzoo report, issued in August 2024, shows that the industry is on the right track again. According to analysts, the mobile sector will generate revenues of $92.6 billion, representing +3.0% growth year-on-year. It’s nearly half of the entire gaming industry.
Billions of players
Revenues are crucial, but they only show part of the story. To fully understand the size and potential of mobile gaming, it’s necessary to consider the number of players, which constantly grew even when revenues dropped. Newzoo estimates that it will reach 2.8 billion in 2024. It means that almost twice as many people play on mobile devices than on PCs and consoles combined. Currently, every third person on Earth plays on mobile devices, and there’s still space for further growth.
“There are emerging markets where smartphones and mobile networks can expand, providing new potential players. Furthermore, this type of entertainment has a low entry barrier because most popular games are free and don’t require high-end devices,” explains Mateusz Śmieżewski, the CEO at GAMIVO.
One hobby, different habits
GAMIVO is an example of a company that has recently joined the party to get a piece of the mobile pie. “We examined the mobile market for a very long time, trying to find a suitable place for us. It’s essential to understand that mobile gaming and mobile gamers differ from their PC or console counterparts. You can’t do the same things you do with PC and consoles and hope to replicate your success,” said Mateusz Śmieżewski.
Studies confirm this observation. Average PC and console players spend about 2.1 hours a day in virtual worlds. It’s half an hour more than mobile gamers. However, things get interesting when we take a look at playtime per week, which is the same for mobile and console (5.4 hours) and slightly longer for PC (5.7 hours). Moreover, typical PC and console owners play 2.6 and 2.7 days a week, respectively, while mobile players play 3.4 days per week.
Those statistics prove that PC and console players are more dedicated, spending more time in games’ worlds once they enter them. However, mobile gamers prefer shorter but more frequent sessions. They play while commuting or have a short amount of free time.
“Mobile players are more willing to uninstall games and give another title a chance. Hence, the gameplay has to be captivating and designed to provide quick but intense sessions.
Furthermore, even though the average weekly playtime is identical to PC players, many mobile players don’t think of themselves as gamers,” clarifies Mateusz Śmieżewski.
Another major difference regards the way in which revenue is generated. PC and console games traditionally represent the premium model, where players buy the game. Most popular mobile releases are free and generate revenue with microtransactions. Almost all titles allow players to spend their real money on virtual coins, crystals, and other items that can be used to unlock additional content or reduce cooldowns.
Entering the mobile market
Those contrasts and nuances scare most companies from the mobile market. Let’s see how GAMIVO has coped with this.
“We decided to launch a new product category dedicated to mobile gamers. Our model allows them to top up in-game accounts cheaply. As a result, they can save up to 30% on buying virtual items, upgrades, and other content. The GAMIVO offer includes the most popular mobile titles, such as Genshin Impact and PUBG Mobile, and still extends,” describes Mateusz Śmieżewski.
“We dedicated a lot of time to research and analyses. Also, the development process required a lot of work to provide GAMIVO customers with safe transactions and a user-friendly environment. The first reactions are very positive, confirming our belief that our decision was right and there is still more space in the mobile game market,” concludes the GAMIVO CEO.
Gaming
AI Gives Horses for Courses True Meaning in ‘Owners Club’ Racing Game
Invincible GG, a groundbreaking competitive gaming platform and technology company, has outlined the latest AI developments of its interactive mobile horse racing game, Owners Club, which is set to provide a new injection of interest into the ancient sports of kings.
Following a successful game launch in Q3 2024 and activations at the Doncaster St. Leger and York Ebor festivals, thousands of Owners Club players have started to formulate an expansive game world that gives the masses the true feeling of horse ownership, breeding, and racing experiences.
Being founded on the latest in AI and Web3 technologies allows the game to evolve with more nuance over time, with the former being implemented to enhance users’ strategic horse development and create developing traits and performance benefits that can lead to further self-training opportunities in-game.
Each horse has its own unique, nuanced genetics and racing traits. These can be trained via evolving in-game activity—which will include collaborative intelligence in future releases and passed on to future colts and fillies to create racing dynasties that will stand the test of time while also bringing in lucrative in-game winnings and potential syndicate stud earnings.
Further features include an AI-powered event simulation engine (instead of predetermined RNGs), and sophisticated algorithms that factor in horse health, jockey decisions, and environmental factors that ensure Owners Club races maintain tension and excitement throughout, just as racing fans in the real world would experience from the grandstand.
Jonathan Strause, Invincible GG CEO, said: “Gamers of today want more than static, insular game worlds. They’re looking for immersive experiences in evolving ecosystems, multiplayer competition, and the feeling that they’re fully integrated into the game. Owners Club is offering just that for both current racing enthusiasts and the next generation of racing fans.
“With unrivaled AI integration into the theoretically unlimited stable of in-game horses, combined with back-end Web3 technology that empowers players to easily realize what true thoroughbred ownership and training feels like, Owners Club players can forge their own relationship with horse racing via the gamification of training, racing, and trading in the app, which can only help the future engagement of this ancient pastime.”
Owners Club will be showcased to its biggest live audience yet at the QIPCO British Champions Day on 19th October, 2024, with live races broadcasted as-live to screens around Ascot, with various prizes on offer for the winning owners.
Gaming
Evoplay introduces action-packed skill-based title Adrenaline Rush to wider operator network
Evoplay, the award-winning game development studio, is expanding the availability of its flagship 3D racing title Adrenaline Rush to all of its operator partners, following a successful exclusive release.
Adrenaline Rush combines the thrill of high-speed racing skill-based gaming mechanics, providing an immersive experience for players who enjoy a strategic and competitive edge in their gameplay. Players can engage in intense races where success is determined by both speed and skill, making it a standout title in Evoplay’s diverse portfolio.
Following its main global release on October 8th, Evoplay is set to launch two additional versions of the game, slot title Adrenaline Rush: Super Boost on October 22nd, and crash game Adrenaline Rush: XCrash on November 5th, creating an expanded offering that caters to a variety of player preferences.
Released initially as an exclusive, Adrenaline Rush has already garnered attention for its innovative mechanics and immersive gameplay, earning the Skill Games Supplier award at the prestigious EGR B2B Awards. With this wider release, Evoplay’s global operator network will now be able to offer the title to an even broader audience.
Ivan Kravchuk, CEO at Evoplay, said: “Adrenaline Rush is a one-of-a-kind experience that perfectly blends competitive racing with skill-based gaming. Since its launch, it has resonated strongly with players, and we’re thrilled to now offer this exciting title to all of our operator partners globally.”
“The upcoming releases of the equally popular slot and crash versions will ensure that Adrenaline Rush remains a fan favourite across multiple formats.”
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