Speedball, the Bitmap Brothers’ violent futuristic sports game was first released for the Commodore Amiga back in 1988, before receiving a very highly acclaimed sequel in 1990. Both games were subsequently ported to a number of other formats, including a Sega Genesis port of Speedball 2: Brutal Deluxe.
The most recent entry in the Speedball series was in 2013, when a PC remake of Speedball 2: Brutal Deluxe titled Speedball 2 HD was released. Well, that was the most recent Speedball game until now, anyway!
Games developers and publishers (and latterly comics publishers) Rebellion have announced a new entry in the series, simply titled ‘Speedball‘. Rebellion say: “Speedball is a brand new entry into the legendary Bitmap Brothers series, first released in 1988. Set in the grim future of 2138, Speedball is a no-holds-barred futuresport used by mega-corporations to distract the downtrodden masses from their miserable lives. Once an underground sport reviled for its brutality, Speedball has risen to unprecedented heights of popularity and profitability. It is the only sport that allows two cybernetically augmented teams to go head-to-head at levels of speed and violence beyond human limitations, where any moment could be a player’s last.”
Speedball has launched into Early Access on Steam, with a 12-month roadmap that will see a host of new content and features added before the ‘full version’ of the game is released. Features that are planned during the Early Access period include team management and draft system, player and manager progression, Career Mode, skill-based matchmaking and leaderboards, new cosmetics, skins and arenas and more. Let’s hope this new iteration of Speedball can reach the same heights as the all-time 16-bit classic that is Speedball 2: Brutal Deluxe!
