10 Years of Mobalytics: Reflecting on the Journey and What Comes Next

It’s been 10 years since we launched at TechCrunch, and honestly, looking back at it today is a completely surreal experience.

Back then, I was a postdoc who had just finished his research and was transitioning into an engineering position in our human physiology lab. I was completely obsessed with human performance. It didn't matter the discipline—I studied top-of-their-field medical professionals, basketball players, mountains climbers, airforce pilots and competitive gamers.

Naturally, I started working on a side project. Then another side project. One of those projects was Mobalytics, and before I even realized what was happening, it turned into its own massive entity.

Looking back now, I think that was part of the magic. We did it purely for the love of it. The result was born naturally out of passion, rather than us focusing strictly on an end goal and working backward. In today's hyper-data-driven world, trying to reverse-engineer success is a modern pitfall a lot of us fall into. 

The first iteration of Mobalytics as presented at TechCrunch 2016

When this journey started, I just wanted to build a really cool way to analyze how good players were and compare them.I wanted to take everything I learned about people being great at something and pass that on to the average person who wanted to play better, just like I did!

This Mobalytics Dev Blog is written by Amine "Uthgar" Issa.

This journey has been incredibly meaningful to me because of the sheer number of people it has allowed me to connect with, meet, and be influenced by.

We’ve built an ecosystem where we just get to talk about games all day with people who love them. I am deeply grateful to have so many of these incredible people in the company as comrades and friends.

Because of this journey, I've gotten to connect with fellow dads just trying to find a few moments to play, League of Legends players desperately trying to finally break out of their rank, professional players at the top of their game, and fellow creators building amazing products in the gaming space.

The gaming industry has changed drastically since we first started. Even the mediums surrounding it—like Reddit and Discord—aren't what they used to be. Part of the changes in these ecosystems are due to the rapid progression of AI technology, but it’s not just the ecosystem that changed; my own life has changed completely, too. It’s wild and unpredictable to see how our personal growth interacts with the shifting gaming world.

As a dad now, I have a lot more responsibilities. I still love the same competitive games I used to, but I've realized I just can't commit the hours required to be good at them anymore. I find myself falling back on much more chill games, or at least finding more relaxed ways to play the games I've always loved.

When I started this journey, I had been a huge Destiny player for ages, and now it's winding down. I logged in today for the first time since the last expansion, and it brought back memories of waking up at 3 am to raid Crota’s End with my friends across the ocean.

On the other side of the fence, I had played even more World of Warcraft than Destiny, and it's still going strong. Not only have I tried the latest expansion, but lately, I've been diving into WoW Classic, which has been a crazy, nostalgic trip.

No matter what, I’m always going to be that guy who loves every type of game and will play anything if I have the time.

The most important thing to celebrate in this 10-year milestone is our audience. Without you guys, there is no validation for this dream.

Without all of the people using Mobalytics day in and day out, what we built simply wouldn't exist. It would just be floating out there in the background, and neither I nor anyone on our team would get the privilege to work on such cool stuff every day.

One of the biggest dreams we’ve always had was to make Mobalytics a home for all gamers no matter what type of games they play and how they play them. To celebrate this milestone year, we are officially launching two massive, new universal features:

1. The Multi-Game Profile

First up is the Multi-Game Profile, which we internally call the “MGP”. 

Ever since we started expanding beyond League of Legends, we’ve been thinking about how to serve our community members who love to hop between games.

The MGP is a centralized place where you can easily showcase your skills across the board. It provides a bird’s-eye view of all the Mobalytics games that you play, with info like your rank, builds, tier lists, and more.

If you’re an achiever who climbs to the highest ranks of every game you play, this will be an easy way to show off your accomplishments in one easy screenshot!

Over time, we want this to become a true home base for you and somewhere you’re proud to show off to friends and foes. 

So, we’re introducing ways to express yourself with cosmetics that you can unlock from the other major feature we’re about to reveal below, as well as other methods that we’re keeping a secret for now.

2. The Reward Pass

Our final reveal is another universal feature, the Reward Pass! As a thank you and in celebration of our 10 years, we wanted to reward our community for just using our product. 

It’s incredibly simple: just play the games you already love, and you can unlock cool stuff like Mobalytics Plus, cosmetics for your Profile, and even IRL rewards. You don't have to change a thing about how you play—just turn it on, gain XP for playing and completing Challenges, and make progress. 

