Month: December 2024

After losing the top spot last weekend to Scream, ending its multi-week run as No. 1 at the US box office, Sony’s Spider-Man: No Way Home has reclaimed the throne. In its sixth weekend in theaters, No Way Home made another $14.1 million in North America, beating Scream ($12.4 million) for the top spot.

No Way Home has now made an eye-watering $721.5 million in the US alone, while Scream pushed past $50 million after this weekend, reaching $51.3 million since it arrived in early January.

Looking at second-weekend performance alone for the US, the new Scream ranks third in the series, trailing Scream 3 ($16.3 million) and Scream 2 ($13.9 million). The 59% drop-off in ticket sales from weekend 1 to weekend 2 was better than Scream 4’s 61% decline in week two in the US back in 2011. All of the numbers referenced in this story come from Deadline’s report.

No Way Home needs another $40 million in the US to surpass Avatar ($760.5 million) for third-highest US box office ever. The top two are Avengers: Endgame ($858.4 million) and Star Wars: The Force Awakens ($936.6 million).

Looking globally, No Way Home has now made $1.69 billion worldwide, becoming the sixth …

The Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) has ordered all licensed sports wagering operators to halt betting on events approved by the World Boxing Association (WBA).

Reason for decision:

The watchdog commented that it is worried that the WBA-sanctioned boxing matches are not appropriately protected against insider wagering and match-fixing. Additionally, the regulator investigated, in its exact words, “suspicious wagering activity” during the championship between Livan Navarro and Yoenis Tellez, which took place in December last year.

An online gaming operator licensed in Ontario and 2 independent integrity monitors found “suspicious betting patterns,” according to AGCO. Relatedly, several media outlets claimed that the manager of the aforementioned Tellez invested $110.000 in a bout that lasted over 5 and a half rounds.

Following an investigation, the regulator concluded that events endorsed by the World Boxing Association do not currently comply with the Registrar’s Standards for Internet Gaming. However, there’s the possibility that they will be restored to their former glory if the operators officially reg…

Games Global has inked an exclusive partnership with UFC, the premier mixed martial arts organization worldwide, to create branded slot content inspired by the renowned sports brand. Over the next three years, Games Global will roll out distinctive UFC-themed slot titles, with the initial release set for a global debut in July following an exclusive soft launch in May.

With over 700 million fans and approximately 260 million social media followers, UFC enjoys global recognition. The organization hosts more than 40 live events annually in prestigious arenas worldwide, reaching over 975 million TV households across 170 countries. Given the overlapping target audience of UFC and Games Global, the partnership presents numerous collaboration opportunities. Both parties aim to attract new players and fans by co-developing new game titles, according to a press release by Games Global. UFC will leverage its global marketing ecosystem to promote and endorse the game launches.

Andy Booth, Chief Product Officer at Games Global, expressed excitement about the collaboration: “Games Global is thrilled to announce this knockout partnership with UFC, bringing the Octagon to li…

With Halloween just a few days away and the spooky atmosphere at its peak, AvatarUX, an online slots developer based in Malta, has officially released Witchy Poppins™. This witch-themed slot features an enchanting forest or rather a dimly lit part of the forest, that is full of witches whose main task is to scare players as they travel through magical lands. However, the game is currently available for its direct integration partners and will be released globally at a later date.

Additionally, the provider’s previous similar installment is PixiePop™, and the previous slot that came out just before Witchy Poppins™ is Donkey & the GOATS™.

Enchanting visual:

True to its name, the main theme of the slot is the aforementioned witches who have years of experience in creating magical spells of any kind. The game is set on an eerily serene night in a spectral forest lit by the ghostly glow of Jack-o’-lanterns, where witches lurk in penumbral shelters. The reels enjoy a supernatural aura, hosting intricately carved low-paying symbols alongside a colorful coven of Witch individu…

Larian Studios says it has been in contact with a localization company that failed to provide complete credits for the Brazilian translation of Baldur’s Gate 3, and promised that all missing credits will be added in a future hotfix.

The issue of the missing credits first came to light last week on Twitter. “Congratulations to the heroes who translated @larianstudios’ Baldur’s Gate 3!” @MittoVac tweeted. “Sorry you couldn’t get proper recognition, but ctrl+C/ctrl+V is still way too complex for @Altagram_Group.”

Some Altagram Group localization credits did make it into the game, but as @katrinaltrnsl8r noted in a separate tweet, they included only the names of company executives and leads, not the localizers who worked under them.

She also theorized—guaranteed, actually—that Altagram Group, and not Larian, was responsible for the apparently missing credits. “Larian Studios likely asked them for their credits, Altagram gave them their ‘full credits,’ intentionally omitting translators, and Larian trusted them without checking,” she tweeted. “After all, who doesn’t credit their writers?”

In a statement sent to Eurogamer, Larian di…

Describing the polarized US Congress as dysfunctional is being too kind. Republicans and Democrats don’t agree on too much in the current political climate, but one thing most people agree on is the right to privacy—particularly in the era of big tech.

According to a Punchbowl News tweet (via the Washington Post), the House Energy and Commerce Committee and the Senate Commerce Committee are nearing a deal that would introduce comprehensive Federal data protection standards. The bill is set to include provisions on what data companies can collect and use, and even allow individuals to sue these companies for violating their privacy rights.

On its face, this sounds like good legislation. I’m all for giving individuals more control over their data. Forcing companies to notify and inform consumers about data collection and retention policies can only be a good thing. And I’d like to be asked for permission about whether my data can be shared with third parties. 

If you’re anything like me, then you hate targeted advertisements. A few weeks ago I visited a pet food store to buy some food for my cat. Minutes later I started seeing ads for pet food on my lo…