Hi-Rez is touting Paladins’ successful early access open beta launch in a press release out earlier this morning.
The studio says that “within the first week of Early Access Paladins rocketed into Steam’s Top 10 Games by player count and the Paladins’ global community is growing rapidly,” claiming that “well over 100,000 new accounts created in the first 24 hours.”
In response, the company plans to expand its January e-sports tournament to include teams from Brazil, Latin America, Australia/New Zealand, and China. The prize pool for the event stands at $150,000.
Last week, Hi Rez’s Todd Harris caused a stir by rather effectively countering accusations that Paladins is an Overwatch clone, complete with videos and a timeline of his game’s development.
