World Archery partners with Refract on mass participation eSport

World Archery and Singapore-based game and technology company Refract Technologies have entered a multi-year partnership to develop and promote a virtual archery game.

The upcoming mobile title is oriented towards mass participation, with a low barrier to entry and an exciting new strategic angle to the sport, which is designed to engage with gamers as much as archery fanatics. There are also plans to run a high-profile eSports event, with Refract becoming the official and exclusive eSports platform of World Archery until at least 2024.

The move into gaming is complementary to the physical sport.

As well as World Archery promoting the new eSport of archery to its worldwide community, Refract will also actively promote the physical sport of archery through the new game.

An announcement on the name of the mobile archery game and its expected release date is expected soon.

World Archery secretary general Tom Dielen said:

“World Archery has been exceptionally lucky to find a partner in Refract that is not only passionate about eSports but about our sport, too.”

“We’re really excited to be working together on this new virtual chapter for archery. We can’t wait for archers, archery fans and gamers to start playing. And we’re really looking forward to talking more about the plans we have for the eSport of archery.”

Refract Technologies chief executive officer Michael Chng said:

“As a long-time enthusiast of archery, I am grateful for this partnership with World Archery. This has given us an incredible opportunity to bring the spirit of sport archery to an even wider audience in the form of exciting, real-time virtual matches that are fun to play.”

“In initial trials with gamers, the level of competitiveness in the game, as well as the incredible intensity of the audience experience, exceeded all of our expectations.”