Finnish game studio Critical Force has announced that their mobile FPS (first person shooter) game Critical Ops will soon be brought out of soft launch as they attempt to capture the mobile esports market.
The free-to-play mobile game is fast approaching the 10 million download mark across iOS and Android platforms in just the soft launch phase.
The product is a creation of Critical Force, the company that won “Best Finnish Game Developer of the Year” and received €4,000,000 (~£3,437,000) funding from South Korea. The company founder Veli-Pekka Piirainen said “I strongly believe that with Critical Ops, we will have a great chance if making a big impact on the whole of the esports market”.
With great titles such as Vainglory already making a mark on the esports scene, it’s unsurprising that other companies are looking to tap in to the mobile market.
“Critical Ops doesn’t require expensive computer gear and accessories. A smartphone and an internet connection is all that is required whether mobile eSports is played professionally and globally for money prizes or for the bragging rights”
They’ve already revealed a partnership with ESL Gaming, with hundred of teams already competing in tournaments such as the ESL Mobcrush Cup – details here.
Esports Insider says: there’s not been too many games that have properly managed to break into the mobile esports space, but the numbers already look incredibly impressive on Critical Ops. They have 300,000 daily active users already and if that can be harnessed into a competitive scene it may well blossom. It will be interesting to judge the demographic of the players and where the competitive interest comes from in coming weeks and months.