Multiplayer football game Rematch, developed by the studio behind martial arts action game Sifu, was never considered for a free-to-play release according to the developers. Speaking to PCGamer, creative director Pierre Tarno spoke about the decision behind the 5-on-5 multiplayer game’s $30 price tag, and why it doesn’t have to be free-to-play to find success.
“I never considered free-to-play,” said Tarno. “One of the things I love about making games is that there is no secret formula or anything, but the best way—or maybe actually the only way—to make a commercial success is to just make a very good game.”
The decision comes down to the fact that Sloclap wants to respect the skill and intelligence of its players. This means that the studio also trusts that, if its game is good enough, it will find a player base without having to go free-to-play. Tarno also believes that Rematch is reasonably priced, which, combined with the fact that its gameplay is “original and solid” would mean that players will “get it”.
“One of our cultural pillars at Sloclap is respecting our players, respecting their intelligence, respecting their skills,” he said. “We like challenging gameplay and gamers are a very discerning audience. They are often very analytical, very precise in their assessment of mechanics and what works, what doesn’t, what’s balanced, what’s not balanced, etc.”
“My point is, if you make a game that’s good enough, that’s unique enough—even if players say, ‘Oh, it’s an online game with a competitive edge, it should be free-to-play otherwise it’s dead on arrival’—I think that’s not true. I think that if it’s original and solid, plus very reasonably priced, players will get it.”
Rematch was announced with a trailer back in December 2024 during The Game Awards. The title will be a multiplayer football game that has each player take on the role of an individual player on the field. In terms of gameplay, Sloclap has promised intense third-person action and online competition, all tied up with skill-based gameplay.
Earlier this month, the studio had announced that Rematch would be coming to PC, PS5 and Xbox Series X/S on June 19. This release date was announced with a new Golden Rules trailer, showcasing some of the skill-based gameplay and even went as far as suggesting that players taking on the role of goalkeepers shouldn’t be sticking to just their box, and should instead play a more active role in defense.
When it comes to visuals, Rematch uses a visual aesthetic similar to what we saw with Sifu, including an emphasis on vibrant colours with more flat and stylised surfaces.
If you’re curious about Sloclap’s previous outing, check out our review of Sifu from back in 2022, where we gave the game a score of 8 out of 10. We praised its visuals, combat and enemy variety, while also criticizing its camera controls and a lack of diversity in its weapons.
