Blaseball

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Blaseball
Developer(s)The Game Band
Designer(s)
  • Sam Rosenthal
  • Joel Clark
  • Stephen Bell
Platform(s)Browser
Release20 July 2020
Genre(s)Simulation, horror
Mode(s)Multiplayer

Blaseball is a baseball simulation horror game[1] developed by The Game Band. It was released on 20 July 2020 and is played via web browser.[2] During each week the game is active, a full season and championship series of "Internet League Blaseball" is simulated, with elections on Sundays in which the community can change the rules of the game. Non-player characters, such as the league's owner or commissioner, occasionally deliver dialogue on the website and through Twitter accounts, creating an absurdist horror narrative.

The game has an active fandom known for their prolific fan works. There is a high degree of audience participation, with the game's developers actively engaging with the fan community online.

Gameplay[]

Blaseball centers on an absurdist simulation of baseball,[3] with fictional teams including the Atlantis Georgias, the Philly Pies, and the Baltimore Crabs, featuring random events such as the "incineration" of players by "rogue umpires".[4] Each player has a name and a star rating, which is used to determine their stats.[5] After their first log-in, users choose a favorite team and are given some coins.[6] The game allows users to use these coins to bet on the outcomes of the simulated games.[7][8] Fans can also "idol" players and earn coins based on their performance. Each season lasts a week, and users are able to follow what happens in real time. The matches are organized every day on the hour, while the post-season happens in two parts with wild card matches and quarterfinals happening on Friday and semifinals and finals happening on Saturday. Users are able to use their coins to vote on events and rule changes that will happen after each season on Sunday.[9]

Development[]

, the creative director of The Game Band, spent some time on video conference calls during a quarantine caused by the COVID-19 pandemic with friends who don't usually play video games, but were still eager to play browser adaptations of board games. The idea of creating a title that would bring people together attracted the developers.[10] At first, he thought to make a horse-racing gambling game, but the team decided that the whole concept was better suited for baseball.[11]

From 9 August 2020 to 24 August 2020, The Game Band put the game on a temporary hiatus, citing the problems associated with running into unexpected viral popularity.[12] Blaseball was put on another hiatus, referred to as a "Grand Siesta", from 25 October 2020 to 1 March 2021.[13][14]

On 1 November 2021 it was announced that Blaseball would return for a shorter format season, called Blaseball: Short Circuits, for the purpose of testing out quality of life improvements and new features.

Fanbase and community[]

Blaseball is known for its sizeable fan community, which has developed a deep lore around the game and its teams. Fans have also contributed by creating art and social media accounts for Blaseball players, leagues, sportscasters and union representatives.[15][16][17] The Blaseball community often uses its platform to engage in charity and activism, including charitable donations through the collectively-run merchandise store Blaseball Cares,[18] campaigning for Nithya Raman for LA council,[19] and running a series of Industrial Workers of the World union training courses.[20][21]

Fan Created Works[]

Creators Work Day Released
Fourth Strike, Ophelia Black, Kimberly Dauber, BONES, and rain Blaseball: the Musical: The Deaths of Sebastian Telephone December 26, 2020
Fourth Strike The Garages: The Band N/A

Awards[]

Blaseball was a 2021 finalist for the Nebula Award for Best Game Writing.[22] It is also nominated for Best Video Game at the 2021 Hugo Awards.[23]

In July 2021, Blaseball won the Nuovo Award at the 2021 Independent Games Festival.

References[]

  1. ^ The Game Band (2020-09-17). "A Dark Week in the Discipline Era". Medium. Retrieved 2020-09-19.
  2. ^ "Introducing BLASEBALL". Twitter. Retrieved 2020-08-09.
  3. ^ Martin, Garrett (2020-07-31). "The Problem with Blaseball". Paste (magazine). Retrieved 2020-08-11.
  4. ^ Greszes, Sam (2020-08-06). "An absurdist baseball game is tearing up the internet, thanks to fans". Polygon (website). Retrieved 2020-08-09.
  5. ^ Jackson, Gita (2020-07-21). "Blaseball is the Real Return of Baseball". Vice (magazine). Retrieved 2020-08-11.
  6. ^ Parrish, Ash (2020-08-10). "What Is The Forbidden Book, And Other Blaseball Questions Answered". Kotaku. Retrieved 2020-08-11.
  7. ^ Martens, Todd (2020-08-24). "It's a beautiful summer for 'Blaseball.' Yes, 'Blaseball,' where America's pastime meets 'D&D'". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2020-08-25.
  8. ^ Van Allen, Eric (2020-07-31). "Blaseball Is the Absurd Sports Game That's Been Filling Your Social Feeds". USGamer. Retrieved 2020-08-11.
  9. ^ Livingston, Christopher (2020-07-29). "Place bets on Blaseball, a simulated baseball league with the occasional Hellmouth". PC Gamer. Retrieved 2020-08-11.
  10. ^ Valentine, Rebekah (2020-08-20). "Making Blaseball, at our mercy". GamesIndustry.biz. Retrieved 2020-08-25.
  11. ^ Farr, Stephanie (2020-08-10). "At Tastykake Stadium, the Philly Pies are two-time champs. Welcome to Blaseball". The Philadelphia Inquirer. Retrieved 2020-08-11.
  12. ^ The Game Band (2020-08-09). "Blaseball is Taking an Extended Siesta". Medium. Retrieved 2020-08-09.
  13. ^ Walker, Ian (2021-02-16). "Thank God, Blaseball Returns On March 1". Kotaku.
  14. ^ Jackson, Gita (2021-03-02). "Blaseball is Back. WTF Is Blaseball?". Vice. Retrieved 6 March 2021.
  15. ^ "Baseball Fans Rule In An Online Game Made For Pandemic Times". NPR.org. Retrieved 2020-10-27.
  16. ^ Greszes, Sam (2020-08-06). "An absurdist baseball game is tearing up the internet, thanks to fans". Polygon. Retrieved 2020-10-27.
  17. ^ Lewis, Danny (20 October 2020). "Cosmic Horror And Devoted Fans Made Blaseball The Best Sport Of The Pandemic". Gothamist. Archived from the original on 30 October 2020. Retrieved 27 October 2020.
  18. ^ "BLASEBALL CARES". Blaseball Cares. Retrieved 2021-02-20.
  19. ^ "This week #Blaseball is proud to support Nithya Raman for LA City Council District 4! Join us on Twitter for a Live Q&A with Nithya at 3PM PDT!". Twitter. 2020-09-20. Retrieved 2021-02-20.
  20. ^ "WELCOME TO THE BUREAU OF UNITY". SPIES. Retrieved 2021-02-20.
  21. ^ Marshall, Cass (2021-02-08). "Blaseball fans are taking their wild campaigns into union organizing". Polygon. Retrieved 2021-02-20.
  22. ^ "SFWA Announces the 56th Annual Nebula Award Finalists". SFWA. Retrieved 2021-03-19.
  23. ^ "2021 Hugo Awards". Retrieved 14 April 2021.

Bibliography[]

External links[]

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