- PUBG Mobile will be a part of the 2022 Asia Games along with seven other videogame titles
- The game will have a special format featuring target shooting and races
- This is done “in accordance with the sportsmanship and the Olympics vision”
The popular battle royal PUBG Mobile will be featured in this year's Asia Games and will have a special version, where players will race in a triathlon emulation.
PUBG Mobile Will Be Played as a Medal Sport
With eight mobile games grossing more than $1 billion last year, it is clear the past years have seen a huge growth in the world of mobile gaming. Perhaps then it is no wonder that one of these games, PUBG Mobile, is going to be played as a medal sport at the 2022 Asian Games in Hangzhou, China later this September.
However, the catch is that the PUBG game competitors will play at the event is somewhat different from the one everyone else is playing worldwide. A special version of PUBG Mobile is being developed specifically for the Asian Games. Not only that but the rules are vastly changed. Teams will only compete in shooting and racing in PUBG Mobile to decide the winners, according to information from a new Road to Asian Games 2022 website launched by the Asian Esports Federation (AESF).
The AESF is a body recognized by the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) and is responsible for esports in the 2022 Asiad. Its purpose is to select teams from the respective countries for the final competition in China, using the Road to Asian Games program.
What’s the Format?
According to the AESF, each game will have four teams of four players, each competing across multiple stages. Teams will be tasked with shooting targets in each stage, followed by a vehicle drive to the finish line. The competition’s rankings will be decided based on which team reaches the finish line first after completing the shooting missions.
The AESF said that the stages are designed in such a way to emulate modern sports events such as triathlons. “The classic gameplay mixes modern sports events such as triathlons, giving rise to an esports event that corresponds with the sportsmanship–Cross-country Shooting Competition.”
According to South Korea’s Money Today, shooting other competitors will not be permitted in PUBG Mobile at the Asian Games 2022, the reason being concerns it would “harm the harmony” between countries.
“In accordance with the sportsmanship and the Olympics vision, the PUBG Mobile Asian Games version will integrate the iconic gameplay of PUBG Mobile and real-sport game experience,” said PUBG’s publisher Tencent for Dot Esports, “which we hope will bring the most unique excitement for our audience.” With video games becoming more integrated into traditional sports competitions, we might see more specialized versions of games being created. Another game that will have a special version for the Asia Games is Arena of Valor, having its main focus on the game’s “core competitive features”.