The cosmetics are all made by hand by our team of artists. They’ll be a love letter to gaming with plenty of easter eggs that many of you will recognize, and we’ll be experimenting with different styles over time. Let us know what you like!

The Reward Pass will only be available to the USA to start, and we're kicking off with LoL, TFT, VALO, and PoE2 as they all have APIs that we can connect directly to and prevent cheating. 

We’re planning to add more games and supported regions ASAP, so thank you for your patience if you aren’t able to try it early on. To learn more, check out our FAQ below.

Thank you for an incredible 10 years. We're just getting started.

Why isn’t the Reward Pass available in my region?

The Reward Pass is currently available only in the USA, but we plan to expand to more regions over time. Stay tuned!

How come I can only progress by playing LoL/TFT/PoE 2/VALO?

To prevent cheating, we are prioritizing Mobalytics-supported games that have reputable developer APIs. This gives us a verifiable source of truth to ensure experience and challenges are completed.

Over time, we will expand the number of games and Challenges available to progress the Reward Pass

How long does it take to receive my IRL prizes?

Upon unlocking and claiming an IRL prize, a code will be sent to your email. This can take a few minutes, but it should happen relatively quickly.

What is a Premium Reward Pass?

The Premium Reward Pass is a $9.99 purchase that grants immediate access an enhanced track that includes Guaranteed Prize Choices and Premium-only rewards.

If I buy Premium Pass later, will I get the rewards I already passed?

Correct! If you decide to get Premium Pass after making progress, you will retroactively unlock the prizes from previously completed levels.

Can I gift a Premium Reward Pass to someone?

Gifting is not available for this version of the pass, but we’ll be adding the option in the near future!

How do I gain XP? What determines how many points I earn?

You can gain XP to progress the Reward Pass by simply playing any of the supported titles (LoL, TFT, VALORANT, or PoE 2).

To increase the amount of XP you earn, you can complete Challenges, win games (they’re worth more XP than losses), or activate a Booster.

Does XP carry over or reset between passes?

XP only applies to your active Reward Pass. Once the duration of the Reward Pass ends, you will no longer be able to progress it, and XP does not carry over to your next pass.

Does the Reward Pass track games if I switch to a smurf/alt?

The Reward Pass progression is tied to the accounts synchronized through Riot Games, Grinding Gear Games, and other publishers. You can unlink and sync a new account in your Settings under Connections.

Are the cosmetics made by AI?

All cosmetics unlocked from chests (Avatars, Frames, Backgrounds, and Plates) are created by our team of artists. 

These assets are crafted by humans and are not generated with AI. We have the behind-the-scenes sketches and iterations to prove it!

Do I need to have the Desktop App activated?

The Reward Pass is available whether you’re using the Desktop App or the browser version of Mobalytics.

Do I have to be a certain age to participate in the Reward Pass?

You must be at least 18 years old to participate.

How does Mobalytics prevent cheaters?

Our Reward Pass requires participants to connect their game accounts, ensuring the data is reliable and directly from the developer’s API.

How do I activate the Reward Pass? 

To activate the Reward Pass, click on the “Activate Pass” button at the top left of the Mobalytics platform. You can click “Activate” to start that selected pass or “Explore Reward Passes” to see others to choose from.

How do I unlock Rewards?

As you progress through the Reward Pass, you’ll see your XP increase and the bar begin to move from left to right. When you clear a level that has a prize, you’ll unlock it and be able to claim it.

How do chests work?

Chests grant awards based on predetermined chances. 

For the First Blood Reward Pass, the odds are:

• Bronze
• • Cosmetics – 97%
  • Steam Card – 3%
• Gold
• • Cosmetics – 95.8%
  • $5 Steam Card – 3.5%
  • $20 Amazon Card – 0.7%
• Platinum
• • Cosmetics – 94.8%
  • $5 Steam Card – 4%
  • $20 Amazon Card – 0.8%
  • $100 Amazon Card – 0.4%

How to apply unlocked cosmetics?

You can change your cosmetics at any time by clicking your name plate to the left of the Settings gear, or by going Settings -> Profile. 

There, you’ll be able to change your Avatar, Frame, Title, Background, and Plate.