Laser League Blasts into Xbox Game Pass Today
As a developer, Roll7 has always been dedicated to creating games that are simple to pick up and play, but we want to make games that have a deep amount of potential for skillful play.
As a small developer based in London, UK, this year happens to be our 10th anniversary, so we’ve come a long way! We were first on Xbox One with our skateboarding title OlliOlli (currently available with Xbox Game Pass). A couple of years back we also launched side-scrolling cover shooter Not A Hero on Xbox One.
With Laser League we wanted to take this to a different level, not only visually (Laser League is our first 3D game), we also wanted to allow our players to pit their skills against each other!
Like all Roll7 games, Laser League’s initial prototype was a simple 2D game, with lines and squares. Even at this point we knew it was addictive and fun, but unlike OlliOlli, we didn’t want to rest on just having tight gameplay, we wanted to make something that looked visually exciting, and something that you could play with friends that couldn’t make it over to your sofa!
It’s taken five years since that first prototype, and 2.5 years of full-time development to finish our vision for Laser League. It’s the most ambitious project that the studio has ever made, both visually and technically.
Playing Laser League
Laser League is the light speed contact sport of the year 2150 where two teams go head-to-head in an arena of deadly laser walls, using the environment and their abilities to eliminate the opposition. Teams are made up of any combination of six different classes, ranging from super deadly Blade to the more supportive and tactical Thief.
The pitches themselves are a variety of different patterns of geometric laser walls — activate the walls in your team’s color to eliminate the opposition and rise to victory.
While the early-game is very much about just dodging enemy lasers and activating some of your own, Laser League is based on teamwork, strategy, and twitch skill. Learning the patterns, working together with your teammates, and mastering your class’ playstyle are all essential to becoming a good player.
Matches are split into best of three rounds, with a Timeout at the end of each round. At this point the currently losing team can change their loadouts. This is a key tactical element of the game, giving the losing team a small advantage to counter their opponents in the next round.
How to be a Good Laser League Player
Everyone’s a Medic
Reviving teammates is the most important thing to do in Laser League. If all your team is eliminated, you lose the point, so if a teammate is eliminated you need to get them back in the game ASAP! Think of the other players on your team as extra lives. If you’re the last one left, there’s no one to bring you back when you mess up. Always prioritize revival over anything else… but don’t risk your life in the process!
Dominate
While Blade and Snipe class can eliminate a whole team on their own, statistically most points are won by the team that controls the most lasers, not the team with the most attacking class players. Regardless of whether you’re playing an attack or support class, your most important job is to turn lasers on and keep control of the pitch!
Wrappers Delight
Master the art of wall wrapping! Running off the left of the pitch teleports you to the right. Often the fastest route to activate a laser or revive a teammate is not to run directly across the pitch, but to teleport through a wall. It’s not just faster, teleporting makes it harder for your opponents to keep track of your position.
Don’t Get to Attached
Sometimes you’re going to need to change your class (and your role on the team) in the middle of the match, so don’t get too attached to one class too much. If you always play Blade, mix it up and go Thief sometimes. It’s important to have a varied team and being able to play more than one class effectively will make you a valuable member of your team!
You Have the Power!
Power-ups in Laser League have the ability to drastically change the outcome of a match, but collecting a power-up will not always be beneficial to your team. Take some time to learn the effects of the powerups and pay attention to what happens when they’re activated. If you’re controlling all the lasers on the pitch, you don’t want to collect a powerup that turns them all off!
Ready for Launch
We’re proud of what we’ve created and looking forward to sharing it with you now that Laser League has launched, available now through Xbox Game Pass and the Microsoft Store. We’ve got additional content planned not long after launch that will see the arrival of new stadiums, maps and content, as well as a DLC dropping soon after launch. Thanks for reading and we look forward to seeing you in game!