Rematch, an unlikely soccer game from Sifu and Absolver developer Sloclap, is making some major waves ahead of its official June 19 release date. On May 28, the game entered its final beta testing period, and it’s looking like clear skies ahead for the breakout sports titles, as it’s already topped Steam’s charts, reaching a peak concurrent player count of almost 150,000 during its first day.
That puts it above both EA Sports FC (previously known as FIFA), one of the largest sports game franchises of all time, as well as Marvel Rivals, a free-to-play shooter that has dominated the charts in recent months. This is no small feat for Rematch, which must certainly seem like a small fish in the swollen eyes of goliaths like EA and NetEase, and while a lot could change ahead of its full release, the newcomer looks like it could be a real threat to legacy soccer games. But why exactly is Rematch making such a splash, and how will it fare once it releases as a $30 game this summer?
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Rematch Has the Makings of a Sports Game Phenomenon
Rematch Is Unlike Anything Big Sports Franchises Are Doing
There are a few major distinctions between Rematch and something like EA Sports FC, with the most obvious being a matter of in-game perspective: players assume the role of a single player in a team of five, rather than having god-like control over the field like in most sports games. As the game’s marketing has attested, this makes for a more immersive experience, but also a more challenging and team-oriented one, as specialization and coordination become far more important when the player can only fill one pair of cleats.
At the same time, Rematch is far more arcade-like and less obsessed with realism than its EA Sports FC and eFootball competition, putting it in conversation with the likes of Rocket League. The game proudly touts that it has “no fouls, no offsides, no pauses,” contributing to a greater sense of speed and momentum than the often simulation-style construction of its contemporaries, making it a more efficient and content-rich experience, untouched by the stoppages of play and advertisements of other sports games.
Rematch is also highly stylized, with implausible visuals in line with Sloclap’s other releases.
Rematch Is Offering a Much-Needed Alternative in the Soccer Games Market
It’s no great secret that leading sports franchises like FIFA, NBA 2K, and Madden have some of the most egregious monetization and design trends in the gaming industry. Not only have these games led the charge in too-accessible gambling through features like Ultimate Team, but they have also come under fire for releasing a new, full-priced game each year with only the most modest improvements. Other controversial additions, like the real ads in NBA 2K, have furthered audience frustration with these mammoth franchises.
And yet, these sports games are often among the year’s best-selling releases, and there are a few potential reasons for that, chief among them being that there simply aren’t enough high-profile alternatives. If someone enjoys the gameplay loop of something like FIFA, there aren’t really any other games offering a similar experience. And since these major publishers partner with leagues like the NFL and NBA, other games companies can’t get the license to use real-world sports elements like team names and logos.
But a lot of players are starting to care less about realism and playing as their favorite team in light of these franchises’ aforementioned faults. Sometimes, it can feel like series like FIFA are designed as money machines rather than pieces of entertainment, raking in MTX profit that minimizes the drive for innovation and creativity. In other words, audiences are craving something new, and Rematch is giving them that.
Rematch
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OpenCritic Reviews
- Top Critic Avg: 74 /100 Critics Rec: 51%
- Released
- June 19, 2025
- ESRB
- Everyone / In-Game Purchases, Users Interact
- Developer(s)
- Sloclap
- Publisher(s)
- Sloclap, Kepler Interactive
WHERE TO PLAY
A NEW PERSPECTIVE ON FOOTBALL
• Third Person Action - Tackle, dribble, aim, and shoot; dive into the heart of the action from an immersive viewpoint.
• One Player Control - Observe the action, position yourself, execute perfectly: every decision matters, and relying on your teammates is essential to prevail.
• Skill-based Gameplay - In a level playing field, with no player stats, victory is only about player skill and tactical coordination.
INTENSE ACTION & DEEP TACTICS
• Credible Football, with an arcade twist - Feel like an amazing athlete, easily performing all the iconic moves of football.
• Non-stop Action - No fouls, no offsides, no pauses... No time to rest.
• Accessible mechanics with a lot of depth - Just like real football, winning requires both accuracy, fast reactions as well as flawless team collaboration.
AN ONLINE TEAM-BASED EXPERIENCE
• Team-based online gameplay - Designed from the ground up as an online multiplayer experience, Rematch offers split-second gameplay response that always feels fair.
• Competitive Modes - Challenge yourself and your mates to reach the top leagues.
• Seasonal content - There's always something new around the corner. Every season will feature new game modes and add more cosmetic content.
- Engine
- Unreal Engine 5
- Multiplayer
- Online Multiplayer, Online Co-Op
- Cross-Platform Play
- All platforms
- Number of Players
- 1-5 players (online)
- Steam Deck Compatibility
- Playable
- Genre(s)
- Sports
- Platform(s)
- PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, PC
- X|S Optimized
- Yes
