Gaming
Zynga Invites Players to Golf at the North Pole This Holiday Season in StarLark’s Golf Rival
A global leader in interactive entertainment, announced that StarLark, a subsidiary of Zynga Inc. and the developer of Golf Rival, the fast-growing and second largest mobile golf game in the world, is kicking off the holiday season for mobile golfers with a series of themed in-game events. These events will allow players to tee up in an arctic winter wonderland.
With the Northern Lights in-game event running from December 20, 2021 through January 3, 2022, players will be able to enjoy fun holiday competitions that allow them to hone their golf skills in a festive and spectacular setting.
Set in the newly created Aurora golf course, Northern Lights transports fantasy golfers to the North Pole. The unique course features a beautiful holiday backdrop with colorful Christmas trees, fantastic ice sculptures and vibrant candy cane lights. The festival is split into two separate in-game events: the Aurora Vibes Special Challenge, a 12-round Player-versus-Player (PvP) challenge, and the Winter Wonderland Tournament, an 18-hole standalone challenge.
In the Aurora Vibes Special Challenge, mobile golfers use special festive golf balls and advance through rounds by defeating their competitors â while earning rewards for each round they master. If there is a draw in regulation play, the shootout round takes players to a nighttime version of the course, where golfers can test their skills under the spectacular light show of the Aurora Borealis. Players that complete the challenge will be rewarded with ultimate chest prizes that contain a variety of coins, gems, club cards, golf balls and legendary clubs.
Players who prefer to hone their golf skills solo can opt for the Winter Wonderland Tournament, a standalone event designed for players to sharpen their skills on the course and measure their progress. Players will complete Aurora’s 18 holes to try to achieve new personal best records and earn prizes. The Winter Wonderland Tournament is the perfect way for players to master the course and prepare for more challenging PvP competitions.
“At Zynga, the holidays are a time to offer our players creative ways to come together and enjoy competing in our games,” said Bernard Kim, President of Publishing at Zynga. “With its Northern Lights holiday event, the Golf Rival team has created a uniquely entertaining way to play golf with the spirit of the season.”
Starting December 20, Golf Rival players will also be able to participate in The Brink Game – Snowman Peak. This additional holiday bold beat features a unique twist. In the three-round playoff competition, players will try to get their ball as close to the hole as possible without sinking it. This event rewards precision and skill, as the closer players get to the hole, the higher the rank and score. If a player accidentally holes in the ball, a prankish character known as Snowman Peak pops out of the hole to knock the ball far away, giving the golfer a low score.
“The holiday season is a perfect time for mobile gamers to unite and play the games they love,” said Henry You, StarLark Founder and General Manager. “By creating a festive backdrop for players to compete, we created a fun new spin on fantasy golf that we hope players around the globe will enjoy.”
Gaming
SPGA Announces Social Sweeps Game Sector Video Briefing
eSports
CS2 Intel Extreme Masters Rio 2024 SuperComputer: NaVi to bounce back after Blast Fall Final loss
Final: Natus Vincere (36.5%) to beat Team Vitality (28.1%)
Semifinal 1: Natus Vincere (52.6%) to beat MOUZ (16.3%)
Semifinal 2: Team Vitality (47.7%) to beat G2 Esports (18.7%)
Quarterfinal 1: G2 Esports (39.8%) to beat FaZe Clan (32.8%)
Quarterfinal 2: MOUZ (35.9%) to beat Eternal Fire (24.7%)
Group stage:Â
-
Natus Vincere –Â 48.7% to finish 1st; 17.0% to finish 2nd; 84.1% to make playoffs
-
Team Vitality –Â 40.8% to finish 1st; 17.4% to finish 2nd; 77.7% to make playoffs
-
G2 Esports –Â 19.3% to finish 1st; 20.4% to finish 2nd; 56.7% to make playoffs
-
MOUZ –Â 14.5% to finish 1st; 21.8% to finish 2nd; 53.0% to make playoffs
-
FaZe Clan –Â 13.9% to finish 1st; 21.0% to finish 2nd; 50.2% to make playoffs
-
Eternal Flame – 40.7% to finish 1st; 16.2% to finish 2nd; 40.7% to make playoffs
-
Liquid –Â 16.3% to finish 7-8th; 35.7% to make playoffs
-
Virtus.pro – 15.4% to finish 7-8th; 29.9% to make playoffs
-
Astralis –Â 28.9% to finish 9-12th; 31.5% to make playoffs
-
The MongolZ –Â 32.7% to finish 9-12th; 25.4% to make playoffs
-
Complexity –Â 34.3% to finish 9-12th; 21.2% to make playoffs
-
Heroic –Â 26.8% to finish 9-12th; 23.5% to make playoffs
-
paiN –Â 36.5% to finish 13-16th; 21.0% to make playoffs
-
FURIA –Â 36.4% to finish 13-16th; 20.9% to make playoffs
-
9z –Â 44.7% to finish 13-16th; 14.6% to make playoffs
-
Imperial – 49.1% to finish 13-16th; 13.9% to make playoffs
It has been quite the run for NaVi despite their loss with back to back grand finals in recent weeks but CSDB.ggâs predictive model suggests there will be no let up for the Ukrainian esports organisation.
G2 will also be looking to build more momentum in preparation for Majors season with NiKo on a quest to finally get over the line this year to win his first major title. Hopefully Rio wonât have to see a repeat of his reaction in the semifinals at BLAST Premier Fall Final 2024 where he punched a hole in a table after losing out to Team Vitality in a key moment.
