Videogames

Games studios, celebrities & players unite to ‘Make Green Tuesday Moves’

Published

2 weeks ago

April 22, 2024

games-studios,-celebrities-&-players-unite-to-‘make-green-tuesday-moves’

Reading Time: 4 minutes

Leading games studios are marking Earth Day by joining disruptive NPO PlanetPlay’s groundbreaking new Make Green Tuesday Moves (MGTM) initiative, which will enable both industry and players to make an important real-world impact in the fight against climate change.

SYBO (Subway Surfers), Lockwood Publishing (Avakin Life), Ten Square Games (Fishing Clash) and CM Games (Nitro Nation) have all been confirmed as proud MGTM launch partners.

On the first Tuesday of each month, starting June 4th 2024, each participating studio will launch a ‘green’ item (or bundle of items) within their game(s) that will be exclusive to the MGTM movement, remaining live until the next monthly activation begins.

The inaugural MGTM will see 100% of the proceeds from the sale of in-game items – which can comprise new and/or upcycled DLC goods such as characters, costumes and objects – invested into fully certified sustainability projects by not-for-profit digital platform PlanetPlay.

Throughout the year a number of the MGTM activations will be supported by a ‘Star of the Month’ from the world of entertainment, supported by a huge social media campaign, helping to inspire gamers all around the world to ‘Make Green Tuesday Moves’.

The first wave of MGTM partner studios have over 36 million daily players¹, with games that have been played over 4 billion times², estimated at 400m monthly active users.

All studios need to do in order to participate in the MGTM initiative is integrate PlanetPlay’s API and/or promo codes to release an item or items on the PlanetPlay store or in-game, as well as supporting the Movement through their own comms channels.

When celebrities are involved in the Movement, PlanetPlay will provide licenses to studios which means that they can create items/DLCs relating to the celebrities, following the theme of the active superstar – with a CTA around Make Green Tuesday Moves.

All gamers need to do is harness their #PassiveActivism, by continuing to play the games they love, with no change in style or habit required to contribute to amazing sustainability causes.

These sustainability causes include PlanetPlay’s flagship Hongera Project, which aims to help over 150,000 families in Kenya improve their living conditions by manufacturing and distributing clean cookstoves to local communities, resulting in around 2,000,000 tonnes of carbon emissions being saved.

A collaboration with Ten Square Games in the widely-played Fishing Clash resulted in an engaging in-game event, rallying 50,000 users and raising €20,000 for the WAI Wanaka water conservation project in New Zealand.

PlanetPlay’s in-game green activations also generate proven uplift for studio partners across multiple commercial and engagement metrics. Lockwood Publishing saw green content from GRAMMY-nominated recording artist Fat Joe feature as part of its Avakin Life virtual world, driving a 6% increase in downloads on the Google Play store over the launch period, plus a 104.8% uplift in new user acquisition. That was alongside a 58.7% upswing in re-activated players, 1,600% uplift in sales of one particular in-game item and a further 458% increase in sales across 30 other items.

In addition, a recent collaboration with Latin artist J Balvin and SYBO’s popular Subway Surfers game saw a portion of the proceeds from the star’s in-game character purchases donated via PlanetPlay to the Hongera Project. Plus, limited edition t-shirts featuring special designs inspired by J Balvin were made available through the PlanetPlay storefront and bundled with a variable carbon emissions reduction starting at a minimum of 100 kg CO2.

SYBO and PlanetPlay were able to offset over 2,000 tons of carbon emissions in the campaign’s three-week run, the equivalent of a concert with nearly 100,000 guests.

PlanetPlay is a not-for-profit digital platform that allows players around the world to contribute to climate action through in-game purchases and gameplay with affiliated game studios.

In the coming months, PlanetPlay will unveil more exciting Green Tuesday partnerships with game makers, fashion brands and music industries.

Rhea Loucas, Founder and CEO of PlanetPlay, said: “The need for climate action is more pressing than ever, and the games industry is one of the most powerful agents to spark real-world change. Our founding MGTM partners boast some of the most popular games in the world right now, enabling us to collectively engage with global fanbases to help raise environmental awareness and fund great sustainability causes.”

Mathias Gredal Nørvig, CEO at SYBO, said: “Make Green Tuesday Moves is a testament to what is possible when creativity, technology, and a passion for the planet come together – we are proud supporters of all those things here at Sybo. PlanetPlay’s initiatives, including within our own Subway Surfers, have not only elevated the player experience, but have also inspired others in the industry to follow suit, proving that games can be a powerful force for positive environmental change. I’m so excited about what we can achieve with MGTM.”

