Gaming
Bacta Convention welcomes ‘brighter future’ speech from UK Gambling Minister
The UK’s Gambling Minister, the Rt Hon Stuart Andrew MP, set out his plans for a modernisation of the low stake land-based gambling sector in his speech to the 2023 Convention organised by UK trade association bacta.
Addressing a record attendance of bacta members, the Minister said that the UK government recognised the significant economic contributions made by the low stake gaming sector to the national economy, and local communities, both inland and at the coast.
Confirming the Government’s appreciation of the issues facing the sector he told attendees: “I recognise the commercial challenges you are facing, and I believe that the modernising measures we are taking will help to support the move towards a brighter future. Many of you here today will be keen to understand the progress we have made on the land-based gambling proposals set out in the White Paper.”
Answering a question concerning the Government’s failure to include Loot Boxes in the White Paper the Minister said the Government has been talking with the home-based video gaming industry and has given the sector 12-months to propose a route forward and would be considering all options.
In his keynote presentation bacta Chief Executive John White paid tribute to the bacta team for their work delivering the Convention and their dedication supporting the industry throughout the year. Reflecting on the last 12-months he said: “What a year we’ve had and what a year we have to come!”
On the topic of machine ratios and the proposal to move from the current 80/20 rule to 50/50 in relation to the proportion of Category B3 machines to Category C he implored the Government to keep the proposition simple, stating that the 50/50 ratio is both “positive and uncontentious.”
Referencing the importance of contactless payments, he argued that it was “inconceivable” that the British public is prevented from playing gambling machines using any means other than cash and questioned “how can a gaming machine be the only piece of equipment in a premises where consumers cannot use debit cards?”
John Bollom, bacta’s National President said that he was delighted with the Convention which attracted the largest ever attendance. He stated: “Whilst there’s still much work to do, I believe that bacta’s reputation as a trusted resource for both regulator and legislator is becoming well-established, and is something that I will look to build upon during my Presidency.”
In addition to the Minister the 2023 bacta Annual Convention also featured Phillip Davies MP, Andrew Rhodes, Chief Executive of the Gambling Commission, Kate Nicholls OBE, Chief Executive UKHospitality, Miles Barron, CEO of the Bingo Association and Michael Dugher, Chief Executive of the Betting and Gaming Council.
Gaming
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Asia
Mythpat, GamerFleet, Piyush Joshi Gaming: India’s popular Minecraft Players Gear Up for the Ultimate Battle in Creators Rumble
Get ready to dive into an electrifying, one-of-a-kind gaming spectacle as India’s most talented gamers face off in the much-anticipated Minecraft tournament titled Creators Rumble, an initiative by OP Gaming, a subsidiary of OpraahFx. This event is set to bring together India’s top Minecraft creators, who will challenge each other and display their mastery over the game in a thrilling competition spanning three rounds which includes Parkour, MLG and PvP.
This event marks the first time that India’s top Minecraft influencers and gaming creators unite in an official tournament format, bringing fans and players alike a whole new level of excitement.
Divided into six teams of four members, they will face off across action-packed Minecraft rounds designed to test every skill—from strategy and creativity to adaptability and teamwork.
Mythpat aka Mithilesh Patankar, one of India’s leading Youtuber and gaming influencers, shared his excitement saying, “Creators Rumble will be a chance to bring the Minecraft gaming community closer, strengthening bonds among creators and igniting excitement for both fans and gamers. India has a huge Minecraft fanbase, and this tournament will introduce even more gamers to the fun of Minecraft.”
The inaugural edition of Creators Rumble will tap into Minecraft’s worldwide popularity, which has grown steadily since its release. In October 2023, Mojang Studios, the game’s developer, revealed it has sold over 300 million copies, making Minecraft the best-selling video game in history. Players of all ages continue to be captivated by its open-ended gameplay and limitless creative potential, where they can build worlds and structures limited only by their imagination.
Anticipating the prospects Mansi Gupta, Chief Business Officer at OpraahFx, emphasized on the industry impact saying, “India’s gaming landscape is thriving, and we believe that the nation has the potential to emerge as one of the world’s biggest pools of gaming talent. The Creators Rumble is a platform for growth, not only for seasoned players but for the entire creator economy. We’re here to support these creators as they captivate audiences with their talents in Minecraft.”
The Creator’s Rumble will see iconic players Mythpat (Mithilesh Patankar) and Gamerfleet (Anshu Bisht) showcasing some exhilarating gaming experience joined by popular gaming creators, Piyush Joshi Gaming (younger brother of popular Indian YouTuber, Sourav Joshi), AndreoBee (Naveen Yadav), MC Addon (Dipanshu Prajapati), PSD1 (Prathamesh), Harshita (Harshita Shukla), ShadowShooter (Pankaj Kumar Sahoo), I.M.Kopi (Bibek Jung Kunwar), Proboiz (Paresh Solanki), Mr Lapis (Jitender Kumar), GameBeat (Nitin Tyagi), Risible Twins (Kartik and Kunal), Yug Playz (Yug Thakkar), Agnit Plays (Vinit Aggarwal), GamerJatin (Jatin Makhija), Spunky Insaan (Harshit Nema), Pahadi Gaming (Lokesh Karakoti), DevXD (Pankaj Dev), Ro9nie (Rohan Chhabra), Sidh4rth (Siddharth), CassalFx (Shrey Patel) and Dattrax Gaming (Harvest Dewangan).
With this monumental event, OP Gaming aims to further solidify India’s role in the global gaming landscape and showcase the extraordinary creativity and camaraderie of the Minecraft community.
The tournament is scheduled to take place on November 22 (Friday) and will be streamed live on the OP Gaming YouTube channel. Six teams – Team Redstone, Team Gold, Team Emeralds, Team Shulker, Team Amethyst, and Team Diamonds, will compete in a series of thrilling challenges, vying for the prestigious title and showcasing the finest Minecraft talent in India.
Gaming
THE BATTLE OF POLYTOPIA RELEASES NEW AQUARION SPECIAL SKIN IN LATEST UPDATE
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.
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