When we think of eSports, the games that come to mind tend to be relatively homogenous. First-person shooters and MOBAS; League of Legends, Call of Duty or maybe Counter Strike if you’re of a certain age. But mobile has not only been a fertile ground for experimentation in various genres but also in eSports. As we can see with developer Midjiwan AB and their game The Battle of Polytopia, as they partner with eSports technology company Challengermode.
The companies have partnered to integrate in-app support for viewing results, playing in tournaments and more that are integral to eSports.
CEO and Founder of Challengermode, Robel Efrem said on the announcement “We couldn’t be more excited to be helping Midjiwan expand the competitive gaming side of The Battle of Polytopia. I’ve been a big fan of the game for years, so having the opportunity to assist with the creation of its nascent esports scene is a dream come true. It’s also an excellent opportunity for Challengermode to demonstrate benefits of game developers working directly with companies in the esports space to rapidly scale up their own competitive gaming operations, making their games better integrated and more accessible to esports hopefuls of all levels.”
eSports Genre Shift
eSports as a whole has covered many of the same game genres for many years. However, on PC there has been a thriving tournament scene for many series such as Civilization and Total War. Expanding that into the mobile space therefore is not an unprecedented action, as strategy eSports has its own smaller but still very dedicated following.
Integrating all the necessary information and support into the game’s app itself is also an equally important move. By ensuring players have ease of access and don’t have to move beyond the game it ensures continued attention and retention. General manager at Midjiwan, Christian Lovstedt emphasised the seamless integration was an important part of the partnership.
“As a developer, it was important to us to integrate the esports aspects of Polytopia with the main game itself, removing the barrier that usually exists between casual multiplayer and the competitive play that players can enjoy at a more professional level.”
Challengermode previously partnered with PUBG to provide a fund for amateur eSports tournaments around the world. It seems that the company is intent on growing their customer-base by directly helping to grow the eSports scene worldwide, and investing in lesser-known games and underserved audiences to do so.