Halli Thor Bjornsson, CEO at Lockwood Publishing, said: “We’re incredibly proud to be part of the Make Green Tuesday Moves initiative, having experienced the amazing results of PlanetPlay’s in-game sustainability efforts first-hand within our Avakin Life community. MGTM not only aligns with our values as a studio, but also empowers players to support meaningful, verified sustainability projects around the world. We look forward to delivering a green slice of fun each first Tuesday, and can’t wait to see the real-world benefits of MGTM.”

Andrzej Ilczuk, CEO at Ten Square Games, said: “This collaboration is particularly close to our hearts, as it ties directly into the themes of nature and conservation found in our Fishing Clash and Hunting Clash games. As the first studio participating in Make Green Tuesday Moves, we firmly believe we can leverage the passion of our players and our creativity to combat climate change. This is a powerful example of how games can go beyond entertainment and foster a positive impact on the environment.”

Maria Tyshkovskaya, Head Of Marketing at CM Games, said: “Make Green Tuesday Moves by PlanetPlay is an example where actions speak louder than words. As champions of sustainability, we at CM Games gladly join the movement, knowing that our efforts echo through the gaming community. Together, we pave the way for a greener future, leaving a legacy of positive change for generations to come.”

Jose Cranfield, Education Lead at WAI Wānaka, said: “The funding from PlanetPlay has amplified our project from a small community level citizen science project to provide publishable research on microplastics. It’s given us a way to attract researchers to the region and to produce a method that can now be reliably shared across the country making our data comparable to others doing similar research in their catchments. The funding has allowed us to reach a larger audience and communicate our message through storytelling, at cinemas, at events and in the classroom.”

The post Games studios, celebrities & players unite to ‘Make Green Tuesday Moves’ appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

Videogames

Revolutionizing gaming Communication: ODIN by 4Players supports

Published

4 days ago

April 29, 2024

Peter Tolan

revolutionizing-gaming-communication:-odin-by-4players-supports

Reading Time: 2 minutes

The globally operating software company 4Players GmbH announces its partnership with MADFINGER Games, the developer behind the highly anticipated tactical first-person shooter Gray Zone Warfare. The collaboration aims to level up in-game communication by integrating 4Players’ next generation Voice Chat SDK, ODIN, into MADFINGER Games’ upcoming title.

MADFINGER Games’ goal is to create a complex and realistic gaming experience that allows players to embark on an adventure alone or in a team. To ensure excellent communication during tactical approaches, ODIN was the best choice for MADFINGER Games’ Technical Director Johanny Clerc-Renaud:

“Selecting ODIN as the voice chat in our upcoming title, Gray Zone Warfare, was a pivotal decision driven by both technical and business considerations. Technically, ODIN ticks a lot of our criteria with its support for spatial audio, a ready-to-deploy Unreal Engine 5 plugin and the ability to meet any player load thanks to their cloud hosting.

From a business perspective, the agility and openness of partnering with a company like 4Players meant we could work hand-in-hand to tailor the solution to our specific needs. This includes a seamless integration with Wwise, allowing us to modulate voice data for a more immersive and engaging player experience. Together, these factors made ODIN the undeniable choice for Gray Zone Warfare, enabling us to make our game even more memorable.”

By natively integrating ODIN Voice Chat into Unreal Engine 5, MADFINGER Games’ developers could focus on creating ultra-realistic game content instead of managing complex data sets. By leveraging ODIN’s scalable cloud hosting, MADFINGER Games can also ensure seamless service delivery to players worldwide, improving accessibility and the gaming experience.

With features such as real-time 3D spatial audio – including audio occlusion and ambient effects – for the global voice chat as well as full-volume radio communication, ODIN sets a new standard for multiplayer engagement and promotes immersive and crystal-clear interactions between players. This level of immersive communication not only enhances gameplay, but also strengthens the social fabric in the gaming community.

“ODIN represents the future of in-game communication. We combine cutting-edge technology with decades of expertise in the gaming industry to create a product that is fun and designed to improve gamers’ communication,” says Phillip Schuster, CEO at 4Players GmbH. “We are excited to be working with MADFINGER Games to further optimize the immersion of Gray Zone Warfare. The partnership highlights our shared goal of driving social interaction and creating a unique gaming experience.”

With the release of Gray Zone Warfare for Early Access on 30^th April 2024, players will experience unparalleled realistic gaming communication with ODIN.

