Roller Champion arrives on PS4 (and thanks to the backwards compatibility on PS5) on May 25, offering fast free-to-play competitive matches where you can take on the glory of sports legend. The action of the skating rink is based on three simple rules: Hold the ball, spin while maintaining possession, and score!
To better understand the game, its origins, and gameplay preferences, we spoke with Gauthier Malou, Creative Director of Roller Champions.
You start as a gladiator
“Mixing rollers is at the core of Champions,” says Malo, and this is especially true when it comes to its origins, which combine distant stimuli like arcade games and a dystopian movie of the 1970s. Before the Roller Champions, Malo was part of a small Ubisoft team that had two tasks: creating free games for mobile phones and keeping an eye on the market for trends. At this point, his team noticed that “the market is moving more and more towards interaction between players, spectators and organizers,” he recalled, citing examples such as Twitch and Sports competitions.
“Streamer is like a Roman emperor who has to entertain the crowd, and the more fun it is to watch the game, the more viewers will ask Streimer to play the game again,” said Malo. So in the beginning we thought of a classic gladiator game with swords. “
But the team wanted to approach the concept from a unique perspective, and there was a moment of Malo’s inspiration: Rollerball, one of his favorite films of the 1970s. The film depicts a dystopian world where societies have taken control and created shows to satisfy the masses and it is violent and dark, but it does not attract us.
“The film had gladiators on skates in a circular arena like Ben-Hur, it’s a real method,” he says. “Skates are based on physics and inertia. They’ve given us a fun game system where we can push ourselves and fall into each other.”
Of course, the colorful and dynamic roller coasters have no resemblance to the dark and cruel world of rollerball. Instead, the team began building a prototype on an ice rink that kept the competition fun and inclusive at the play center.
Combining football, basketball, handball, roller derby and a handful of other sports, the team has created a whole new game. With no guns, cars or power challenges, Malo explains that Roller Champions is a “non-gendered game, it’s not full of testosterone and it’s ultra-modern, because skates are an environmentally friendly way to get back to concrete cities.”
But competition is still a key part of the game. “We have always believed in the power that comes from conflict. It’s part of us, we’re competitors, “said Malo. “And to clash with positive values and fair play, we’ve created a game.”
To play as much as fun to watch
While working on the details of this new game, the team had a clear central guideline: the game should be as fun to watch as possible, and those who are ignorant of the rules of the game should be able to enjoy it. Action too.
During development, Malo found innovative ways to verify that the game was on the right track. “I showed a game to my mom who didn’t even know what the game was,” she says He commented, ‘Oh, he’s good because he flips back and lands well. Ah, he’s not capable because he fell to the ground. ‘ He was able to enjoy the game without knowing the rules. “
Features of the game such as being instantly accessible, understandable and fun are important not only for the game system, but also for the game for free. Malo notes that roller champions may seem complicated at first – the game has a whole new game and players need to learn everything.
“Our strengths, though,” he says, “are the immediate fun once you pick the controller to try.” A price barrier, Malo says, but being free means “trying to accept it.”
While the game is instantly understandable and fun, that doesn’t mean it’s easy. The basic idea of catching the ball, rotating it and scoring is extended by the rice which can be combined to create indexable probability.
“The one that has added a lot of diversity is the combo aspect,” says Malo. “Kick as soon as you jump, jump again while in the air, double dodge, pass if you fall.”
The same concept of combos is also valid for multiple game modes that the team is testing. “Hot potatoes, for example,” says Malo. “It’s the same game, but if you don’t pass the ball in five seconds, it will go to you. And that game mode can be combined perfectly with 2-on-2 game mode.
“Every time we add more game modes, the number of possible combinations will increase rapidly,” Malo said.
Le Superstar
While the development team is experimenting with other combinations, the original game mode will always be 3-on-3. “We want the players to feel like superstars so that everyone has a chance to shine, have a moment of glory, be encouraged and rejoice,” said Malo. We are limiting the number of players as much as possible. “
To emphasize the idea that players are celebrities, there is no class in the game – everyone has the same equipment and the same possibilities. “It’s up to the players to have their stories and skills,” Malo notes, “so if you want a good defender in your team, you have to hire a player who is a good defender.
Map design is another game choice that focuses on the players. “The game doesn’t have a big map with hundreds of players. Instead, it’s very close, “said Mallo. To add to the small size effect, the map is fully visible: the central wall is transparent to keep the viewer’s attention always on the sample.
To ensure that viewers share the same experience, the team minimizes the number of thematic elements of the game as much as possible. For example, players will not see the enemy team in red – the teams are neutral colors, yellow and blue. By eliminating this element of adversity, the development team can be sure that the spectators appreciate the skills of the players more than the team fights.
“It’s designed to let viewers see the same thing, because they share the same experience,” Malo said. “There’s a sense of community because they’re all talking about the same thing at the same time.”
Roller Champions was released for free on PS4 on May 25th and is eligible to play on PS5 for backwards compatibility. Lace up your skates and get ready to roll glory – stardom awaits!
