Tencent, a Chinese mobile game developer, announced plans to make their smash hit with over 200 million active players, Arena of Valor available worldwide.
Interestingly, the game has been available in China and other Asian territories since 2015. The game's original name during its debut was reportedly Honor of Kings, Kings of Glory or Strike of Kings depending on the region it was made available in.
The MOBA title especially made for smartphones is finally available in North America for both iOS and Android platforms. Currently, it is supposedly considered as the most profitable mobile game globally.
Game Changes For Western Players
Before Arena of Valor was repackaged for the Western audience, the original version featured popular characters from Chinese folklore. Fans of MOBA games like League of Legends and DOTA 2 could easily pick up the game due to its familiar gameplay.
To make it appealing to North American and European gamers, Tencent replaced most of the original roster with characters that are considered more appealing to Western gamers. Popular comic book hero Batman even makes an appearance in the game.
Interesting Facts About The Game
According to The Verge, Tencent, the game studio behind Arena of Valor, continuously names the mobile MOBA as the biggest contributor to the company's earnings. Its overwhelming popularity in its homeland reportedly prompted the developer to restrict children below 12 years old to an hour of playtime daily.
A survey conducted among its fans also revealed that around 54 percent of players in China are female, which is surprising considering the common knowledge that most MOBA players or video game players, in general, are usually male.
MOBA Pedigree
Riot Games, the maker of one of the most popular MOBAs on PC, League of Legends, is owned by Tencent. Most players who originally played on the PC praised the mobile game for its reportedly tight controls.
Join us Tuesday December 19th for our North American and Latin American release! We look forward to seeing you in the Arena! https://t.co/dUWw1Z6tF2 pic.twitter.com/IsM1xaHn67
— Arena of Valor (@ArenaofValor) December 18, 2017
It also follows the format of a 5v5 battle just like its PC cousin. Being a free-to-play game also makes it accessible for users to try it out without any commitment, Kotaku noted.
Gameplay Modes
The different gameplay options consist of the regular 5v5, which lasts around 15 minutes each match. Its 3v3 mode offers shorter matches of around five minutes for those looking for a quick fix.
Another mode that can be compared to League of Legends' ARAM mode is also present.
Sometimes, It Pays To Be A Little Late
Touch Arcade likewise points out the perks of the Western release of the MOBA, which is considered by some a little late compared to other regions. While gamers in other territories got to play the game ahead of those in North America, the recent launch of the title gives Western players the most number of characters to play with compared to its initial release back in 2015.
Furthermore, market analysts speculate that Tencent is in a prime position to gain more than 100 million new players for Arena of Valor.
