A new, free-to-play fighting game from Warner Bros. has turned heads with its frenetic two-on-two gameplay. Now, competitors in Eugene say it could bring teamwork to a scene dominated by singles.

“MultiVersus” places characters like Batman, Bugs Bunny and Lebron James into a multiplayer brawler, as players knock each other off of platforms for points. It is similar to the Super Smash Bros. Franchise, Nintendo’s party blockbuster and longstanding esport.

The game is available on Playstation, Xbox and PC. Since launching in late July, it has garnered millions of players who can match against each other online. It has also drawn international competitive intrigue, appearing at EVO 2022, a premier fighting game tournament.

“This is the might of Warner Bros. Interactive,” tournament organizer and UO student Aidan Morgan, who uses the tag “Manticore,” said. “The money is there. And the game has potential.”

Morgan organizes Duck Hunt, Eugene’s largest weekly Super Smash Bros. tournament. UO’s Smash Club hosts it at the EMU, and they have experimented with various platform fighter titles. Morgan plans to feature “MultiVersus” when brackets return this fall. 

Morgan said the game, unlike Super Smash Bros., is poorly suited to one-versus-one  competition. Strong evasive techniques make it awkward to hit opponents without the flurry of four players, and characters have mechanics designed explicitly to assist teammates.

“In doubles, though, it really shines,” Morgan said. “The lack of hit responsiveness is made up for by the chaos.”

Morgan has run doubles brackets for Super Smash Bros, but he said they are difficult to organize with players scrambling to form teams. He said “MultiVersus” may facilitate a change in player priorities, leading to the development of ongoing partnerships.

“It’s trying to bring back something in the competitive scene that hasn’t been seen for a while,” he said, drawing comparisons to the famous doubles partners of early Super Smash Bros. Competitions.

Morgan prefers doubles. He said teaming up with another person can be rewarding, in and out of the game.

“You are getting to work with someone else so you can cover your weaknesses,” he said. “And you have something to fight for other than your own personal pride.”

Jordan “Draymondstreamz” Williams is a top Duck Hunt attendee and an avid doubles player. He and his partner practice precise team combos for tournament matches, he said.

“I played basketball my entire life, and there’s just something cool about working together to achieve something,” he said. “I’m more motivated by a team than internally.”

Williams said “MultiVersus” has flaws, including a wonky camera, overpowered characters and difficult-to-read attack animations. Nonetheless, he thinks the game could become a great competitive experience with further development. 

Micah “Mocha” Evans is one of Williams’ previous doubles partners. He said the developers have shown commitment to building an esport, even funding prize pools for EVO 2022. The game is being continuously updated with new characters, stages and balancing.

“A lot of people have seen that the developers and Warner Bros. are willing to put in the love and attention into this game, along with supporting the competitive scene,” Williams said.

Evans said “MultiVersus” is at a disadvantage with casual spectators, who will be less familiar with it than with Super Smash Bros., which many grew up playing. But he said the more experience a player gets, the more the chaos starts to make sense.
Duck Hunt’s weekly tournaments will return to UO when classes resume this fall. Updates can be found through the UO Smash Club Discord.