The battle royale genre is a type of video game that typically involves a set number of players dropped onto a shrinking map, where they must fight to be the last person or team standing. The genre is characterized by its competitive, last-man-standing gameplay, where players must use their skills and strategy to survive.
The Battle Royale genre originated after a Japanese film called Battle Royale, released in 2000, which depicted a dystopian future where high school students are forced to fight to the death on an isolated island. The film gained a cult following, and its themes of survival and elimination inspired the development of the first battle royale game. The film can be streamed on Amazon Prime Video in India.
Popular Battle Royale Games
One of the earliest Battle Royale style games was “The Hunger Games: Girl on Fire,” which was released for iOS in 2012. However, it was not until the release of “PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds Mobile” (PUBGM) in 2017 that the battle royale genre became a mainstream phenomenon in the gaming world.
In PUBG, players are dropped onto a large island with up to 100 players, and they must scavenge for weapons and equipment while fighting to be the last person or squad standing.
Other popular battle royale games include Fortnite, Apex Legends, Call of Duty: Warzone, and Garena’s Free Fire. These games have their own unique gameplay mechanics and features, but they all share the common theme of last-man-standing gameplay. The genre has become a significant part of the gaming industry, and it continues to evolve with new games and innovations.
Battle royale games received ire in India due to the addictive nature and links with China amid allegations of data theft. PUBG, it’s Indian variant BGMI and Free Fire have been banned in India due to data security concerns.
Esports tournaments and leagues have emerged for games like Fortnite, PUBG, and Apex Legends, where players compete in organized matches to determine the best teams or players. Battle royale genre games are also part of multinational multi-sports events like the Asian Games.
While battle royale games have faced some criticism in the esports community for their random elements and reliance on luck, they continue to attract a significant audience and are expected to remain a significant part of the esports landscape in coming years.