NEW DELHI: Indian online game developer, Tencent Games has cashed in the excitement of the FIFA World Cup 2018, introducing a new game mode called ‘Football Fever’ to the ‘Arena of Valor’, the popular multiplayer online battle arena (MOBA) game. The game, which otherwise involves destroying towers and killing minions, will now see players play 3-a-side, 4 minute football matches in which attacking the ball sends it towards the goal.
Aneesh Aravind, general manager, Tencent Games India commented on the launch, which took place Wednesday in the capital.
“If you are a fervent football fan then AOV’s Football Fever, is going to leave you in a fever pitch. The best part —You can celebrate the World Cup by playing with your favorite heroes in quick 4-minute matches. We are very excited about this new game mode and am sure that our AOV Fans in India will enjoy these World Cup themed matches alongside their AOV heroes on a football field.”
Football Fever is a perfect blend of football and MOBA. The game mode will also be featuring a new hero, Tulen alongside new football fever themed skin.
Arena of Valor has seen tremendous growth since its launch in China in 2015, with 200 million plus users playing it actively every month. It has recorded 500,000 downloads according to the Google Play Store till date. In a recent summer tournament conducted on the game, its total prize money was Rs 520,000 out of which the winner received Rs 200,000.
The game was also a part of a recent Asian eSports Federation competition across South Asian countries, in which 6 Indians were declared eligible to participate at the upcoming Asian Games 2018 in Jakarta.
It is of course another matter that when the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) released the entry list of the Indian contingent for the Games, one discipline that was conspicuous by its absence was e-Sports.
Electronic sports, the umbrella term for all video games played at a competitive level, will feature as a demonstration event (medals not included in the tally) at next month’s Jakarta Games.
