If you slept on Knockout City, don’t skip its free relaunch

digitaltrends.com:

When Knockout City launched last May, it had all the makings of an instant hit. Published by EA, the multiplayer dodgeball game was a creative mix between a shooter and competitive sports title. With positive buzz from critics and content creators alike, it seemed like it could become a popular, kid-friendly hit. There was just one problem: You had to buy it.

That may not sound like a big deal, but the age of free-to-play has shifted the way gamers think about multiplayer. With so many quality titles to choose from that cost $0, it’s not easy to get players to spend a dime. An initial Xbox Game Pass launch helped the game build initial buzz, but it didn’t quite shake up the multiplayer scene in the way that it could have despite getting over 10 million downloads in its first year.

But one thing about rubber dodgeballs: They always bounce back. After parting ways with EA, developer Velan Studios is now taking the game into its own hands and switching the game to a free-to-play model starting today. While that won’t fundamentally change too much about the title, it’ll happen just as the game launches its sixth season, City of Tomorrow. I went hands-on with the new season, which introduces the new Boomerang Ball and a surprising Among Us crossover, before it launched. It’s the same game it was a year ago, but that might be a good thing.

City of Tomorrow brings a few tweaks to the Knockout City universe. For one, the game’s hideout hub has been slightly updated with a few more bells and whistles. There’s a soccer field and basketball hoops scattered around, buffing up its role as a social zone for squads. On top of that, the update brings four in-game events, a new brawl pass, and some science-themed cosmetics.

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