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Free Fire MAX has made quite a splash in the Indian mobile esports market. Many in the industry find it to be a natural evolution of Garena’s incredibly popular battle royale.
However, Free Fire MAX is still very new, and many market leaders feel that the title, while it has incredible potential, is not esports-ready just yet.
Mr. Vishwalok Nath, director of the World Esports Cup too, has voiced some concerns about the current competitive state of Free Fire MAX. And in an exclusive conversation with Abhishek Mallick of Sportskeeda Esports, he opened up about the title’s future and what he feels its impact will be on the Indian mobile esports ecosystem as it stands today.
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He also talked about his upcoming event, the World Esports Cup, and the importance of regional representation in a game like Free Fire.
Here is an excerpt of the conversation.
Q. From the Esports Premier League to the World Esports Cup, talk to us a bit about the transition that occurred. What changed during this phase in terms of format, prize pool, and player participation?
Vishwalok Nath: The obvious thing that has changed from the Esports Premier League (ESPL) to the World Esports Cup (WEC) is the tournament’s scale. While ESPL was an all-India affair, WEC expands to reach most of the South Asian subcontinent.
This increased scale means a larger prize pool with a much bigger stage for esports players and teams to showcase their talent. Given the increased scope and prize pool, worth ₹75,00,000 ($1,00,000), we expect more players to participate in the tournament.
Diving into specifics, format-wise, WEC will only have Battle Royale matches, unlike ESPL, which also included the Clash Squad format. ESPL had eight teams in the final stage, while WEC will have four teams from each country in the ultimate stage.
Other aspects like the invitational and group stages of the competition remain similar.
Q. Garena’s Free Fire has been the go-to title for you during ESPL, and it would seem that WEC will be following suit. Why was Free Fire mainly chosen again for this event?
Vishwalok Nath: Free Fire is one of the most downloaded smartphone games around the globe. Considering its popularity and reach, it is evident for us to bring it back for a tournament that will happen on an international scale.
Garena is a capable partner that has proven experience in conducting tournaments of this reach and engagement. The experience will aid us in creating this new platform for gamers and the South Asian esports community.
Q. Regional representation in big tournaments is something that the South Asian Free Fire community readily looks forward to. After hosting an IPL-style format for the ESPL, the WEC 2021 will look to boast a tri-nation esports tournament between gamers from Pakistan, India, and Nepal. Talk to us a bit about some of the thought processes that went behind this format?
Vishwalok Nath: India Today Gaming has a mission of serving the gaming and esports community. After the highly positive response for ESPL 2021, WEC was a natural progression.
We envision creating a genuinely global esports tournament with WEC in the future. The first edition is just the beginning of the creation of this platform for gamers.
Q. The World Esports Cup will be seeing a massive prize pool of $100k which is approximately ₹75 lakhs, one of the biggest prize pools for Free Fire by any third-party organizer. What were some of the decisive factors that went behind choosing this sum?
Vishwalok Nath: The primary motivation behind the scale of the prize pool and WEC, in general, was the response from the gaming community regarding ESPL 2021. Given the massive response from Free Fire players and fans, it was only logical to take things to the next level.
I want to take this opportunity to thank the Free Fire gaming community in India again for their fantastic response and support for ESPL 2021. A healthy fan base and support system is the entire foundation for all new and upcoming gaming tournaments.
Q. Infinix Smartphones will be the Title Sponsors for the event once it officially kicks off. Tell us a bit about the partnership and the role that the mobile brand will be playing in the tournament.
Vishwalok Nath: Infinix Mobiles has been the perfect partner and supporter that one could ask for while creating a new platform for the gaming community in the country. We are thrilled that this partnership will extend into the second tournament in 2021.
As part of WEC, we will also organize Infinix League to target Free Fire and Infinix fans. The company has been an ever-ready champion in supporting the gaming community with the latest technology in their products while offering them a chance to exhibit their skills and talent on various levels.
Q. With Free Fire MAX getting its official launch a couple of weeks ago, what are your thoughts on the game so far? How well do you think it will translate into the Indian mobile esports market in the long run?
Vishwalok Nath: Free Fire MAX is an impressive evolution of the battle royale title that was Free Fire. Garena has brought some excellent improvements to the game, including gameplay improvements, graphics, and more that will help attract more players.
Free Fire MAX is a step in the right direction as an increasing number of gamers are demanding higher-quality games in the mainstream.
Q. From the competitive, or rather the esports aspect, where do you think Free Fire MAX stands today? Do you feel that higher graphics present accessibility issues that can eventually hamper the professional scene even with the presence of Firelink cross-play?
Vishwalok Nath: Free Fire MAX is yet to break into the esports side of things. Garena would be more equipped to answer the technical aspect of MAX when it comes to esports. However, we do not think the higher quality graphics would hamper or impact the Free Fire MAX esports aspect.
Q. Will the WEC eventually move on to Free Fire MAX down the line?
Vishwalok Nath: It is too early to confirm this as Free Fire MAX is not ready for esports tournaments right now. We will keep monitoring the growth of the game for possible inclusion in future India Today Gaming tournaments. Rest, we will continue our quest to serve a larger set of gamers in the next edition of WEC.
Q. What would you say are some of the biggest challenges facing the Indian Free Fire esports and content creation scene today?
Vishwalok Nath: I think the Indian Free Fire esports and content creation scenes still lack the formal legitimacy and support those traditional sports enjoy. Though we have broken new ground with ESPL 2021, as outlined in the past, it is just the start of a long journey for us to help the gaming community.
India Today Gaming is committed to helping the esports and content creation community achieve mainstream acceptance and support.
Q. What are your expectations for the WEC in terms of player participation across three regions, streaming numbers, and sponsorship deals?
Vishwalok Nath: Considering the experience with ESPL 2021, we are optimistic about support from the Free Fire fanbase and esports community when it comes to the three countries, the streaming numbers, and sponsorships. We would advise you to wait and watch when it comes to the scale of things during the upcoming tournament.
Check out the latest Free Fire MAX redeem codes here.
