Hi-Rez Founder & COO Todd Harris Discusses the Future of Paladins, PPL, Esports and More; Full Q&A

Oh, and there's some hidden
Paladins

Esports and the PPL

Recommended Videos

paladins ppl

Twinfinite: In the world of esports, Paladins made a huge announcement quite recently with the unveiling of the Paladins Premier League. With PPL you’ve decided to follow a format of franchising, something that seems to be a new trend in esports. Why did you decide to go down this path with PPL rather than the more traditional non-franchised route that we’re so accustomed to in esports?

Harris: Our esports principles are always about: 1. community-focus and 2. sustainability.  With Paladins the first year of competitive community tournaments and events like Dreamhack allowed talented players and rosters to emerge from the community. And then came the involvement of top esports organizations, like Fnatic, Navi, Envy, SKGaming etc,  which helps give those players sustainable compensation while players pursue their passion.  We’re thrilled so far that the PPL is economically working for both players and teams who have chosen Paladins.

Twinfinite: How did WESA come to be involved with PPL? Who reached out to the other party first?

Harris: We seek to professionalize esports and WESA is one of the few organizations doing the same thing; while many other organizations are just advancing a single game or single publisher.  We’ve been talking for a while but it became a natural fit with Paladins.

Twinfinite: The other big developers who are bringing franchising to their esports scenes are Riot with the LCS and Blizzard with Overwatch League. With reported buy-in fees in the 10s of millions of dollars, I’m curious about the Paladins franchising format. What are the requirements for a team to buy a spot in PPL?

Harris: I can’t comment on the PPL financials other than to say I’m confident all Paladins Premier League teams will be profitable in year one.  And I’m not sure other leagues will be able to make the same claim; although I hope they are because that way the entire esports industry rises.

Twinfinite: PPL will be streamed exclusively on Facebook, a decision that’s been met with controversy in the community. At the same time though, it does seem that Hi-Rez has an ingrained fan base who are willing to follow your projects wherever they can. Are you at all worried about stunting PPL’s growth by streaming it on Facebook as opposed to a traditional esports platform like Twitch, or do you think viewership will be as good or better on Facebook?

Harris: I’m the opposite of worried.  First off there will be Paladins content on many platforms both traditional and non-traditional.  But regarding the PPL I’m thrilled about the Facebook partnership as it provides a complete path to pro for our PC Paladins players around the world.  This is not about viewership after the first month, this is about viewership after the first year, and I’m pretty sure we’ll be looking back after a year and blown away by the results on Facebook.

Twinfinite: Although PPL is newly launched, the game’s esports scene has been steadily developing since the game’s launch. I wonder, do you have any favourite players or storylines that you’ll be following in PPL or in the Paladins Global Series?

Harris: The Renegades have a great story line. This is a group of players that are wearing pro jerseys due to the community-based Paladins Global Series. The players were talented but fairly unknown and put together a PGS roster under the name Wildstyle.  Wildstyle become competitive with the very top Paladins teams and caught the attention of the Renegades organization who signed them.  In fact, right before the launch of PPL, the Renegades defeated G2, considered to be the best Paladins team worldwide.  So Renegades are now both a Cinderella team and a team to watch in PPL.

Twinfinite: What’s the end goal for Paladins in esports? Do you see Paladins becoming the #1 esport title in the world?

Harris: We’ll settle for top five [laughs]. Of course it is entirely up to the community which games become top esports. Our goal is a really fun team shooter that offers gameplay customization vs playing your hero a single way only.  We think this in-game strategy element is interesting for players and spectators alike, and ultimately the viewers will decide.

Paladins Founder’s Pack Giveaway!: APFP05E9FF4470807


Twinfinite is supported by our audience. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn a small affiliate commission. Learn more
related content
Read Article 15 Most Popular Esports Games in 2024
Most popular esport LoL World Championship
Read Article Shroud Is Making a Survival Game With Splash Damage; Here’s Everything We Know 
Shroud Is Making a Survival Game With Splash Damage; Here's Everything We Know 
Read Article Valorant Champions Is Coming to the U.S as Riot Games Announces Finals Location
Valorant Champions 2023 location revealed
Related Content
Read Article 15 Most Popular Esports Games in 2024
Most popular esport LoL World Championship
Read Article Shroud Is Making a Survival Game With Splash Damage; Here’s Everything We Know 
Shroud Is Making a Survival Game With Splash Damage; Here's Everything We Know 
Read Article Valorant Champions Is Coming to the U.S as Riot Games Announces Finals Location
Valorant Champions 2023 location revealed
Author
Chris Jecks
Chris Jecks has been covering the games industry for over eight years. He typically covers new releases, FIFA, Fortnite, any good shooters, and loves nothing more than a good Pro Clubs session with the lads. Chris has a History degree from the University of Central Lancashire. He spends his days eagerly awaiting the release of BioShock 4.