The post Revolutionizing gaming Communication: ODIN by 4Players supports appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

Videogames

Bitwave Games Prepares a Finale Assault with the Release of the Toaplan Arcade Shoot ‘Em Up Collection Vol.4

Published

4 weeks ago

April 8, 2024

Peter Tolan

bitwave-games-prepares-a-finale-assault-with-the-release-of-the-toaplan-arcade-shoot-‘em-up-collection-vol.4

Reading Time: 4 minutes

Last Chapter in the Legendary Toaplan Sega Debuts on Steam® & COG Today!

Bitwave Games, a video game developer and publisher specialising in retro entertainment and part of Embracer Freemode, announced today the fourth and final volume of the definitive arcade shoot ‘em up collection, with the Toaplan Arcade Shoot ‘Em Up Collection Vol.4 available to purchase on Steam® and COG today!

Spanning an epic four volumes, the Toaplan Arcade Shoot ‘Em Up Collection comes to an epic conclusion with the release of Vol.4, providing shooter fans with a definitive library of the best in arcade shmup’ action!

Saving the best until last, Vol.4 delivers four superlative games, each with the signature imagination and challenging gameplay made so famous by Toaplan shooters, standing as master examples of the genre.

As fans as have come to expect from the Bitwave Games series of Toaplan shooters, Toaplan Arcade Shoot ‘Em Up Collection Vol.4 has once again brought each game to PC with the utmost care, concentrating on authenticity while bestowing each title with a raft of quality-of-life features, offering considered enhancements, and broadening the appeal to players with varying degrees of skill.

Proudly featuring on Vol.4, the following games close out the Toaplan collection:

Grind Stormer – Grind Stormer, aka ‘V・V’, is a vertically scrolling shooter with gorgeous pixel art graphics and an upbeat FM soundtrack. Developed by an all-star team at Toaplan, the game is a superb early example of a manic shooter, a precursor to the ‘bullet hell’ shoot ‘em up genre so popular today. The Japanese version of the game, called V・V (pronounced V Five), features a selectable power-up system with gauges, providing a strategic gameplay element where the key to success is to use the appropriate weapon for each level and enemy encounter.
Twin Hawk – Take on powerful tanks and battleships with in this military themed vertical arcade shoot ‘em up by Toaplan! Summon friendly fighter planes to avoid emergencies and increase firepower. A vertical scrolling shooter, gamers must defy the oncoming army and navy barrages, assisted by calling up a formation of six friendly fighters. In Twin Hawk, a strategic approach is the key to success, but the challenge ramps up when the last stage is cleared, entering Round Two of the conflict with the difficulty getting progressively harder with each loop of the game! Like the Japanese title of the game Daisenpu (Great Whirlwind) implies, the game will eventually come at you with full force, never letting go!
Truxton II – The sequel to Toaplan’s shoot ‘em up masterpiece, Truxton II is a thrilling slice of space action with an unforgiving difficulty level. Enjoy the visually stunning pixel graphics and vibrant music as you dodge the high-speed bullet rain and take on tough bosses. Casual players who dare to play Truxton II can take solace in the added easy mode, and the modern features of rewind and quick save that gives players a fighting chance to advance through the quick bullet rain and tough bosses.
Dogyuun – A science fiction-themed vertically scrolling shoot ’em up game known for its stunning detailed pixel art, gigantic bosses, and menacing difficulty. Quite possibly the most rock n’ roll shooting game of all time, Dogyuun is packed with a huge enemy variety, providing a tough challenge even for hardened shmup’ veterans. Dogyuun is a visual spectacle of amazing pixel art graphics and detailed animation under the artistic vision of Hayashi Miho and Koetsu Iwabuchi and marks the debut of manga artist Junya Inoue as one of the graphic artists.

Familiar for fans of the Toaplan Arcade Shoot Em’ Up Collection, the fourth and final volume once again delivers several quality-of-life improvements, enhancing the action for modern gamers, without altering the finely tuned balance made famous by the arcade originals. From minimal input lag and pixel perfect or full screen scaling, to quick save, practice mode and Steam Achievements, Toaplan Arcade Shoot ‘Em Up Collection Vol.4 is accessible for the novice and perfectly suited for the expert. Mirror Mode has once again been included for all the games included, allowing a new dimension of challenge for the shmup’ professionals! Additional features include:

Minimal Input Lag: Emulation, input processing, and rendering all complete on the same frame.

