Auto Chess has made quite the impact since it was launched at the start of the year. Starting life as a Dota 2 mod, the game is now a standalone mobile title with an inbound PC version on the way (interestingly, a deal couldn't be struck with Valve and the game, despite its origins, is going to be an Epic Store exclusive when it launches).
Given the game's success, it's no surprise that Valve has made its own version, Dota Underlords, and it's likely that the game will have an esports presence to complement that of Dota 2 (but maybe not Artifact...), however, it seems as though Drodo Studio is looking to rival Valve's own offering in the esports arena too, and a new invitational event has been confirmed.
Drodo Studio is teaming up with ImbaTV to host the $1 million Auto Chess Invitational in Shanghai this October, and players will be able to book their place via upcoming qualifiers. Those who earn a spot in the finals will be up against popular players as they try to get their share of the prize pool.
It'll be interesting to see if a competitive scene can form around this fledgeling game type. We've already seen established teams starting to sign players for Auto Chess, and if it picks up we can probably expect to see more competitive events in the future, not just with Auto Chess, but for Valve and Riot's own take on the popular mod-turned-game.