In terms of offering the full (and lengthy) MOBA experience on mobile, Super Evil Megacorp’s Vainglory (Free) has done a pretty good job in succeeding in that endeavor. However, there has always been a desire for shorter, more “mobile-friendly" battles, which is why Vainglory added both Blitz and Battle Royale over the last year or so. With Version 2.5, those shorter battle modes are being significantly overhauled with the introduction of talents.
Talents are special boosts that can be applied to heroes in Vainglory’s brawl (i.e. Blitz and Battle Royal) modes that upgrade and change heroes and their moves in a variety of different ways. Talents are divided into Rare, Epic and Legendary Talents that can be purchased or earned through quests and chests. Players can take one talent into battle with them at any time, and they’re locked into that talent for the duration of the match.
Considering that talents can be earned via chests (which can be bought via premium currency), this is the first time that Vainglory has adopted a situation where players can spend money to outfit and significantly upgrade their heroes by simply paying for premium currency. In order to combat the potential stigma of pay-to-win, talents are restricted to the shorter, more “informal" modes, leaving the classic MOBA game modes untouched for the eGames scene. Still, for folks that enjoy Blitz or Battle Royal, there will most likely be some pressure to make sure that you have the best talents available for your favorite heroes in order to stay on an equal field of play. Personally, I don’t have an issue with the talent system as it is, since Vainglory’s brawl modes weren’t exactly the pinnacle of competitive play to begin with. It also potentially adds a ton of replaybility to a game that needs it.
In addition to the inclusion of talents, Version 2.5 also includes the requisite balance checks, as well as new skins for Lance, Alpha, Kestrel, and Grumpjaw. Full release notes (as well as an additional explanation on talents) can be found here.
