## Electronic Sports – Talent, Fortune, and the Gap: Part Two – First-Person Shooters – iGB
Hayne delves deeper into the second part of the most popular electronic sports game series, looking at battle royale games and how sportsbooks are offering workable betting products.
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## Electronic Sports – Talent, Fortune, and the Gap: Part Two
### Phase Two: Battle Royale
Battle Royale is one of the newest categories to enter the competitive gaming realm.
If you’ve read the first phase of this series, you’ll know that many battle royale games include first-person shooter (FPS) elements, like in games like PUBG and Fortnite.
However, the battle royale category encompasses a broader approach to gameplay, and an equally broad range of abilities, and for some, an element of chance.
### More Than Just “One Left” – A Category’s Birth
While it’s common to associate the battle royale category with last-man-standing, deathmatch, or king-of-the-hill scenarios, these game modes have existed since the beginning of first-person shooter (FPS) games.
What distinguishes the battle royale category today and defines its signature elements was introduced by Hiroshi Takashi’s novel, its manga adaptation, and ultimately the namesake film. It’s fitting that the category takes its name from this.
For those not acquainted with Takeshi and his work adaptations, they may associate this style with the Hunger Games series, which introduced similar combat ideas to the Western world.
A crucial distinction between Hunger Games and Battle Royale is the initial location of all competitors and groups, which also provides them with their primary equipment supply. Disregarding intellectual property matters, this style might not be called Hunger Games because the Battle Royale format is the prevalent format.
From Screen to Games
The origin of the Battle Royale style, Brandon Greene is one of the most influential figures.
He began with DayZ, a modification (game modification) for the military simulation game Arma 2, which later became Arma 3 when DayZ became a standalone game. Greene then continued to be involved in the development of H1Z1: King of the Kill, which was a standalone game from the beginning.
You may not have heard of Brandon Greene, but you might know his gamer tag (a gamer’s nickname or code name) – PlayerUnknown – which is the PlayerUnknown in PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds or PUBG for short.
While PUBG is clearly not the first Battle Royale game he was involved in developing, it did send shockwaves through both the gaming and investment communities. During PUBG’s peak, the name of the company that owned the game became synonymous with the successful investor class in Korea – you were either an investor in Bluehole or you missed out.
During that period, Tencent, a leading global venture capital and investment firm, purchased an initial interest in Bluehole, placing its value at roughly 4.7 trillion Korean won (32 billion pounds/35 billion euros/43 billion dollars).
When Epic Games released its battle royale game, Fortnite, it further boosted the popularity of the genre, generating $318 million in revenue in May 2018 alone. This income originated from the free-to-play game, through in-game microtransactions where players acquire non-performance enhancing digital cosmetics.
Epic’s success can be attributed to Fortnite’s broader, more imaginative approach to the genre. It features a more “animated” or cartoonish style compared to the military realism that the genre had presented until that point.
It integrated building elements, enabling players to construct structures as part of their strategy. Perhaps more distinctively, it created an arena that was not only a venue for battle competitions but also a gathering place for players to enjoy various events ranging from concerts to movies to parties.
In Fortnite, you don’t just have to fight for survival, instead, you can enjoy the musical talents of Travis Scott or watch a Christopher Nolan film. This created opportunities for cross-promotion and sponsorship agreements, leading to collaborations with major film franchises like Marvel’s Avengers and product marketing.
Ruler of Battle Royale
Its no shock that the term “Battle Royale” has been utilized frequently for its marketing worth, as the style has gained popularity.
While game designers have discovered inventive ways to set their games apart, remaining faithful to their inspiration, Battle Royale games should possess the following elements that define the category:
From a purist’s viewpoint, a game only belongs to the Battle Royale category when all of the above game elements are met. Intriguingly, some unexpected games can genuinely meet all the Battle Royale criteria while fully preserving their existing themes, including Pac-Man Battle Royale.
As with most esports categories, while there are many games that belong to the Battle Royale category or have a Battle Royale game mode, and run on various gaming platforms, only a few are considered esports by most. Notable Battle Royale esports games include:
Battle Royale Mechanics
Some might consider Battle Royale a subset of the FPS category, but due to the format’s influence, there are enough differences in game mechanics, required skills, and other chance-dependent decisive elements that justify a separate genre classification.
While Battle Royale resembles Deathmatch or King of the Hill modes in FPS games, the massive game map that contracts over time and the need to gather equipment drastically alter how players achieve their winning goal.
Lets commence by examining the game area layout.
Typically, battle royale game maps are considerably larger than conventional FPS game maps. For instance, Fortnite’s standard map is approximately 5.6 square kilometers, whereas CS:GO’s Mirage map is roughly 0.12 square kilometers, implying Fortnite’s map is nearly 47 times more expansive than Mirage. To further compare, PUBG’s Erangel map is about 64 square kilometers, over 533 times larger than Mirage!
Some real-world comparisons, CS:GO’s Mirage map is about the size of 29 football fields. PUBG’s Erangel is slightly larger than the Republic of San Marino (yes, the one in Europe), or 23% larger than Bermuda. Even the smaller Fortnite map is almost three times the size of Monaco.
From the outset, battle royale games demand players to commit a significant amount of terrain to memory. Now, adding buildings and structures on top of the terrain, from single-story sheds to multi-story buildings, the complexity of the map increases exponentially.
