A New Era Begins: Exploring Supercell’s Latest Beta Test
A Review of mo.co’s Features and Potential
Today – November 6 – marks the end of Supercell’s latest beta test, which saw its new inter-dimensional monster hunting game, mo.co, enter players’ hands for the first time. And with the trial over, now seems like the perfect moment to discuss the information gathered, what worked about the game and what didn’t, and how exactly Supercell could monetise a PvE game.
A Visual Masterpiece
The first thing that captures your attention upon launching mo.co is its immaculate presentation. The game boasts a beautifully polished artstyle with vibrant and smooth visuals, which adds that classic Supercell pop. The user interfaces are tidy, characters are clear, and it’s easy to follow the action on-screen. Clearly, a lot of love and effort has gone into crafting this game.
Embracing the RPG Genre
mo.co takes a core approach rather than catering to casual gamers. It offers an action RPG experience in its truest sense. Interestingly, this trial comes at a time when mobile gamers are moving away from bite-sized hypercasual games and gravitating towards more traditional gaming experiences. In this regard, mo.co seems to be spot-on.
In terms of gameplay, mo.co features a tried-and-tested progression system with skills and weapons that can be upgraded through resource grinding. Each upgrade requires specific materials and drops, which vary depending on the location. During the beta test, it was observed that defeating high-level monsters did not yield exceptional drops. Typically, high-level monsters hold onto the most precious resources in RPGs. Whether this will change in the full release, if mo.co sees one, remains uncertain.
According to mobile games UA consultant Matej Lančarič, “RPGs are only as good as their itemisation is, so my guess is we haven’t seen all of it yet as for gear mechanics, as farming just materials isn’t really engaging long term.”
Gear and levels play a vital role in defining a player’s character in mo.co. Easy weapon swapping allows players to explore different playstyles, ranging from attacker and defender to healer sets – the quintessential classes in the RPG genre. Ad monetisation specialist Felix Braberg noted that “the weapon also determines if you’re ranged or DPS”.
In online play, the gear a player chooses becomes fundamental, as gamers need to cooperate across different classes to take on the most challenging monsters. During the beta test, it proved difficult to overcome high-level enemies with a team of DPS characters alone. Similarly, a team of healers lacked offensive firepower.
Balance and Synergy are Key
Importantly, gear in the beta has been built around skill and attack power. Defense, on the other hand, primarily relies on a player’s level. Levels increase with EXP, which is earned by completing time-gated missions and challenges. This creates a softcore stamina system where unlimited play is technically possible but becomes less rewarding until new missions activate.
However, for players looking for a casual and fun experience, the game offers zany gameplay options like racing around on a raptor-like Turbo Chicken mount.
One notable feature during the beta test was the absence of matchmaking wait times. Players could seamlessly jump into zones and encounter others who happened to be in the same place at the same time. This created a more authentic representation of world exploration. Stumbling upon someone’s battle-in-progress and swooping in could make players feel like real heroes.
Will mo.co Be a Success?
mo.co, in its current form, is strictly a beta test and not a soft launch. Android users were granted access for this trial period, while an iOS equivalent is expected in January. It remains uncertain how much the game will change before its official release.
During the beta test, there was no visible monetisation. The in-game shop had only two items, which is likely to expand if the game is fully launched. No in-app purchase options were available either. However, players could purchase a three-day mo.co Plus pass using in-game currency. This pass unlocked new missions every two hours (instead of every three) and increased the maximum number of missions a player could accept by five. It provided a significant boost to potential EXP gain and levels. Additionally, the pass granted an extra 50% EXP yield, increased material drops, and a loot magnet to collect items more easily.
In a full release setting, it is possible that this pass will become mo.co’s core monetisation mechanic, available either for real-world money or a substantial amount of in-game currency that can be purchased. Auto-renewing subscriptions have become a popular monetisation model in the gaming industry, and mo.co might follow suit.
While many companies, Supercell included, monetise their games through a competitive PvP focus, mo.co’s beta showed a clear emphasis on PvE content. There was also a closed-off Hunter vs Hunter mode in the beta, likely offering PvP content. However, the extent to which this mode will be a part of the game’s full release is currently unknown. It remains to be seen whether Supercell will take a new PvE direction with mo.co or stick to their standard PvP formula.
Naturally, a beta test builds anticipation, and many content creators have been promoting mo.co to eager fans. The beta not only offered a glimpse of the game but also allowed Android players to provide valuable feedback.
According to Felix Braberg, “This is so heavily a social game that you need that kind of excitement for it.” Matej Lančarič echoed this sentiment, emphasizing that mo.co’s success during Supercell’s testing phase will rely on the engagement and enthusiasm of its player base.
Among the current critiques is the effectiveness of defenders. In the beta, defenders were not as effective in drawing monsters’ attention, resulting in healers and DPS players being targeted instead. The tankiest characters didn’t get to fulfil their intended role of soaking up damage.
The Monetisation Dilemma
The question of mo.co’s primary monetisation method still remains. In-game searches during the beta revealed no signs of a gacha system. The Plus pass was easily attainable with enough resources in the beta. Moreover, if mo.co does not focus on PvP, there won’t be the same incentive for players to get stronger than others.
On the other hand, many RPG fans are willing to spend money to support their guild and contribute towards common goals. The team-oriented raids against challenging monsters in mo.co might prove sufficient to monetise the game. After all, we are talking about a Supercell game.
Now that the beta test is complete, Supercell will undoubtedly dive into the numbers and analyze the results. Soon enough, we will all learn how mo.co has fared.