But how can we create a fighting game that the community loves? Answering this question has never been easy. Even the most reputable experts from ISFE, the European Games Federation, have not found a universally satisfactory answer. There are too many factors to consider, from graphics and gameplay to ancillary services.
To delve deeper into this hot topic, Esports Insider interviewed several high-ranking figures from Riot Games, one of the largest game publishers in the world of Esports. Mr. Graham Ashton, the Director of External Affairs at Riot, opened the interview with some very valuable insights.
“From the very beginning of game development, you must find an engaging style, whether you are trying to create something new or reusing what was popular in the past. You need to provide players with a unique experience; only then can you build a strong, high-level fan community,” Mr. Ashton shared.
“There are many things to do. For instance, you need to build a reasonable ranking system to differentiate player skill levels, and a robust client to create game modes and self-generated tournaments,” he added.
In addition to these aspects, Director Ashton emphasized that maintaining balance and developing the game is extremely important, and also a challenge for publishers. This is why Riot Games continuously introduces new features, characters, and skills to keep their game from stagnating.
“Balancing everything, finding a position that satisfies both players and commercial interests, that is the challenge,” he noted.
Beyond game development, building a strong player community is equally important.
“You want players to feel they are part of something unique,” Mr. Ashton shared. “This can only be achieved by developing the community. It is essential to create highly interactive content with players. Of course, to do this well, you need to build a dedicated communications team for the game you are developing,” he added.
“No Esports title has succeeded without starting from scratch. We need to create a pathway for gamers to hone their skills, collaborate with event organizing companies, and build a professional tournament system to impress viewers,” he stated.
Up to this point, Riot Games is the best example of a publisher that values building a strong community and professional tournaments. Their perspective is that when these two things are achieved, the connection between the game and the players will be significantly strengthened. Players are given goals to strive for, while the publisher plays the role of creating environments for them to express themselves freely.
In addition to these important aspects, even small details like the tournament streaming system are carefully developed by Riot Games. “No Esports game can survive if no one is watching its professional matches,” Mr. Ashton emphasized.
Providing viewers with high-level matches in a good experience brings numerous benefits. Firstly, it excites the audience and makes them eager to jump right into training after witnessing the plays of professional players. This is also the most basic path to find talented players. In cases where fans are not capable of pursuing their passion, they still need channels like this to continue engaging with the game.
“Many gamers are really enthusiastic about professional matches. They see it as a goal to hone their skills. Countless people even view it as a source of inspiration for what they do in real life,” Mr. Ashton shared.
The second factor is commercial viability. Games have many ways to monetize. One of the most reasonable methods currently used by many publishers is promoting through the tournament streaming system. This is similar to broadcasting rights in the world of traditional sports, where every slot appearing on screen holds significant value.
For example, a League of Legends match with over 100,000 viewers presents brands with the opportunity to reach that many potential customers. To achieve this, they will certainly need to work with the publisher. A professional streaming channel with full commentators and engaging side content is always a plus in their eyes.