Hello, Tyrians!
Back in June, we announced that we would be developing a new PvP game mode alongside the community. Today, we are excited to share the Push game mode—a 5v5 match where the main objective is clear: push the objective to the enemy base while keeping them from pushing it to yours! While we have the prototype of a map and mechanics implemented, one of our main goals is to develop this new game mode with you. Starting September 10, we will be hosting a beta event where you’ll be able to play the Push game mode and give us your feedback, which will be crucial to its development! Our team will also be playing the new Push game mode live on Twitch tomorrow, September 6 at 12:00 p.m. Pacific Time (UTC-7).
The Push game mode was designed to create a more accessible and enjoyable PvP experience without sacrificing competition. We noticed that players who are new to PvP found Conquest mode overwhelming, with its multiple objectives and need for precise map awareness. To address this, we’re developing Push as a fun, casual alternative that simplifies gameplay by focusing on action and teamwork around a single objective. With fewer objectives to juggle, it’s perfect for both seasoned PvP players and newcomers, offering a fast-paced, low-pressure way to enjoy competitive gameplay while gently introducing the mechanics and strategies of Conquest.
Although it’s still early in development, this game mode is already becoming a favorite within our team, which is a good sign! For now, we’ll give you a brief overview of how Push came to be, along with the different phases of development we expect this mode to go through.
How Push Came to Shove
For the initial beta event, the map will be in a prototype state. There are a number of things that are unpolished or incomplete; we’ve essentially put together a bare-minimum version of the mode with our existing art assets and tech (the version of the map for the beta is still a Conquest map on the backend). Some of the map will be “gray box” art (literally untextured gray polygons) and will have a number of reused assets from other maps like Temple of the Silent Storm and Eternal Coliseum—and a Super Adventure Box Angry Cloud for good measure.
We certainly think that the mode has potential, or it wouldn’t be something that made it to the beta phase, but we want to see how things go once a bunch of players get their hands on it. Some of you may remember the initial stages of the Stronghold mode, which went through the bulk of the development process before the first beta event and was then iterated on through beta feedback. While Stronghold does still see some play (about 10% of all unranked PvP matches so far this year have been Stronghold), the overall reception was never as positive as we hope for a new game mode. Our goal for the Push prototype is to get early feedback on the mechanics of the mode to see if it’s something that players want before committing to the iteration and polish that will really bring it to life.
Beta Testing
The Push beta event begins on Tuesday, September 10 at 12:00 p.m. Pacific Time (UTC-7) and runs until Monday, September 23 at 5:00 p.m. Pacific Time (UTC-7). Please keep in mind that since this is a beta test, there will be placeholder UI, art, and audio.
During this beta event, the Push mode will replace ranked queue and will use the standard miniseason 2v2 rewards. You’ll be able to access the Push mode through the PvP browser and custom arena maps.
We will be gathering feedback to help gauge how the Push mode fits not only our goals, but also player experience and expectation. We’ve created a thread in this subforum for feedback from this beta event. After you’ve had a chance to play, we’d like to hear what you think—what you enjoyed, what you think could be improved, and what you liked or disliked about the beta.
For players who participate in this beta, we will also be conducting a player survey that will be sent to your email after the beta has concluded.
Tournament of Legends Returns
As we’ve mentioned recently, the Tournament of Legends is included in our recent Automated Tournament updates. The next round of this storied event will kick off on September 21, 2024 at 12pm PT (UTC –7). In the future, we will run the event every six months to give you the chance to build your legend!
So, let’s make a new PvP game mode together! Your feedback during this beta and initial development phase will be crucial as we refine the Push mode to ensure it meets both our goals and your expectations. While it’s still in its early stages, we’re thrilled about its potential and can’t wait to hear what you think.