Although eSports might be dominated by a few big names right now, particularly shooters like the Call of Duty series, as indicated by Activision’s push for the Call of Duty Championship — or competitive MOBA (Multiplayer Online Battle Arena) like League of Legends, DOTA 2 and the recently released Heroes of the Storm. But there’s always room for more, which is where “oddball” like Orcs Must Die Unchained! (OMDU) fits in.
Produced by Robot Entertainment, Orcs Must Die Unchained! is hitting the eSports scene with its particular brand of cartoon comedy that combines competitive team-based MOBA (Multiplayer Online Battle Arena) gameplay with trap-setting tower-defense. Players must destroy the enemy’s fortress, all while keeping their own protected using either direct combat or by setting traps, which include spiked walls, lava pits, and a variety of other spectacular and blood-splattering tools.
[a]listdaily caught up with Ross Borden, the newly appointed chief publishing officer for Robot Entertainment. “Robot is already an amazing studio with talented developers and a track record of critical successes like Orcs Must Die and Hero Academy,” said Ross, discussing his role in the company. “My focus is on combining best in-class service, community and analytics in order to truly understand and delight our customers.”
The game is currently in beta on PC, and will eventually release for PlayStation 4, but doesn’t have a specific release date for either yet. Borden stated that progress on it is moving along swimmingly. “The team has been busy making huge progress over the recent months. I can’t wait for gamers to play it, including millions that bought and loved the previous games.”
The previous game, Orcs Must Die! 2, focused heavily on two-player cooperation, which gained the series its following. While OMDU introduces a team-based competitive multiplayer, making it perfect for competitive eSports, it’s entering into a very crowded area. However, Borden remains confident, mainly due to the game’s team vs. team nature. “It has a robust competitive mode, which we think complements our cooperative (PvE) mode really well,” he explained. “eSports will become more significant post-launch.”
As for the nature of eSports itself, Borden believes it will continue to be on the rise. “eSports is huge and it will only continue to grow,” he explained. “Entire ecosystems are forming around it, including fantasy sports and betting. Prizes and recognition will continue to motivate gamers to get involved. So it’s a major factor to consider for anyone making competitive games.”
Marketing will also play a big part in the game, as the cartoonish level of violence and multiplayer antics may appeal to both professional and casual players. “This game will be really fun to market,” Borden explained. “I am confident that we will effectively cut through the competitive noise by leveraging OMD’s signature humor together with its reputation for being one of the best action tower defense franchises in the world.”
“I remember my initial reaction four years ago when I heard about the new game called Orcs Must Die!. First I laughed — I guess you kill Orcs — and then I bought it and loved it. I hope that gamers react that way to our marketing!”
