At first glance,
eSport sounds rather stale in Farming Simulator. However, there is a special mode for this, which we took a closer look at at gamescom.
According to “game – Verband der deutschen Games-Branche”, Farming Simulator 2022 (LWS) is the fourth best-selling game of last year. Ahead of it are only Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, Grand Theft Auto 5 and FIFA 22.
And eSports are also flourishing in LWS. Among other things, there is a league in Argentina, and in the German Farming Simulator League, 100,000 euros were recently paid out – 40,000 for the winner alone. This year, the final of the league will also take place offline again.
Those who are familiar with the basic game will certainly ask themselves how eSports work exactly. At first, the game seems complex, rich in detail, but too lengthy for eSport. A closer look, however, reveals that eSport has only a limited connection with the basic game.
Who produces more?
At gamescom 2022, we were able to talk to Claas Eilermann, the Event Manager of GIANTS Software, about the mode. Basically, a game lasts 15 minutes and is played in 3vs3. But before the hay bales are made, there is a pick-&-bun phase in which player and team perks are selected.
Once this is done, the aim is to score points with hay bales. Tactics play a particularly important role here. Because drops or streaks, i.e. bales delivered in succession without the opponent doing so, multiply the points.
In order to leave the field as a winner, the focus is on observation, communication and also a clear procedure. For example, one person is specifically responsible for threshing. The second player then makes the hay bales, and he or she is assisted by a third person in collecting them and transporting them to the barn.
“More tangible and closer to the community “
Tournaments are held frequently outside of the Farming Simulator League – about once a month with around 10,000 euros in prize money. In mid-November, the world championship starts again. The tournaments are usually played in best-of-3 and double elimination, i.e. a structure with upper and lower brackets.
The trained LWS eye will notice something – the basis is not the latest part, but still the Farming Simulator 2019. A change has not been necessary so far. There are no disadvantages for anyone who starts with LWS 22 and then goes into eSports.
What makes the game so successful in eSports? According to Eilermann, it is “more tangible and closer to the community”. The average age of eSports players in LWS is between 15 and 16 – significantly lower than that of players in the normal game. A success story that inspires young and old alike.
