Multiversus has room for everyone in their hype train

Over the years, many “smash killers” have emerged to dethrone the king of the platformer subgenre; Super Smash Bros. However, none have been able to pull it all together to garner a majority of the Smash Bros. player base. However, the latest contender to the throne is a little different. Warner Bros. and Player First Games, Multiversus isn’t just after the Smash player base, it’s becoming a home for players not just in the Smash community and the platform fighter community, but for the entire gaming community at large. The Evo 2022 LAN was proof that it already works.

The $100,000 Evo 2022 open beta multiversus side event had a larger prize pool than any other game in the event and also had more entries than some of the main titles. And when it came to which teams and players were the best, it wasn’t just Smash pros. In fact, there was only one team of prominent Smash Bros. players in the top 8. The rest was filled by all kinds of gaming communities, including Team Fortress 2, Knockout City, Brawhalla, Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl, Rogue Company.

One of the biggest factors why the game has such a wide reach is the ease of access. For any real threat to Smash Bros. to have real impact, it has to be right from the start. The first impression of Multiversus was almost flawless. The game exploded onto the scene thanks to Warner Bros.’ extensive IP library, developer transparency, and fantastic netcode that makes the game feel good to be played online, all of which contributed to Multiversus’ strong start. But most importantly, the game features crossplay across a variety of different platforms – including PC – which James “VoiD” Makekau-Tyson says is a game changer for the genre.

“It’s on the PC, it’s on everything; which makes downloading easier,” explained VoiD. “But honestly, it’s silly, it’s fun and you don’t have to be good to have fun.”

Also, the game did something that many publishers fear; make their game free-to-play. Multiversus’ free-to-play status has undoubtedly helped the game break as many records as possible. Referring to the overwhelming response the game had at Evo 2022, tournament runner-up Tyler “Mirrorman” Morgan said he wasn’t surprised.

“Because it’s free to play and available on multiple consoles, it’s easily the most accessible platformer to come out in a long time,” said Mirrorman.

Mirrorman is a top NASB player but also has a background in TF2, he isn’t the only prominent shooter player on the scene either. Number one for this event was the duo of Leviathan and Synume, two players who weren’t known for platformers before playing Multiversus. Instead, the two made their names in titles like Rogue Company and VALORANT. As a former shooter player, Mirrorman spoke about how such games help with one of Multiversus’ most important skill checks; Communication as the game focuses on 2v2 play. It all just goes to show that anyone from any gaming background can be a pro in Multiversus.

“Communication is something a lot of teams lack, which you might have if you’re playing a high-level FPS or MOBA,” said Spiegelman. “That kind of communication is the best way to make mid-set adjustments.”

The game itself has a lot to offer when it comes to attracting players, but a game is only as good as its community. Knockout City celebrity player Stahly said the community at Evo really hammered that sense of home.

“My experience at Evo was surreal,” Stahly said. “I would love to meet everyone in the community in person, everyone is cool, everyone is cool with each other.”

With Smash Bros. Ultimate in a glorified maintenance mode, the throne room door is open. Multiversus advances to get there; Although the road is long, the game and the community are on the right track.