Live gaming competitions are getting a tool that could make events easier than ever to put together.
Skillz, an esports company that has enabled real-money wagering on mobile games, is introducing a new platform that people can use to quickly organize competitive gaming events. Charities, bars, and other groups can use Skillz’s website to set up the events. You can set these competitions up for fun or for real cash prizes for over 500 select mobile games on iOS and Android. You can also lock the events to a physical location or make them open to anyone online. It also has an invite-only system.
So now, instead of losing terribly in a dart tournament, I can go to my local pub and lose terribly in a tournament for a match-three puzzler like Diamond Strike Showdown. Skillz recently set up just such an event and recorded the results for all to see:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ebn_YdY8lec
In a statement, Skillz chief executive Andrew Paradise said that “Skillz can transform any physical or virtual venue into a competitive arcade.” And he even said that developers can start thinking about partnering with bars and restaurants to drive downloads and player engagement — especially if real money is on the line.
Skillz’s tournament platform is also ideal for livestreaming. The competition page shows live gameplay video from people playing on their phones along with an active leaderboard. It even has an instant-replay feature if the host wants to highlight a big or spectacular play.
This is a new way of looking at esports, and it fits right into line with how Skillz has tried to democratize the pro-gaming movement. While the world’s best players train for hours a day to compete in closed tournaments, anyone can use Skillz to earn some money with their more pedestrian abilities.