Blaseball is closing down and some staff are being laid off

enSat, 03 Jun 2023 21:16:40 +0000Blaseball is closing down and some staff are being laid offhttps://www.rockpapershotgun.com/blaseball-is-closing-down-and-some-staff-are-being-laid-offGraham SmithSat, 03 Jun 2023 21:16:40 +0000https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/blaseball-is-closing-down-and-some-staff-are-being-laid-offThe Game Bandviolence in videogamesSimulationStrategyBlaseballSportsTextMMORPG

Blaseball, the supernatural baseball browser-based betting league that became a brief social phenomena in 2020, is closing down. Its developers The Game Band announced the news yesterday, writing that the cost of running the game, "literally and metaphorically, is too high." An undisclosed number of staff are also being laid off.

]]>Blaseball developer has secured funding to continue devleopmenthttps://www.rockpapershotgun.com/blaseball-developer-the-game-band-has-secured-funding-for-continued-developmentGraham SmithTue, 18 May 2021 20:13:26 +0000https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/blaseball-developer-the-game-band-has-secured-funding-for-continued-developmentBlaseballThe Game Band

Blaseball, the fictional fantasy sports game, exploded in popularity last year. Since then, developers The Game Band have continued to run the game, tweaking rules and tailoring its story in response to fans participating by playing but also writing fan fiction and creating fan art.

Now they've announced that they've secured funding to continue developing the game, to grow their team, and to make future projects without fear of going under.

]]>Browser game sensation Blaseball is mostly played on Twitter and it's amazinghttps://www.rockpapershotgun.com/browser-game-sensation-blaseball-is-mostly-played-on-twitter-and-its-amazingAlice BellWed, 26 Aug 2020 10:30:11 +0000https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/browser-game-sensation-blaseball-is-mostly-played-on-twitter-and-its-amazingFeatureBlockbusterThe Game BandBlaseballSports

Recently Alice0 has been telling us all about Blaseball, which is a free browser game simulation of a baseball league. Except it is called Blaseball and everything is weird. I started playing this week with the start of the 4th season on Monday (a new season starts every Monday and concludes on Fridays) and have found two things to be true.

1) I have no idea what is happening, but it seems to be mostly happening on Twitter. I have no idea what anything is. This is a game and unique cultural phenomenon that is beyond my understanding on almost every level. And 2) the Baltimore Crabs are the best team. Crabs all the way! Claws up! SNIPPLE SNAPPLE SNIPPLE SNAPPLE!

]]>Absurdist sports league Blaseball's season 4 may start on Mondayhttps://www.rockpapershotgun.com/absurdist-sports-league-blaseballs-season-4-may-start-on-mondayLauren MortonFri, 21 Aug 2020 21:15:24 +0000https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/absurdist-sports-league-blaseballs-season-4-may-start-on-mondayBlaseballSportsThe Game Band

Looks like your favorite procedurally generated democratic sports betting simulator may be stepping back up to the plate. The Grand Siesta is coming to an end, it seems. The Blaseball Commissioner (who I hear is doing a great job) announced in somewhat certain terms that Blaseball would be "back" on Monday, August 24th.

]]>Blaseball may be text-based but it inspires the best fan art in sportshttps://www.rockpapershotgun.com/blaseball-may-be-text-based-but-it-inspires-the-best-fan-art-in-sportsAlice O'ConnorTue, 11 Aug 2020 18:25:43 +0000https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/blaseball-may-be-text-based-but-it-inspires-the-best-fan-art-in-sportsbaseballThe Game BandFan artBlaseballSports

Despite being off work and mostly offline the past fortnight, I couldn't help but be caught in the cultural phenomenon that is Blaseball. It's a browser game simulating a supernatural baseball league, where players place bets on teams like the Chicago Firefighters (motto: "We're from Chicago") and Charleston Shoe Thieves ("Your kicks are my kicks"), vote on rule changes, and pray that players like Jessica Telephone or Blood Hamburger aren't struck by a peanut allergy or incinerated by a rogue umpire. While I wasn't online to play last season, I did spent a lot of time cooing over fan art on Twitter. The fan art community is: very good.

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