Is Battlerite The Next Big Thing?

Battlerite released as an Early Access title just 3 days ago and it's overall Steam review rating is a solid "Overwhelmingly Positive," while SteamCharts shows the playerbase steadily increasing. The game went live sprinting. And I'm not surprised.

The team arena brawler is addicting: fast matches, flashy effects, with a roster of 15 heroes to choose between. It strips the long-winded aspects of MOBAs (towers, minions, lanes), and emphasizes intense hero fights, where knowing your abilities and your opponent's abilities is the key to win (no item shenanigans). I'm sold.

The internet is already buzzing with Battlerite guides, including a quickly growing subreddit. And tournaments are already being organized:

We are humbled by the immense we’ve received from our players during Battlerite’s launch. In celebration of your , everyone who logs on to Battlerite before Tuesday September 27th will receive a Gold Chest. (The chest will be delivered on the 27th)

As an additional thanks to all of our fans out there, we’re also boosting the Ultimate Fan Pack to include 5 Gold Chests! These Gold Chests have been sent out to everyone who already owns the Fan Pack and will be granted to all new Ultimate Fans.

Battlerite isn't perfect at the moment—some heroes likely need some balancing (though I haven't played long enough to make that a fact). And new players may feel discouraged by some of the elite players currently stomping in matches, my face included. But don't give up! Head to training, verse AI, play with friends, learn the game's heroes and you'll quickly catch up.

The game is currently $17.99 (on sale from $19.99), while in Early Access, but will be free-to-play when it fully releases, but buying early will of course grant you goodies. Even if you don't buy into the game it's well worth following if you're a fan of team brawlers.

Have you been playing Battlerite? What are your thoughts on the game? Is it the next big thing?