RumbleMonkey, a service from esports enthusiasts in Seattle, will offer real-money Hearthstone competitions. The company is launching the closed beta on March 27 and plans to add other games to its repertoire in the future.
Real-money esports accessible to everyone
The platform aims to attract fans worldwide by offering legal head-to-head battles for major esports titles. Hearthstone will be the first available.
The popular Blizzard Entertainment game continues to attract poker and other card players looking for a new challenge.
Even though the launch is tailored to Hearthstone, the company already plans to expand the assortment of competitive games on the platform.
“The beauty of our platform is that anyone can put their skills to the test and compete for money, without having to invest the time needed to go pro,” said RumbleMonkey CEO Jacob Rapoport. “Playing for money adds an extra level of intensity to competitive play. We also think streamers will find our platform particularly exciting.”
Before each game, players deposit a dollar amount in order to compete for the prize. When the duel is over, the funds are safely transferred to the winner. Prizes are awarded “based on a consensus of native game data, rather than a manual agreement between players.”
The service was launched by developers from various companies, including Microsoft, Nintendo, and DotaBuff. It includes a feature to protect users from losing money via potential connection issues. By distinguishing between disconnections resulting from rage quits and actual server issues, the platform will guard members from potential hiccups when awarding cash.
RumbleMonkey only supports multiplayer titles that offer contests of skill. This puts the platform’s operations in line with US federal law.
Closed beta is US-only for now
RumbleMonkey’s beta will be available for both PC and Mac and will debut in most US states.
Looking forward, the company plans to expand the platform globally. No information is currently available about forthcoming game options.
According to the company’s announcement, “the platform will never be supported through advertising, or sell its users’ information. Additionally, there will be no fees for deposits or withdrawals during the closed beta.”
Interested players can sign up for the beta waiting list, which will be open for the next few weeks.
