An Experimental Game Mode Slot

Coming to Predecessor in Patch 1.6, Labs is our new hub for experimental game modes. These modes will rotate periodically, keeping things fresh and allowing us to road-test new ideas with you before committing to the significant work required for more permanent modes or changes to the main game.

How will it work?

In Patch 1.6, Labs will replace Brawl, with Brawl returning later as part of the Labs rotation.

Our plan is to iterate on modes that players enjoy, bringing them back with tweaks and changes over time based on your feedback.

Why are we making this change?

We think that in its current state, Brawl is played primarily because it's the only option for a quicker, lower-commitment alternative to Standard, rather than standing out for its own unique appeal. In truth, we've seen much lower player engagement for Brawl than we'd hoped. More importantly, Brawl seems to have a neutral to negative impact on how well we retain new players, and those who spend time in Brawl rarely make the leap to Standard.

We have some great ideas on how to fix this, but we believe that Brawl needs significant work to get it where we want it to be. For the immediate future, we're prioritising that development time on other exciting new ideas instead.

Will Labs modes be fully-fledged game modes?

Yes! However, they might be a bit rougher around the edges than Standard, as we'll be prioritising fun and experimentation over polish for these modes. Labs game modes are designed to be experimental; sometimes they'll be slightly tweaked versions of existing modes, and sometimes they'll be completely alien and new. We might test out new maps or use familiar maps. It's our way to bring you further into the development process than ever before and show you some of the fun things our team is cooking up!