Gaming
Brett Abarbanel Named Executive Director of UNLV International Gaming Institute
![](https://gamingamericas.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/d71207_006_1.jpg)
Brett Abarbanel has been named executive director for the UNLV International Gaming Institute (IGI). IGI is a nonprofit academic center that offers research and educational programs for the global gaming industry.
The appointment, effective Jan. 1, 2023, marks the latest chapter in an award-winning catalog of research, advisory, and leadership work for Abarbanel, who has worked at IGI since 2016 as the director of research. Abarbanelâs expertise includes the intersection of gambling with esports, video games and traditional sports. She also has extensive experience in gaming operations and technology, responsible gambling and community relations, and gaming history. To date, she has presented her work in more than 20 countries and dozens of U.S. states.
Abarbanel succeeds Bo Bernhard, who will transition to serve full-time as UNLV vice president of economic development but maintain his affiliation with IGI as special advisor to the executive director.
âIt is an honor to step into the role of executive director at International Gaming Institute, a world-renowned research, education, and innovation hub for the study of gambling with a brilliant staff,â Abarbanel said.
âAs the gaming world continues to evolve and expand,â she said, âI am eager to collaborate with our many stakeholders in higher education, government, non-profit, and industry and build on IGIâs established momentum to improve industry learning, create workforce pipelines, and diversify the scope of knowledge in this field.â
Abarbanel â who is also an associate professor with UNLV’s William F. Harrah College of Hospitality and has an affiliate research position at the University of Sydney’s Brain and Mind Centre â brings almost two decades of experience to the position.
She earned bachelorâs degrees in statistics and architectural studies at Brown University and completed her masterâs and doctoral degrees at UNLV, where she also worked at IGI as a UNLV graduate student. Abarbanel received the Best Thesis and Best Dissertation awards for her work on sportsbook patronage and online gambling user experiences, respectively.
After completing her Ph.D., Abarbanel served as the head of social and recreational gambling research at the UCLA Gambling Studies Program before returning to UNLV in her current role.
Abarbanel is the executive editor of the UNLV Gaming Research & Review Journal, an editorial board member at International Gambling Studies, and Harvard Universityâs Brief Addiction Science Information Source. She is a founding director of the Nevada Esports Alliance, which promotes the development of best practices at the intersection of the esports and regulated gambling industries. In 2021, she was among seven industry expert professionals named to the Nevada Gaming Control Boardâs first-ever Esports Technical Advisory Committee, which is responsible for making recommendations to the board on guidelines for maintaining integrity in esports when betting is involved.
The Innovation Group honored Abarbanel with the 2015 Emerging Leader Award and she was named to the 2016 Global Gaming Business 40 Under 40 list. She has been interviewed as a gambling expert in local, national, and international media outlets, and served as a consultant for multiple industry, non-profit, and government entities.
IGI is part of UNLVâs Division of Research. For more than 25 years, IGI has provided research-based solutions, insights, and executive education to the gaming industry. IGI houses several entities and initiatives focused on key needs in the global gambling world, including responsible gaming initiatives, the Center for Gaming Innovation, the International Center for Gaming Regulation, and the Expanding the Leaderverse initiative.
âThe Division of Research is looking forward to working with Brett Abarbanel and thanks Bo Bernhard for his tremendous leadership at IGI and his continued service to the institute and to UNLV,â said David Hatchett, UNLV interim vice president for research. âI am confident in Brettâs leadership of this very important program. I am also looking forward to having her join our executive leadership and the perspective she brings to the team.â
Gaming
NASCAR launches persistent world on Roblox where players can become racing tycoons
![](https://gamingamericas.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/nascar.jpg)
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.
Gaming
NASCAR unveils first step into the Fortnite ecosystem with custom Rocket Racing tracks inspired by its iconic events and venues
![NASCAR unveils first step into the Fortnite ecosystem with custom Rocket Racing tracks inspired by its iconic events and venues](https://gamingamericas.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/ox1JOgbO.png)
Today, NASCAR, America’s most popular motorsport, has officially entered the Fortnite ecosystem – announcing its debut with a one-of-a-kind, high-octane racing experience built in Rocket Racing.
Developed in partnership with award-winning UK metaverse studio, Karta, the experience launches with a Chicago Street Course map, styled on the real NASCAR Chicago Street Race taking place this Sunday 7th July, merging the thrill of NASCAR racing with the dynamic creativity of the Fortnite ecosystem.
With the first Chicago Street Map, players navigate multiple routes, master the art of speed, drift and avoid obstacles in intense multiplayer races or solo time trials.
