The popular professional mahjong league M-League will soon be replaced by a league featuring the ever-popular “Suika Game“.
In a news release, M-League wrote:
Move aside, seven pairs! It’s time for seven pears! Say no to pon and yes to dekopon! Capitalizing on the increasing popularity of e-sports, the league has decided to broaden its audience and start playing Suika Game. Orange you glad?
The W-League (short for “Watermelon League”) pits players against each other to see which player can get the highest score . With the new multiplayer mode DLC released on February 21, players will also fight through both timed and attack modes.
The league has assured fans that players that are currently in M-League will not be cut, but some teams will have to change their name (like the Konami Suika Fight Club). EX Furinkazan player Matsugase Takaya, who finished this season in last place, was ecstatic to hear the news.
I have put in a lot of practice over the past few months. Maybe I’ll finally win a game.
– Matsugase Takaya
Out of all the M-Leaguers, Matsugase has the highest score of 3,861. With scores above 3,000 are Ooi Takaharu, Matsumoto Yoshihiro and Shibukawa Nanba.
Reception from fans has been mixed. For long-time M-League fans, they were disappointed.
I kan’t believe they would do this. I think they made the ron decision. Someone will pei for this.
Others welcome the change, noting its accessibility.
Nobody knows how to play mahjong. Nobody. You keep hearing people ask what a “yaku” is and what this “furiten” is. You don’t hear anybody ask what a watermelon is.
The decision to change the league was also praised by dietitians.
As a sports league, it is important to promote other things that are needed to a healthy lifestyle, such as healthy eating. Eating fruit is healthy. Eating tiles is not.
It is rumored that most of the commentary will be done by M-League commentator Matsushima Momo, whose name literally means “peach”.
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