However, the hosts of Intel Extreme Masters Rio 2024 may want to lockdown any nearby furniture and reinforce their desks if G2 are set for disappointment at the semifinals stage as predicted by the CSDB.gg SuperComputer.
A victory in Rio could be even more consequential for how the end of the year shapes up for the leading teams on the circuit. The Valve Global rankings have both teams close at the very top (NaVi at 1988 and G2 at 1953) meaning a win for either team could hand them a key advantage when it comes to who enters the Majors as top seed.Â
Back-to-back wins in T1 events for G2, should they prosper in Rio, would set the Berlin-based team on an incredible trajectory going into the winter months.
Meanwhile, Brazilian hopes for glory look slight according to the CSDB.gg SuperComputer with FURIA, the team co-owned by Neymar, having only been given a 20.9% chance of even making the playoffs.Â
They are the leading contenders to make an impact for the home crowd but there are other teams flying the flag for Brazil with paiN and Imperial also set to give it their best to give local fans something to cheer on.
In terms of forecasted matchups of note, G2 and FaZe Clan could offer up a fascinating encounter in the quarterfinals should both teams qualify, with each organisation rated as having a strong chance of making the semis with little to separate them should they meet.
How was the CSDB.gg CS2 Tournament SuperComputer created?
The CSDB.gg CS2 Tournament SuperComputer is a predictive model created using world ranking points, team quality ratings and performance trends. An element of randomness is also included in the model to avoid the best teams and players always winning, to reflect the fact that upsets can happen.
Every tournament is simulated 1,000 times with the results aggregated into a percentage rating of the chances teams or players have to achieve the predicted result.
Gaming
NASCAR launches persistent world on Roblox where players can become racing tycoons
NASCAR is once again taking the virtual racing world by storm, this time with the launch of âNASCAR Tycoonâ on Roblox created by Dubit.
Building on the success of its previous âNASCAR Speed Hub,â this new experience promises to deliver an even more immersive and interactive NASCAR world.
Developed in partnership with the renowned metaverse studio Dubit, âNASCAR Tycoonâ allows players to dive deep into the management and racing aspects of NASCAR, offering a unique blend of strategy and high-speed thrills in a distinctly Roblox-native way.
Players will have the opportunity to jump in the driver’s seat of cars styled after NASCAR’s Next Gen Cup Series vehicles, competing against each other and managing teams in thrilling races. Earning fame and fortune as they build their virtual tycoon, players can make passive income while they play. As players progress in âNASCAR Tycoon,â they will unlock exclusive perks such as building their own NASCAR racing teams, expanding their garages, collecting new cars, accessing customizations and attracting sponsors.
The launch comes hot on the heels of recent Fortnite activations and follows the debut of NASCAR in Jailbreak and NASCAR Speed Hub last year â a virtual environment built by Dubit, for players to race around tracks linked to real-world races.
“We’re thrilled to launch ‘NASCAR Tycoon’ on Roblox, developed in partnership with Dubit, marking a key milestone in our ongoing efforts to authentically engage with the Roblox community,” said Nick Rend, VP of Interactive and Emerging Platforms at NASCAR. “This initiative is about more than reaching new audiences; it’s about deepening our connection on a platform where we see tremendous potential. By blending the excitement of NASCAR with the interactive and dynamic environment of Roblox, we’re enhancing traditional fandom in ways that are engaging, fun, and distinctly forward-looking.â
With over 300 million monthly active users, Roblox is ripe with opportunities for sporting organisations like NASCAR and offers a chance to engage with audiences in an immersive and interactive environment.
Andrew Douthwaite, Chief Commercial Officer at Dubit, shares his excitement: âWeâre thrilled to bring the next phase of NASCAR to life on Roblox, building on the success of previous activations. NASCAR Tycoon allows Roblox players to experience the excitement of NASCAR racing like never before, blending the strategic elements of team management with the adrenaline-pumping action on the track. It has been a true joy working with such a forward-thinking, iconic sports brand in NASCAR, and we look forward to continuing to push the boundaries togetherâ
Dubit has created Roblox activations, virtual merchandise ranges and experiences for global brands including Unilever, Samsung, Reckitt, Kraft, H&M and adidas.
âNASCAR Tycoonâ is now available on Roblox.
-
Latest News6 days ago
BetRivers Introduces PropPacks, an Innovative Feature for the NBA Season
-
Latest News5 days ago
ProntoPaga Transforms its Operating Model in Brazil to Ensure Risk-Free Transactions
-
Latest News4 days ago
Carnival Corporation & PLC Fleet Go âAll-Inâ With Galaxy Gamingâs Galaxy Table Games Progressives
-
Gambling in the USA3 days ago
Phoenix Link by Aristocrat Gaming Now Lighting Up Casino Floors
-
Latest News4 days ago
Brazilian Ministry of Finance and Sportradar Join Forces to Strengthen Integrity of Sports
-
Compliance Updates5 days ago
Brazilian Ministry of Finance and IBIA sign sports betting integrity agreement
-
Compliance Updates5 days ago
Seminole Tribe of Florida and West Flagler Parties Announce End of Legal Challenges and Beginning of Partnership to Offer and Promote Jai Alai on the Hard Rock Bet App
-
Latest News3 days ago
Panel on the benefits of regulation in the Mexican iGaming market