With over 1.5 million monthly active players, Vainglory is extremely popular. And it’s about to get more so, with the introduction of a new game mode.
The mobile-based multiplayer online battle arena (MOBA) was developed by Super Evil Megacorp and released in November 2014. It has been one of the most successful new games in the genre and is rapidly carving out a niche for itself in a field dominated by giants such as League of Legends and Dota 2.
Vainglory’s latest game mode, Battle Royale, aims to increase its share of the pie by drawing in casual users. It is built into the app and can be played immediately after installing the 1.16 patch. Battle Royale is a fast-paced mode tailor-made for players that don’t want to slog through a 20-minute competitive game. Think of it as a spin on the popular League mode All Random All Mid (ARAM).
In Battle Royale players are assigned a random character from the entire pool, so it’s the perfect opportunity for players to test out heroes they’ve never tried before. The biggest difference between Battle Royale and League’s ARAM is that Vainglory’s map Halcyon Fold already has just one lane, but now players are denied access to the jungle via forcefields.
There are also a substantial number of differences between Vainglory’s regular PVP mode and Battle Royale. In Battle Royale, a barrier restricts access to the base. Teleportation is also disabled, so the only way a player can return to the shop is by dying. Additional changes such as increased hero base level, increased health and energy restoration, and the doubling of gold and experience rewards ensure Battle Royale games are extremely quick.
Battle Royale is a clear move by Super Evil Megacorp to target players who are unenthusiastic about the 20-minute length of a standard Vainglory game. Battle Royales take around 7 minutes, perfect for the average mobile user that spends around 6-7 minutes playing games daily.
