Credit: Super Evil Megacorp
- Vainglory will no longer see an esports push from its developer, Super Evil Megacorp, according to a blog post.
- The studio will instead focus on further development of the game, and encourage and support community-led esports efforts instead.
- CEO Kristian Segerstrale told The Esports Observer in February that 2018 was “a painful year of adjustment” as the studio tried to shift its esports approach.
Vainglory 
developer Super Evil Megacorp has confirmed via a blog post that it no longer plans to take an active role in the mobile MOBA’s esports scene.
The post details the changing tides of interest and focus for the studio, as it went from building tools to support a budding community scene to operating a full-fledged league with major organizations (such as Cloud9 and G2 Esports ) and international events. Last year, however, Super Evil Megacorp turned to third-parties to operate esports events as it sought to refocus its efforts on ongoing development of the game itself.
“Esports is something that we’re hugely passionate about, but the sacrifices we had to make at the time to keep it afloat weren’t worth the results,” reads the post from Super Evil Megacorp’s Ciarnan Lowe. “Our changing strategy has meant we have had to take a more supportive role in esports, allowing our partners and community (we see you EPL!) to take the leading role when it comes to organization.”
We will continue to support esports initiatives when they present themselves, but the mainstay of our focus will always be on the development of rich and engaging gaming experiences such as Vainglory itself,” the post continues.
Related Article: Super Evil Megacorp CEO on Vainglory’s PC Launch Following ‘Painful Year of Adjustment’ in Esports
Vainglory was expected to see a larger esports push in 2018 following the release of its more complex 5v5 mode (an upgrade from 3v3), but difficulties in making the transition to third-party partners led to a very quiet year for the once-growing competitive scene. Nearly all of the organizations that had fielded Vainglory teams exited.
In February, Super Evil Megacorp CEO Kristian Segerstrale told The Esports Observer that 2018 marked “a painful year of adjustment” for the studio and its esports efforts. At the time, he said that his team hoped to bring Vainglory esports back to the point of having an ongoing league and steady high-level competition, but that Super Evil Megacorp would “take it one step at a time” following the release of a PC and Mac version of the game.
Super Evil Megacorp had no further comment or additional information on its Vainglory esports decisions when asked by The Esports Observer.
