Aviator creator, Spribe, has called on the social reach of UFC star Michael ‘Venom’ Page (MVP) to promote their globally renowned crash game. MVP’s performances as a UFC middleweight have helped him build a substantial social media following with more than 1.6 million followers across all platforms, this will be his first casino game partnership.
Page joins a roster of other UFC fighters who have already signed up as ambassadors for the casino game, including Alex Pereira, Johnny Walker, Merab Dvalishvili and Diego Lopes.
Ukrainian iGaming studio Spribe was founded in 2018, specializing in the development of turbo games – titles designed for short bursts of excitement and targeted at a modern, mobile-first crowd.
Aviator launched in 2019, and while there may have been other crash games that came before, Spribe’s title is the one that defined the genre. A 2021 update saw chat and social features added to the game, which really helped Aviator take off.
Other studios have attempted to copy the formula, but while some have enjoyed moderate followings, none have replicated the commercial success of Spribe’s game.
In August, the studio took to LinkedIn to celebrate the game reaching 60 million monthly players thanks to a recent burst of growth driven by new social features. Aviator Challenges were introduced in August, adding social competition to the game’s existing layers of appeal.
As a result of the game’s popularity, Spribe penned a marketing deal with the UFC in 2023. The deal has seen the Aviator logo feature prominently in the Octagon and at UFC events.
When the deal was signed, Spribe CCO, Giorgi Tsutskiridze, said: “UFC is an entertainment business at heart and knows exactly how to get people on the edge of their seats by providing fast-paced action inside the Octagon.
“Aviator does that also, but with players able to enjoy the thrill ride of the games from their smartphone. This is a strong and valuable marketing partnership for us that shows that Aviator really has hit the big time, transcending traditional gaming audiences to have mainstream appeal.”
As part of the deal, Spribe has also gained access to UFC names to act as brand ambassadors. Recently, UFC content creator Nina Drama was announced as an Ambassador for the game, which already boasts the likes of Alex Pereira and Merab Dvalishvili in its ranks.
Michael ‘Venom’ Page has become the latest name from UFC and WWE to join Aviator’s list of ambassadors. The English middleweight specializes in kickboxing and is currently ranked number 10 in the UFC middleweight division.
He has more than 1.1 million followers on Instagram, as well as over 500,000 on Facebook, and 100,000 on YouTube, providing a lot of potential exposure for the game.
Of the MVP deal, Tsutskiridze said: “We are thrilled to add Michael ‘Venom’ Page to our lineup of Aviator brand ambassadors and for him to be taking part in some truly epic campaigns over the coming 12 months.
“MVP is a fearless fighter who always puts on a great show whenever he steps into the Octagon, and this has seen him earn a large and loyal international fan base.”
Meanwhile, Page added: “Nothing beats stepping into the Octagon and going toe to toe with an opponent, but strapping in and taking flight with Aviator comes pretty close.
“I know my fans will love the fast-paced thrill ride it provides and look forward to introducing them to Aviator through some great campaigns over the coming 12 months.“
