Gaming

PAGCOR INAUGURATES 1ST EVACUATION FACILITY IN NORTHERN SAMAR

Published

1 year ago

November 14, 2023

Reading Time: 2 minutes

Whenever tropical cyclones or days of incessant rains batter the low-lying communities here, many locals are forced to move to safer grounds, leaving their submerged homes behind.

Thus, as part of its efforts to mitigate the loss of lives in disaster-prone areas, the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) on Saturday, November 10, formally inaugurated its first multi-purpose evacuation facility in this province.

The two-story building that cost Php50 million is the biggest evacuation structure to be built in Catarman’s Barangay Polangi, which usually has one of the highest numbers of displaced families whenever natural disasters strike.

Catarman Mayor Francisco Aurelio E. Rosales III expressed his appreciation for the new facility.

“PAGCOR’s evacuation center is an example of how a national government project trickles down to local communities to benefit our entire population. I hope that we can continue to strengthen our partnership with PAGCOR,” he said.

The lack of evacuation facilities in the municipality is one of the major challenges of the local government unit in disaster response, said Catarman Municipal Risk Reduction Officer Emerald Guevarra.

“We have 55 barangays, but we only have ten designated evacuation centers and most of them are schools, chapels and other private establishments. These are not enough because of Catarman’s huge population,” she explained.

Guevarra said global warming has made disaster response more challenging for the LGU with each passing year.

“Mas matindi yung nararanasan naming weather disturbances. Minsan kahit walang bagyo, basta sunod-sunod ang ulan, umaabot hanggang bubong ng bahay ang baha. Add to the fact that our town is situated in the country’s typhoon belt,” she said.

One of the priorities of the Catarman LGU is the construction of safe shelters where people could stay during dire situations but lack of funding has stalled such efforts.

“This PAGCOR-funded evacuation center here in Barangay Polangi is really a game changer when it comes to the risk mitigation efforts of the Catarman LGU,” Guevarra said. “Now we can cater to a larger population; hindi na din kami mahihirapan dahil may maio-offer na kaming safe at komportableng evacuation facility.”

Aside from the Catarman project, two-story evacuation facilities are also being constructed in the towns of Maslog and Borongan in Eastern Samar, and both have received Php50 million funding each from PAGCOR.

To date, a total of 36 PAGCOR evacuation facilities in various parts of the country have been completed while 36 are still under construction.#

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Gaming

THE BATTLE OF POLYTOPIA RELEASES NEW AQUARION SPECIAL SKIN IN LATEST UPDATE

Published

3 days ago

November 14, 2024

Adrienn Sarkany

Reading Time: < 1 minute

Midjiwan, the award-winning independent studio behind The Battle of Polytopia has today released a new Aquarion Special Skin, additional language options and balance updates to the recently reworked Aquarion tribe. Players will dive deep into the Ritiki Marshlands encountering a lost Aquarion outpost with the new skin known as “The Forgotten”.

Long ago, when the Aquarion Empire vanished beneath the waves. One remote outpost in the swampy atolls lost all contact, leading its inhabitants to believe they were the last of their kind. This forgotten tribe evolved in isolation, adapting to the marshy landscapes with squid-like appendages and unique abilities to command the swamp and its creatures.

Using the unique abilities of “The Forgotten”, players can build on water, summon giant squids, create speed enhancing bubbles, ride crocodiles, tame toads, and traverse their marshy terrains with ease.

In addition, the latest update to the game now offers expanded language options: Hindi, Indonesian, Malay, Polish, Thai, Turkish & Vietnamese.

Christian Lövstedt, CEO of The Battle of Polytopia, commented: “I feel that this skin is one of the best we’ve created and has quickly become my personal favourite. Additionally, we have added Bubble Tech to the Aquarion Waterways, making that tribe even greater. With expanded language options and new gameplay mechanics, we’re inviting players to dive into the rich lore and strategy that make the Battle of Polytopia truly special.”

To celebrate the launch of the new update, Midjiwan hosted an exclusive livestream event, offering fans a unique look behind the scenes, live gameplay, and discussions with the development team – the livestream is available to watch now: The Forgotten livestrea m by Midjiwan.

Conferences in Europe

Gamecity Hamburg connects Decision Makers from International Studios with new “Portside Game Assembly” Conference Format

Published

3 days ago

November 14, 2024

Adrienn Sarkany

Reading Time: 2 minutes

Gamecity Hamburg announces the premiere of the “Portside Game Assembly” (PSGA) for June 27, 2025. The new B2B conference format focuses on networking and the exchange of learnings between leading international indie game studios. Portside Game Assembly enables studio heads and decision-makers to exchange knowledge in a confidential setting in extraordinary locations of Hamburg, around the harbor – and on the water.

