At this year’s gamescom, I encountered a particularly special game: Vainglory. A MOBA title specifically for tablets and smartphones from Super Evil Megacorp. Immediately afterwards, I had the exclusive opportunity to have a little chat with Bo Daly, the co-founder and CEO of Super Evil.
Vainglory was brought to the tablets and smartphones of Apple enthusiasts by the American publisher Super Evil Megacorp last year. Recently, the release on Android followed. As in any other MOBA, the goal is to work as a team to destroy the enemy base. Also involved are various heroes, skins, towers, monsters, and items. However, unlike its 1000 MOBA colleagues, Vainglory was developed solely for the mobile market.
Intuitive controls allow barrier-free gameplay
Initially, I was really skeptical about whether a MOBA could be played on a tablet, let alone a smartphone. But anyone who thinks the same has not played Vainglory. The controls are simple, precise, and intuitive, ensuring that the gaming experience is not hindered by cumbersome controls. The development team really put a lot of thought into usability. Thanks to the touchscreen-optimized one-click controls, we command our heroes with simple clicks on the screen, aim at opponents with a click, and then attack automatically. To keep the gameplay manageable, the size of the team is limited to 3 players. Another plus is the graphics. The game runs very smoothly and looks appealing on the latest devices from Apple and Android.
You can see how it all looks in practice in this fun trailer
Only the tough come to Vainglory
Bo Daly, co-founder and CEO of Super Evil, explained to me that the goal with Vainglory is primarily to appeal to hardcore gamers. Developing a casual MOBA for mobile platforms is impossible. In the past, one could observe at several major titles the negative effects that “casual-ization” brings. However, this does not mean that Vainglory is not accessible to potential players.
Bo compared it to ice hockey and football. In hockey, you need expensive equipment, hockey sticks, skates, and an ice rink. Moreover, not everyone has a hockey team nearby to train with. In football, it is much easier. All you need to play is a ball that everyone can afford – and it is the same with Vainglory. You only need a tablet/smartphone and an internet connection, and you can game anywhere in the world.
“The community is the most important thing ever”
Vainglory places great importance on the community. With regular updates containing new content, they aim to continuously develop and improve the game. They try to work as closely as possible with the community. They want to respond to the wishes and suggestions of the players. After all, a satisfied community is important for any game, as only then is long-term success guaranteed.
On the rise to Mobile eSports
With Vainglory, they want to be the first mobile game to enter the hallowed grounds of eSports – which is already looking good. In collaboration with OGN, Super Evil held the Vainglory World Invitationals Tournament in Korea in July. Last Sunday, the Vainglory International Premier League (IPL) started. This is an elite competition with the best teams from around the world competing for a prize pool of $70,000.
At Vainglory, they believe in a change in eSports. Even if it’s hard to imagine nowadays that pro gamers play mobile games in tournaments, a transformation is expected to take place in the next five years.
Bo Daly believes in the success of Vainglory in eSports. And with 1.5 million active players, around 270,000 viewers on Twitch, and more than 13 million minutes of playtime on Twitch, there’s no need to be ashamed as a “new” mobile MOBA.
