LOS ANGELES and OSLO, Norway, June 11, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- There are currently more than 1.2 billion* PC gamers. Today, Opera (NASDAQ: OPRA) unveils the world’s first web browser tailored to their specific needs. The early access program to the Opera GX browser (for Windows) starts right now with an official launch planned later this year.
“Opera GX is built for people who love games and spend a lot of time building their setups. We want to give them a browser to perfectly match their beautiful machines. I have a strong feeling this browser will resonate with the gaming world,” said Krystian Kolondra, EVP at Opera browsers.
Opera GX features a new, gaming-inspired design and an array of features that let people not only customize the look of their browser but also limit their computer’s CPU and memory usage.
GX Control lets you control the CPU and RAM usage by the browser
The GX Control panel is a brand new feature which lets users define how much of their computer’s CPU or RAM they are willing to let their browser use. By toggling on the circle, one can choose to devote a certain percentage of the computer’s resources to the browser. Opera GX will stay within these limits. This means that, unlike other memory-hungry browsers, Opera GX puts gamers in full control of their gaming and browsing experiences.
“Running a game might require a lot of effort from your machine. Even more so if you are streaming while you play. Before Opera GX, gamers often shut down their browsers in order to not slow down their gaming experience. We came up with the GX Control feature to make people’s games run more smoothly without requiring them to compromise on what they do on the Web,” said Maciej Kocemba, product director of Opera GX.
Gaming ready with Twitch integration
Another handy feature for gamers is Opera GX’s Twitch integration. The browser lets users log into their Twitch accounts directly from the sidebar and will notify them when a streamer they follow goes live.
The browser’s speed dial screen also features shortcuts to sites popular among gamers including Discord, YouTube and Reddit.
GX Corner for latest gaming news and deals
Opera didn’t stop at designing a browser for gamers. It also created the GX Corner, a place where gaming news from the Web will be presented along with curated gaming deals and information about new and interesting releases.
Gaming design, sound effects and gaming hardware integration
When you first start or upgrade Opera GX you will be welcomed by sounds and an animation sequence inspired by gaming consoles. The sound effects and musical logo creation in GX are a result of Opera’s collaboration with the sound designer Rubén Rincón and the band Berlinist, who recently received a nomination in the BAFTA Games Awards for the original soundtrack to the GRIS game. The sound effects, as well as most browser features can be adjusted or switched off in the settings panel.
Opera GX comes out of the box with a sleek gaming-inspired design with dark and red elements. Users can also choose a different highlight color from 10 suggested colors or go deeper and choose from 16 million possibilities using the extended color picker feature.
“From the startup sounds to the look of the browser’s speed dial, Opera GX was designed to feel at home on any gaming setup,” added Maciej Kocemba.
Opera GX comes with an exclusive set of wallpapers designed to match the browser and the large displays of gaming setups. It also includes Razer Chroma integration, which means that the keyboard, mouse and other Razer Chroma elements will adjust their colors to the chosen highlight colors in the browser.
Opera’s powerful features are there
Opera GX includes all the features present in the popular Opera desktop browser currently used by 65 million users. This means that, apart from the Twitch integration, users can also activate the Telegram, WhatsApp, Facebook or Vkontakte messengers in the sidebar to stay in touch with friends without the need to open separate tabs.
Opera GX also retains the popular Video Pop Out function which makes it easy to “pop out” a video from the website it is being streamed on and watch it on top of other websites.
Opera’s built-in ad blocker will safeguard that websites load fast and distraction free while the free, no-log browser VPN will let gamers safely browse the Web when using public WiFi.
“At Opera, we want to set a new standard in browsing,” said Krystian Kolondra. “Today, no other browser is even close to having the kind of feature set you will find in Opera, and we hope people will enjoy the new additions coming with Opera GX”.
Early access at Level 1 starts today
The early access to Opera GX for Windows starts today at Level 1, during E3 in Los Angeles. Instead of the usual versions, the browser’s development will progress in levels. The initial early access version is designed for people who love games. They will also have the opportunity to shape the next versions, as Opera’s developers have added special “feedback” boxes throughout the browser, where particular features can be rated with one to five hearts. Opera also encourages people to provide feedback and wish lists via the Opera GX forums.
Opera GX can be downloaded here. A final version is planned to launch later this year.
Opera’s team is present at E3 - To schedule a press meeting, contact us at press-team@opera.com
About Opera
Founded in 1995 in Norway, Opera delivers browsers and AI-driven digital content discovery solutions to more than 350 million people worldwide. The quickly growing company remains one of the most innovative browser creators in the world. Opera is listed on Nasdaq under the OPRA ticker symbol.
Contact:
Julia Szyndzielorz, +48 574 708 305
julia.szyndzielorz@opera.com
A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/933c1456-314f-45de-8dd7-0ce43ac2912f