Kickoff is a multiplayer football game developed by Sloclap, a studio previously known for martial arts action games like “Absolver” and “Sifu.” This unexpected shift into sports gaming has proven successful, with the game reaching a peak of 37,000 concurrent players on Steam alone.
Pierre Tarno, CEO of Sloclap, revealed in an interview that the game’s core audience surprisingly consists more of online competitive gamers than traditional football fans. Many team members themselves were initially indifferent to football, but after an internal tournament, even skeptics found the game engaging due to its dynamic mechanics and emphasis on teamwork.
Kickoff does not aim to perfectly replicate football but captures its essence through fast-paced, fluid gameplay focusing on team coordination, strategy, and even elements like diving. It balances authentic football elements to attract sports enthusiasts while maintaining accessible video game qualities for a broader audience.
Tarno anticipates that more sports-focused players will join over time, though they tend to be less familiar with gaming media and require word-of-mouth and ongoing updates to discover the game. Currently, the player base is dominated by core gamers, which benefits Sloclap but also presents challenges as some players struggle with the team-based sports gameplay concept.
