The development team for Riot Games’ League of Legends: Wild Rift, a mobile version of the PC League of Legends franchise, is building on efforts to boost its competitive edge. It has slowly attracted competition organizers and esports groups to start looking for opportunities for potential mobile growth.
Here’s what we know about the competitive scene so far.
The competitive mode for Wild Rift will be similar to the PC version of League of Legends with minor changes.
Ed “MartianSpider” Knapp, the Advanced Game Designer for Riot Games, recently gave a breakdown of how the competitive mode of Wild Rift works.
TL: DW:
- Players must reach at least level 10 to start Wild Rift registration mode
- Like the PC League, there are levels from Iron to Challenger
- However, Emerald status was introduced between Platinum and Diamond to “spread the skills of the players more accurately”
- Each series has four categories, from IV (lowest) to I (highest)
- To gain status, you must earn a certain amount of “Marks”, and mature as you have accumulated enough Marks for the status.
- You will gain / lose one mark for each win / loss
- At Diamond and above, Marks will switch to Victory Points (VP), which will be similar to League Points (LP) of the PC version
- Below Diamond, you can NOT be able to lose a token or gain an extra token by filling in your Fortitude Ranked
- Recorded Fortitude points can be earned for skillful play and great fun.
Wild Rift games also feel faster, with each game ending within 10 to 20 minutes. Players get ultimates at level 5, get gold faster, and have reduced some features to allow games to finish faster. For example, Super Minions will launch after the last tower is destroyed in their own tracks.
ESL Gaming announced their first Wild Rift tournament in Thailand and Malaysia. This move will not surprise anyone as mobile games have become very popular in Southeast Asia. The open qualification will begin in April 2021 and will compete over three months for the first title. Each local champions will represent their country in the Southeast Asian regional tournament later in the year.
Nick Vanzetti, Senior Vice President of ESL Gaming Asia-Pacific Japan, noted that the trend came as “the mobile esports market in Southeast Asia continues[d] rapid growth. They’re making a bet that will be the same for Wild Rift.
In Europe, LVP (Liga de Videojuegos Profesional) launched its first show this month with well-known teams such as Giants Gaming, Movistars Gaming, and G2 Arctic, a G2 collaboration with Spanish group, Arctic Gaming, competing in the competition.
Other esports teams have started announcing their Wild Rift schedules as well.
Nova Esports, an Asian esports powerhouse, has announced an all-European roster, featuring EU Arena of Valor veterans. Team Singularity also announced an entire European lineup. Noble and Team Secret have also put their bets on the other side of the world, with Noble signing a roster based in India. The lineup features former Dota 2 champions in India and a former League of Legends player.
Team Secret currently has one player from the Philippines – a former League of Legends player – and is trying to name more players soon.
G2 Esports has blocked a possible Wild Rift expansion with a question. However, it is not yet clear whether they are looking to pick up players or not at the moment.
With a competitive approach set in stone, along with big competition names and teams, will Wild Rift be able to compete in the mobile market? The mobile gaming industry has been growing exponentially, with many titles already firmly entrenched in the market. Riot Games will have to overcome many challenges to be a fierce competitor.