Online leaderboards for Single Credit, No Assist, and Assisted plays.
Rewind the game between 10-18 minutes, depending on the action.
Experience the game in Mirror Mode.
Assist Features such as auto-fire at multiple rates.
Very Easy Mode: Lower the difficulty to breeze through the adventure.
Rotate the gameplay in 90-degree increments.
Choose between Raw Input on Windows or Steam Input.
Hone your skills in the ultra-customizable practice mode.

As a further celebration to mark the final release in the collection, Bitwave Games is also releasing the Toaplan Arcade Shoot ‘Em Up Ultimate Collection. Ideal for shooter fans who have yet to dive in to the Toaplan world of shooters, the Ultimate Collection brings together all 16 games featured across the four volumes for one incredible price of €69.99/$69.99, and is available to download today:

Niklas Istenes, CEO of Bitwave Games said, “We’re proud to bringing such an epic collection of shooting game classics to an end with this, our fourth and final volume in the Toaplan collection. Whether a seasoned veteran or new to the genre, each game featuring on Vol.4 could rightly be considered a masterpiece and richly deserves a place in any self-respecting shmup’ fan’s collection. We believe we have saved the best to last and look forward to fans getting the opportunity to complete their collection.”

The Toaplan Arcade Shoot ‘Em Up Collection Vol.4 is available via Steam and GOG today.

For more information visit Bitwave Games,

Follow Bitwave Games on social media: X, Instagram, Facebook.

The post Bitwave Games Prepares a Finale Assault with the Release of the Toaplan Arcade Shoot ‘Em Up Collection Vol.4 appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

Press Releases

CHANGING THE GAME: SPECSAVERS LAUNCHES BRAND NEW ROBLOX OBBY

Published

4 weeks ago

April 5, 2024

Peter Tolan

Reading Time: 2 minutes

Specsavers has launched a new Roblox Obstacle Course (Obby) to drive awareness among Gen Alpha

Specsavers has unveiled the ‘Specsavers Obby’, a new branded obstacle course game and virtual merchandise giveaway on Roblox, marking the high-street retailer’s commitment to educating younger generations and continued steps into the gaming space.

A UK market first for the optical industry, the partnership is in collaboration with pioneering game development studio Dubit and Specsavers’ social media agency, Tangerine, and has brought the iconic Specsavers brand into three highly popular Roblox games: Super Fun Obby, Chill Obby, and Ultimate Easy Obby, all developed by games production group, Banana Studios.

As part of the five Specsavers’ levels, players will be able to interact with branded virtual items from the retailer and have the chance to collect 10 limited edition Specsavers’ themed UGC (User-Generated Content) items, including glasses, hearing aids and even a Snellen Chart sandwich board, which players can opt to equip their avatars with throughout the Roblox universe.

Within the first five days of being live, the game has proven to be incredibly popular, garnering over 220,000 UK plays, with over 50,000 UGC items redeemed in the first ten hours of the Specsavers Obby hitting the platform.

The unique obby features numerous eye and ear-based obstacles for players to overcome, question gates relating to health messaging and advice from in-game optometrists. Players also have to navigate a maze using hearing cues to help them navigate to the exit.

Recognising Roblox’s vast potential and appeal, Specsavers aims to expand its reach and connect with a demographic increasingly drawn to digital entertainment and engagement.

Lisa Hale, Head of Consumer PR, Brand Activation & Social Media at Specsavers, said of the partnership: “We’re always looking for new ways to engage with our customers and share relevant health messaging in easy, yet creative ways. So, we’re excited to get involved with the Roblox community and take our first step into the gaming world.

“This collaboration allows us to connect with younger audiences in an interactive way, that will feel completely natural to them. Conditions such as digital eye strain and myopia have all become more prevalent over recent years, so we want to encourage gamers of all ages, to look after their most valuable pieces of gaming equipment – their eyes and ears.”

With over 355 million monthly active users, Roblox represents a pivotal market for Specsavers to interact with younger audiences, including Gen Alpha, engaging with them in an immersive and interactive manner.

“We’re thrilled to collaborate with Specsavers on this innovative project,” said Matthew Warneford, CEO at Dubit. “Roblox’s immersive platform allows brands like Specsavers to authentically connect with notoriously hard-to-reach younger users, fostering meaningful interactions and experiences.”

Mary Harding, Joint CEO at Tangerine finished by saying: “As a social agency, we’re always looking to innovate our offering and work with partners who want to push boundaries in their respective spaces. Specsavers and Roblox might not seem the most obvious fit, but when we explored the possibilities, it became clear that this was the perfect way to reach the Gen Alpha, in a natural space for them.”

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