The challenge of battle royale games is further amplified compared to FPS games because players have limited capacity to explore the map in training or in the environment. While there are numerous tactical maps accessible online now, as the saying goes, “No plan survives first contact with the enemy,” knowing the map and walking on the ground are very different experiences.
Transforming from a visual to a concealed state, achieving essential performance metrics requires extended periods and numerous matches to initiate.
The initial location of combat, frequently referred to as the spawn point, is not fixed on the expansive map.
In the majority of games, participants commence their journey from an aircraft that randomly traverses the map. Participants must determine the optimal moment to exit the aircraft and regulate their descent to a designated location on the map before the aircraft departs the map. They will observe other participants exiting, enabling them to decide when and where to avoid or seek out groups, contingent upon their chosen strategy.
Subsequently, the map undergoes a reduction in size. The map will contract to a smaller region within the current playable area, typically half the size, occurring at predetermined intervals. Any participant remaining outside the playable area will sustain damage until their demise or return to the playable area.
This compels confrontation, but also necessitates participants to possess familiarity with all maps, as the starting point may not always be the same and participants may not be able to remain in a region with which they are acquainted. Combined with the possibility that other participants may opt to commence from the same area, participants must act swiftly and be capable of selecting a new LZ (landing zone) when they observe their chosen location becoming congested.
Subsequently, let’s discuss the spoils of war in battle royale video games.
At the commencement of the game, participants possess nothing. This implies a lack of protective gear, weaponry, ammunition… you grasp the concept. Each participant must acquire all the vital necessities after landing, either from the environment or by overcoming adversaries. Naturally, you can opt to engage in combat unarmed, but such a strategy seldom results in a favorable outcome.
The most significant obstacle is the haphazard distribution of supplies.
Although certain items can typically be located in specific kinds of areas, such as within structures, this is not always the case, and the discovered items will fluctuate. Furthermore, all players are vying for the same equipment. To exacerbate the situation, even if a player is fortunate enough to discover a weapon they favor, they might not locate sufficient compatible ammunition.
The majority of games also impose a limit on the quantity of gear a player can carry, necessitating inventory management and strategic decision-making.
In certain games, there are designated spots on the map where players can purchase equipment using currency earned by accomplishing tasks or through timed item drops. These drops appear at predetermined intervals and contain a fixed quantity of items. As everyone can view the same information, it is predictable that others will proceed to these locations, potentially resulting in ambushes.
Moreover, in some games, collecting gear leaves behind an empty container, which can serve as a clue for tracking or be used to construct traps.
This unpredictability injects thrill into what would otherwise be a purely ability-based game, but it doesn’t lessen the requirement for skill. Similar to poker, proficient players understand how to manage their assets.
This unpredictability provides players with an opportunity to get fortunate and outmaneuver opponents who are actually more capable than them, something that’s not typical in FPS games unless the other player makes a blunder.
However, unlike poker, skilled PUBG players with high-level abilities have a clear edge in FPS games. Like in a Jackie Chan movie, I’ve seen skilled professionals defeat amateurs with weapons bare-handed, without any need for theatrics or hints.
Finally, another crucial aspect that distinguishes PUBG from FPS games is the player’s viewpoint in the game. Most PUBG games utilize a third-person viewpoint (imagine the view from a camera floating above and behind your player character) by default, rather than a first-person viewpoint.
Some games, like Fortnite, currently (as of this writing, there are rumors that Epic might add this feature) don’t have the option to switch to a first-person viewpoint except when aiming with a sniper rifle. The third-person viewpoint does offer a broader field of vision around your player character, which is undoubtedly an advantage in this genre.
Multiple methods to triumph
Within the realm of PUBG, the majority of the mechanical and mental abilities essential for first-person shooters remain critical. For instance, positioning and awareness of surroundings, visual sharpness, mastery of controls, movement and aiming, map knowledge, weapon familiarity, all contribute significantly to a player’s success. Consequently, it’s unsurprising that numerous PUBG professionals have backgrounds in first-person shooters.
However, PUBG’s mechanics enable skillful players to employ a range of strategies or meta-gaming, unlike more straightforward first-person shooters.
Players can choose to be assertive, actively seeking out and eliminating opponents; they can opt for a passive approach, allowing other players to thin out the enemy ranks; or they can choose any strategy in between. The expansive maps, shrinking safe zones, and the resulting extended game durations create conditions for opportunities that are impractical in traditional first-person shooters.
Setting traps, ambushes, utilizing vehicles, and leveraging other players in the game to gain an advantage are just a few of the potential options.
The variety of gameplay and extended match times present challenges both in esports tournaments and in wagering.
For betting, it’s a double-edged sword – diversity offers vast opportunities for products within the game, but the longer match times can hinder betting on the final outcome.
For competitive esports, establishing a just, effective, and efficient scoring and ranking system can be a difficult task, particularly given the length of matches, the number of participants needed, and the role of chance.
Conversely, battle royale games offer a broader range of challenges for competitors, resulting in more captivating content for spectators, with greater diversity than the repetitive pattern of FPS games.
In summary,
Hein is an Integrity Ambassador for the Esports Integrity Commission (ESIC) and also a co-founder of Neomancer, a distinctive technology strategy and management firm. Hein has over thirty years of experience in the technology sector, including ten years in the online gaming industry.
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