Small multiplayer games often have a hard time asserting themselves against the competition in the market. EA’s 2020 multiplayer shooter Rocket Arena can tell a lot about it. With Knockout City, the publisher has apparently learned something new this year together with developer Velan Studios – and is being rewarded for it.
If you’re not yet sure what Knockout City is all about, our preview will help you:
more on the subject
Knockout City is the shooter for those who can’t aim
The mix of arena shooter and dodgeball developed into a real insider tip a few days after the release of the full version, which players on Steam rate more than positively.
Free promotion and increasing numbers of players
When Knockout City was released on May 21, many players probably didn’t really have the dodgeball game on their radar. A week later, the world looks very different: Two days ago, the multiplayer title cracked the mark of over 20,000 simultaneous players on Steam (via steamdb) – mind you, only on one platform.
However, Knockout City has also appeared on Origin and in the Epic Games Store and is represented on all three console platforms. However, the reasons for the current success are not only due to availability.
Free Action: To convince players of Knockout City, EA is offering the game completely free of charge for the first ten days. Until May 30th, as part of the block party event, players can try out all the content without obligation and then decide for or against a purchase.
An idea that has paid off so far: In the Steam user reviews, numerous players say that they first tested Knockout City and then were convinced by the game idea.
Part of EA Play: In addition, Knockout City has been part of EA’s small subscription service EA Play right from the start. This is particularly useful because EA Play has been included in the Xbox Game Pass since March. Microsoft service users can play Knockout City at no additional cost.
By the way, we explain how you connect the Xbox Game Pass with EA Play here:
more on the subject
How Xbox Game Pass works with EA Play
Crossplay: So that you can always find enough players in Knockout City, the developers have relied on crossplay from the first minute. The dodgeball action is linked to each other on all platforms, which increases the player pool and results in shorter matchmaking times.
Consistently good user reviews
Just as a swallow doesn’t make a summer, a free promotion doesn’t make a good game. That doesn’t apply to Knockout City, however. The digital dodgeball battle reaps on Steam “Extremely positive” reviews. 95 percent of over 1,200 reviews are positive.
The players not only praise the free campaign, but also the general feel and the surprising depth that Knockout City offers in its matches. The Steam user amiantos compare it to Rocket League or to Nintendo’s Splatoon:
“A lot of fun. If you’re frustrated playing online shooters, you might like this game better. Feels a lot like Splatoon and even the spirit of Rocket League … you feel like you have a chance, better too.” get you dodging and catching balls so you’ll want to keep playing even if you lose. Just an all-round fun multiplayer game with a surprising amount of depth. “
Some other players draw the comparison to Rocket League in the ratings. The car soccer game started similarly in a small state and gradually became a hit – a good omen for Knockout City?
The plans for Knockout City
The release is just the start for Knockout City, because the multiplayer game was developed with service in mind. In the future, the developers want to deliver more cards, new special balls, events and much more. However, there are no detailed details about future seasons yet.
At the moment, it also remains to be seen whether the developers can take the current trend with them and preserve it.
