Naraka: Bladepoint interview: Ray Kwan discusses bringing the battle royale to mobile

NARAKA: Bladepoint is a beautiful-looking battle royale that launched for PC in August last year and has been celebrated for its movement system and melee combat. The game is also coming to mobile, with all the adjustments you'd expect to ensure it plays well on mobile. We recently had a chance to chat with Ray Kwan about the mobile port and the challenges involved. 

Could you introduce yourself and your role on NARAKA: BLADEPOINT to our audience, please?

I am Ray Kwan. I’m Lead Producer at 24 Entertainment on NARAKA: BLADEPOINT, and NARAKA Mobile. Thanks to Pocket Gamer for having me.

NetEase is a publisher that is basically synonymous with mobile gaming. Was it always the plan to bring NARAKA: BLADEPOINT to mobile eventually?

From the very beginning, our goal was a global, multi-platform launch. We hope more players can enjoy NARAKA on different platforms, and we’re excited for players on mobile devices around the world to finally enjoy the NARAKA: BLADEPOINT experience. With NARAKA mobile launching, the team is focused on the development of the console versions to complete our original goal of bringing NARAKA to as many players as possible.

Will there be any crossplay between the PC and mobile versions of the game, or are they separate entities? If not, how will you approach updating both versions of the game?

NARAKA Mobile is an independent project, not a mobile port of NARAKA PC. So it will have its own server and its own series of updates. Our team is committed to providing regular updates for both versions.

Were there any challenges when porting the game to mobile?

Compared to PC, mobile is not as easily adaptable to complex controls. We needed to ensure the flexibility and agility that players expect from NARAKA translated to mobile devices, so players can achieve the same complex movements on their mobile screens. Also, the graphics, camera, and UI have been overhauled as we want to provide mobile players with a PC-level experience with little compromise. So yes it’s been very challenging.

As a result of these challenges, can we expect any differences between the two versions?

Our goal has always been to provide a PC-level experience in the palm of your hands. That means graphics, movements, playstyles, customization, everything that players expect from NARAKA, has been overhauled to suit the mobile experience. We’ve made a lot of innovations on the controls to ensure our brand of unchained movement works on mobile, as well as camera movement when you’re in the fight.

What hero and weapon roster will be available at launch?

All the heroes you’ve met in NARAKA PC will make their way into NARAKA mobile.