The Arena Opens its Gates

When many of us at Team Liquid first started playing video games, the only mobile game around was 'Snake'. Much has changed since then, and the rate at which mobile games have advanced—in both technical and gameplay aspects—has been astounding. We no longer chase dots on a screen with a wiggly line; the games now have as much sophistication as other platforms.

Two things make mobile games truly unique: the popularity of smartphones and the touch screen input method. The smartphone is quickly becoming a necessity of daily life, and the fact that mobile games can be played by almost anyone at any time is a big opportunity. We all dream of a sci-fi future with touch screens and computers at our fingertips.

Granted, mobile gaming is still very young. There is still so much to explore and understand about how to turn the experience into a more competitive affair. However, it is difficult to ignore the potential, and mobile gaming world is an arena worth studying.

The game that has caught our attention the most is Arena of Valor. It is one of the most popular games in the world right now, and the Chinese version of the game, Honor of Kings, has a rapidly developing competitive scene in its home country. Aside from being a well crafted and skillful game, the developer, Tencent (who owns Riot Games), has given the game its full support.

Arena of Valor has a lot of potential, and we have been exploring ways to get involved in order to learn more about the space. Mobile esports is still a very young and underdeveloped area of the platform, and the game was only recently released, so it’s still a bit too early to dive right in. However, a tournament in the near future will give our fans an opportunity to experience the world of mobile esports first-hand.