MLG Announces Mobile Arena, $10k in Prizes

[Arbee]

Major League Gaming, Sony Mobile Communications and Gameloft Bring Competitive Gaming to Smartphones with First-ever Xperia™ Mobile Gaming Arena

Competition Launches with Gameloft’s Modern Combat 3: Fallen Nation

NEW YORK – May 3, 2012 — Major League Gaming (MLG), the world's largest competitive video game league, Sony Mobile Communicationsand Gameloft, today unveiled MLG’s first-ever competitive smartphone gaming platform- Xperia™ Mobile Gaming Arena Presented by Sony Mobile. Launching with Gameloft’s first person shooter Modern Combat 3: Fallen Nation, the arena enables gamers to compete via all mobile platforms including Android and iOS for more than $10,000 in prizes. All competition details, scores and rankings are accessible via www.majorleaguegaming.com/mobile.

To participate, gamers simply link their MLG and Gameloft accounts, play a featured Xperia™ Mobile Gaming Arena title and their ranking is automatically tallied on the Xperia™ Mobile Gaming Arena leaderboard. The Xperia™ Mobile Gaming Arena launches with Modern Combat 3: Fallen Nation from Gameloft, which has been enhanced for an immersive gaming experience on Xperia™ PLAY, the world’s first PlayStation® Certified smartphone and the official mobile handset of Major League Gaming. Additional competitive titles will be rolled out in the coming months.

"The MLG community thrives on competition and with our new mobile platform, we are now enabling gamers to engage in competitive play no matter where they are,” said Sundance DiGiovanni, CEO, MLG. “With partners like Sony Mobile and Gameloft, we are truly taking mobile gaming to a new level.”

“From the launch of Xperia™ PLAY, the first smartphone to bring console-like gaming to smartphone, to now the Xperia™ Mobile Gaming Arena, the first-of-its-kind competitive platform for mobile gamers, we are committed to bringing the best mobile entertainment experiences to our customers,” said Peter Farmer, Head of Marketing for North America, Sony Mobile Communications. “Bringing together MLG’s authority in competitive gaming, Gameloft’s blockbuster game titles and Sony Mobile’s immersive mobile entertainment experience, the Xperia™ Mobile Gaming Arena is sure to deliver a new level of mobile gaming for competitors.”

“For Gameloft, partnering with strong brands such as the MLG and Sony Mobile Communications to promote a new age of competitive mobile gaming is a very exciting time, “ said Baudouin Corman, vice president of publishing in the Americas at Gameloft. “Given the millions of gamers that have participated in competitions online and via console over the years, there’s a great future for the online multiplayer experience with the Xperia Mobile Gaming Arena.”

So what do you guys think? Is mobile competitive gaming viable and does anyone currently play any of the more serious mobile multiplayer games?

Source: http://www.majorleaguegaming.com/news/announcing-the-xperia-mobile-gaming-arena-brought-to-you-by-mlg-sony-mobile-communications-and-gameloft

[BASILisk H2O]

Two thumbs down T_T...I mean...really?

[H2O SkywalkerX]

Two thumbs down T_T...I mean...really?

why is branching off into a different medium a bad thing?

Not like it affects any of the console/PC gamers in a negative way.

I consider this a good thing, it just shows more support for competitive gameplay regardless of medium. And just makes the eSports scene even bigger.

[H2O Rei Yureimx007]

We just need to have something like the ESPN for TV of Esports then people can TRUELLY know what is professional gaming.

[Arbee]

Yep, I agree with Skywalker. The more money that gets put into competitive gaming is only a good thing. NOW, if they were trying to bank of mobile gaming being the true eSports push then it would be a problem. But hey, considering the market for mobile games and the quality of games out now, I think this is pretty cool. I would love to have some kind of competitive platform to where I could jump on my Vita, or phone during lunch at work and play something that is competitive. I hope this continues to grow a bit into some other more serious games. The only problem with this one in particular (which is the point of the sponsorship of course), is that there will be a HUGE advantage for people who own an xperia play, or a bluetooth controller.

As far as the broadcasting goes, I do think its starting to get there fast. Don't forget ESPN worked with MLG a few years back and I don't think it went very well. There was also CGS which was well... interesting. The biggest obstacle for broadcasting gaming events (before Starcraft came along) is how to broadcast in a manner that makes it look interesting to a tv audience, specifically one that isnt already invested in what is going on. But I think its really starting to get there.

[PMS Pixie]

Good Luck to those that will be entering!!

[H2O KiF1rE]

Good Luck to those that will be entering!!

if it was a tournament or competition. i would... But its a who can play the most or share the game with the most friends to rack up the most kills over the time period... as total kills with unlimited play time determines the winner =/

[Arbee]

Bumping over the spam... lol.

[BASILisk H2O]

Arbee = Gosu for keeping his eye on the prize...haha

I have nothing against more money/sponsors/attention being thrown at eSports. I guess I just feel (IMHO) that this will not look as professional as some of the other games/platforms on there. I know I am biased towards SC2, but objectively, you can't argue that the way the game is presented in a competitive environment is much easier to follow, and sponsors can see much more potential in spectators watching this. This was the same problem with Quake years ago. No one argued that it wasn't a great game, but it was an EXTREMELY fast FPS. Those are much harder to follow. I am curious if there is any way for these mobile games to be observed, and what the venue would look like. I don't foresee this as a viable spectator sport, but that's just my opinion.

[H2O KiF1rE]

Arbee = Gosu for keeping his eye on the prize...haha

I have nothing against more money/sponsors/attention being thrown at eSports. I guess I just feel (IMHO) that this will not look as professional as some of the other games/platforms on there. I know I am biased towards SC2, but objectively, you can't argue that the way the game is presented in a competitive environment is much easier to follow, and sponsors can see much more potential in spectators watching this. This was the same problem with Quake years ago. No one argued that it wasn't a great game, but it was an EXTREMELY fast FPS. Those are much harder to follow. I am curious if there is any way for these mobile games to be observed, and what the venue would look like. I don't foresee this as a viable spectator sport, but that's just my opinion.

as far as observing, these games arent even played competitively. Its basically just a high score competition that accrues over the several weeks it runs...