Fans of high-octane arcade sports games have something new to try this year, as Speedball is set to leave early access and officially launch on January 27, 2026, for PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC. This is a major milestone for the game, as it has been in Early Access since October 2024 and has progressively improved through that time.
For veteran gamers, this isn’t a new title. Speedball is the revival of the classic 1988 Bitmap Brothers game of the same name. It’s a familiar but very modernized take on the brutal, high-speed sport first introduced in 1988.
Set in the dystopian world of 2138, the game pits two cyborg-enhanced teams against each other in matches. It combines fast-paced passing, violent tackles, strategic positioning, and explosive gameplay mechanics to give you a fun, arcade-y sports game experience.
What To Expect From Speedball
At its core, Speedball mixes fast-paced and chaotic arcade gameplay with strategic elements. Not only do you need to coordinate in passing and goal scoring, but you also have to adapt to the different arenas and their obstacles. Then there is the brutality aspect of the game; tackles and attacks can break your teammates’ bones, adding another element of chaos into the mix.
According to the Steam description, its matches are described as “fast-paced, explosive, and unpredictable,” and that definitely holds.
Since first entering Early Access, Speedball has received a number of updates that have added more content and improvements to the game. A League Mode was added, letting players compete across a competitive season with a roster of 10 teams. You draft players, manage fatigue, and track performance as they strive for the championship. Basically, a simpler version of “franchise” modes you see in traditional sports games.
To make the game even more chaotic, they have added obstacles like flamethrowers, ice shotguns, and grind rails into the mix. Apart from that, they have also worked heavily on improving the shooting system and AI behaviour.
For multiplayer fans, Speedball supports both local and online competitive play, so friends can face off or squad up to take on AI challenges. The game’s blend of intense action and strategic planning aims to bring both old fans of the franchise and newcomers together in a truly unique sport-meets-combat experience.
Rebellion’s full 1.0 release on January 27 will be the first time console players can dive into this updated version outside of Early Access, and it’s shaping up to be one of the standout indie action-sports titles of early 2026.