“The idea for Portside Game Assembly was born out of conversations with studio heads and managers from Hamburg and around Europe. Anyone navigating an indie studio through the games market benefits greatly from exchanging learnings with other decision-makers facing similar challenges. With a curated guest list and a focus on impulse talks and roundtables, PSGA will offer studio leads contacts and discussions which are highly relevant to their work and current developments in the industry,” explains Margarete Schneider, Project Manager at Gamecity Hamburg.

“The heart of PSGA is the conference, which will be held on a ship sailing through the Hamburg harbor and to which we welcome attendees from all over Europe and beyond. The conference will be complemented by a networking brunch and two evening events, which invite PSGA participants to meet the vibrant and diverse Hamburg games scene,” adds Dennis Schoubye, Head of Gamecity Hamburg.

The conference program for decision-makers at game studios

On June 27, 2025, the first Portside Game Assembly will kick off with a networking brunch.

Afterwards, the studio managers and decision makers will enter the conference ship, which offers three decks for keynote speeches, roundtables and networking, including a cruise through the famous Hamburg harbor.

Studio managers and decision-makers from the following studios are already attending:

bippinbits (Dome Keeper, PVKK: Planetenverteidigungskanonenkommandant) / Germany
Ghost Ship Publishing (Deep Rock Galactic) / Denmark
Indoor Astronaut (Unrailed 1 & 2) / Switzerland
Landfall Games (Content Warning, Totally Accurate Battle Simulator) / Sweden
mooneye studios (Lost Ember) / Germany
Maschinen-Mensch (Curious Expedition 1 & 2, Mother Machine, Codecks) / Germany
Overhype Studios (Battle Brothers, Menace) / Germany
Rockfish Games (Everspace 1 & 2) / Germany
Torpor Games (Suzerain) / Germany

Leads and executives from established indie game studios can register to take part in the Portside Game Assembly via our registration form.

Networking events as part of the Portside Game Assembly

The evening closing event “Games Industry Party” brings conference guests and other members of the games industry together for networking with cool drinks and snacks. Tickets for the Indie Networking Brunch and the Games Industry Party are available separately for non-conference attendees and will go on sale at a later time.

On the evening before, June 26, 2025, there will be an “Opening Mixer” with a panoramic view over Hamburg’s famous St. Pauli district in the Astra Tower, at Bytro Labs office. Portside Game Assembly participants and contacts from the games industry in Hamburg will be invited.

Registration for studios and participants

The conference itself is aimed exclusively at studio managers and decision-makers from internationally successful indie game studios. To enable a curated selection of participants, there will be no direct ticket sales, but studios can register for participation here: registration form.

The conference ticket includes the Opening Mixer event the evening before, access to the Networking Brunch, the main Conference and the Games Industry Party for a total of 189 euros.

Asia

Nazara integrates with ONDC Network to Launch “gCommerce” in India, Unlocking a new era of In-Game Monetization

Published

4 days ago

November 13, 2024

Adrienn Sarkany

Reading Time: 2 minutes

Nazara Technologies Limited, a leading diversified gaming and sports media platform, and Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC) are proud to announce their integration to launch “gCommerce” – an innovative in-game monetization platform that seamlessly integrates e-commerce within games.

The integration aims to address a persistent challenge for Indian game developers: low in-app purchase (IAP) conversion rates and poor yields from advertising. Through gCommerce, Nazara and ONDC Network are reimagining game monetization by leveraging India’s thriving e-commerce landscape and providing developers with new, scalable revenue streams.

This strategic integration will allow game developers to monetize through an affiliate revenue-sharing model, earning a commission on every successful transaction initiated by players through the gCommerce platform.

Creating Value for Developers and Gamers

ONDC Network’s expertise in creating an open, interoperable network for digital commerce will enable Nazara’s gCommerce platform to connect with a wide range of sellers across more than 10 categories, ensuring a rich diversity of product offering for gamers. This integration enhances the user experience by allowing them to make informed purchases while they continue their gaming journey.

“We are excited to announce the upcoming launch of gCommerce by Nazara via integration with the ONDC Network, as it represents a significant step forward in our mission to empower game developers with effective and innovative monetization solutions,” said Nitish Mittersain, CEO of Nazara Technologies. “We are not only creating new revenue opportunities for developers but also enriching the overall experience for our gamers.”

T Koshy, CEO of ONDC, added, “Nazara coming on ONDC Network to launch gCommerce is a testament to the versatility of the Network in supporting various industries and use cases. By bringing e-commerce into the gaming ecosystem, we are paving the way for a seamless blend of entertainment and shopping that adds value for players, developers, and the broader digital commerce network.”

The gCommerce platform is currently in soft launch and will be rolled out to game developers starting Q1, FY26.