Team Liquid Partners With Illuvium to Support Auto Battler Illuvium: Arena

Team Liquid partners with Illuvium. Credit: Illuvium

International esports and gaming company Team Liquid announced Wednesday that it is collaborating with blockchain-based game developer Illuvium on its new competitive Auto Battler game, Illuvium: Arena. The game, which is available on PC in “early access,” has been in development for more than three years and is part of a broader, blockchain gaming platform called Illuvium that features multiple interconnected game titles. The game(s) also utilize “ILV,” a token associated with Illuvium—ILV is described as “an ERC20 token on the Ethereum blockchain,” according to the company’s official website.

Financial terms of this new partnership were not disclosed.

Under the terms of this partnership, Team Liquid will help Illuvium test and refine the game’s competitive online game modes. Team Liquid content creators and players—who have expertise in similar games such as TeamFight Tactics, Hearthstone, and League of Legends—will promote the game and help implement improvements through feedback. Those content creators include streamers Midbeast, SnoodyBoo, Broxah and several other Team Liquid-affiliated talents. 

The goal of this collaboration is also to “change the perception among gamers that blockchain games fall short of the quality and allure of traditional AAA titles.”

“We’ve been very impressed with the quality of Illuvium: Arena so far,” said Victor Goossens, founder and co-CEO of Team Liquid. “Aside from the attention to detail that they’ve given to building their game world, their commitment to its competitive mode makes us confident that this will be a game that rewards skill and strategy. This is a unique project where both sides benefit from the other’s expertise, and we’re excited to start testing all that the game has to offer.”

Illuvium claims that it offers an “interconnected gaming experience, seamlessly blending three distinct genres into a single, cohesive universe” through several games including Illuvium: Zero, an industrial city-building game where you produce fuel resources for use in another game called Illuvium: Overworld. Overworld is an open-world adventure game, where you collect additional resources using fuel to engage in activities such as “travel, capture, crafting, and forging.” Assets collected in Overworld are then used in Illuvium: Arena, described by its developers as a cross between “ Pokemon and TeamFight Tactics.” 

In addition to promoting the Arena PVP modes, Team Liquid-themed digital collectibles called “Illuvitars” will be released starting Dec. 12. Team Liquid broadcasts will begin on Thursday.