Debuting ahead of the real-life Chicago Street Race, NASCARâs official launch on Fortnite brings its second annual event in the center of one of the worldâs greatest cities, into the Fortnite world. The map gives NASCAR fans, and players of all levels who may have never interacted with the sport, the chance to get closer to the real event than ever before – setting it apart from typical Rocket Racing maps.
With this fun experience aimed at gamers of all levels, NASCARâs move into the Fortnite ecosystem isnât just a one-time event while the Chicago race takes place. NASCAR is setting its sights on a permanent fixture on the platform, with the Chicago map marking the start of a long-term racing experience for players to continuously visit. Looking ahead at the NASCAR calendar, fans of Americaâs No. 1 form of motorsports and the Fortnite community can get excited, as NASCAR eyes wider plans to add more virtual recreations on the platform.
“NASCAR has always been about pushing boundaries and connecting with fans in exciting ways,” said Nick Rend, Managing Director of Esports & Gaming at NASCAR. “Fortnite provides the perfect platform to engage a global audience, blending the intensity of NASCAR racing with the immersive world of Fortnite. Karta, with their incredible creativity, attention to detail and innovative approach, were the perfect partners to help us bring this vision to life. We wanted to build something with longevity for both diehard NASCAR enthusiasts and the wider Fortnite community and we think we have succeeded with just that.â
Erik LondrĂ©, CEO of Karta, added, “Working with an icon of motorsports like NASCAR has been a dream come true. Our goal was to capture the essence of NASCAR racing – the speed, the strategy, the adrenaline â and inject it with a dose of Fortnite fun. The result is something truly special – a high-octane, visually stunning racing experience that we know players will love.”
Karta is an award-winning metaverse studio renowned for creating engaging virtual gaming experiences for global brands. Karta has established itself as a leader in creating accessible and impactful brand experiences within the metaverse across gaming, music and esports.
Since its inception in July 2021, Karta has collaborated with a diverse range of global brands, including Nicki Minaj, BLACKPINK, TWICE, Amazon Music, McDonald’s, Spotify, and Hugo Boss, solidifying its position as a trailblazer in the ever-evolving landscape of metaverse entertainment.
Gaming
NZXT and FlyQuest Forge Strategic Partnership Empowering Professional Gamers and Content Creators
![](https://gamingamericas.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/NZXT-and-FlyQuest-Forge-Strategic-Partnership-Empowering-Professional-Gamer_20240625_120730_0000.png)
NZXT, a leader in PC gaming components, products and prebuilts, is thrilled to announce a partnership with FlyQuest, a premier esports organization. This collaboration designates NZXT as the “Official PC Partner” for FlyQuest’s LCS, NACL, RED VALORANT, RED CS2 teams, and their content creators.
NZXT and FlyQuest share a vision that gaming is for everyone. NZXT will provide FlyQuest teams and creators with high-performance gaming desktops from their Flex gaming PC subscription service. NZXT Flex provides the flexibility of no long-term commitments, 24/7 technical support and equipment upgrades every two years at an affordable monthly rate. This collaboration guarantees that FlyQuest athletes and creators such as Fiona Nova and Basil, have access to the best technology available. It highlights their shared commitment to empowering gamers and creators to reach their full potential by providing easy access to the latest, high-performance hardware, enhancing their in-game performance.
In the spirit of enabling gamers who aspire to be the best, FlyQuestâs NACL team will be officially branded as FlyQuest NZXT. NZXTâs commitment to FlyQuest’s NACL team extends beyond branding. They are dedicated to providing the resources and support necessary to develop the talent for FlyQuestâs NACL team. NZXT and FlyQuest want to help these aspiring players advance to the LCS and achieve success by fostering an environment where players can thrive. Supporting players in the NACL is crucial for the health of the League of Legends Esports, as it ensures a strong pipeline of talent, elevating the level of competition and making it more exciting for both spectators and players alike. Investing in this talent development is an important goal for both organizations, reflecting their commitment to the future of esports.
NZXT will also lend its brand name across FlyQuestâs teams and facilities, including jersey placement for FlyQuest RED, LCS, and NACL teams. Additionally, FlyQuestâs training center and boot camp will be named the NZXT Boot Camp and the center will be outfitted with NZXT PCs, providing each of FlyQuestâs teams with the best equipment for training and competition.
âIt is unique to find a partner who can help every facet of your organization,â said Brian Anderson, CEO of FlyQuest. âOn top of providing top-tier gaming units for our competitive success, NZXT will allow FlyQuest to level up all aspects of our business, from creators to content.â
“We believe that anyone can be a PC gamer and strive to deliver the best gaming experience possible,” said Johnny Hou, Founder and CEO of NZXT. “Our partnership with FlyQuest is a testament to our commitment to this vision. We’re excited to support FlyQuest’s mission and look forward to achieving great things together.”
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