Rematch’s Five-A-Side Surprise Tops EA Sim Launch

I’ll be honest—it’s a rare sight when indie devs knock the big publishers off their pedestal, yet that’s exactly what Sloclap did with Rematch. The five-a-side soccer sim burst onto Steam, peaking at more than 92,000 concurrent players, and quickly became the talk of the gaming community. I jumped in to find out why this scrappy underdog is turning heads, and spoiler alert: it’s far more than a cosmetic reskin of the same old playbook.

Rematch Launches: Indie Soccer’s Surprise Upset

• 92,000+ peak players on Steam at launch, briefly outpacing EA Sports FC 25.
• Arcade-style matchups—no offsides, no yellow cards—for non-stop, high-octane action.
• No crossplay at launch, but Sloclap promises it’s “on the roadmap.”
• Early buzz confirms a thirst for a lean, teamwork-focused alternative to annualized sims.

Feature	Details
Publisher	Sloclap
Release Date	2024-06-14
Genres	Sports, Multiplayer, Arcade
Platforms	PC (Steam), PlayStation, Xbox

The headline speaks for itself: Rematch didn’t just pull a surprise—it bulldozed EA’s stalwart football sim out of the hot seat, even if only for a moment. EA’s heavy hitters are known for huge rosters, microtransactions, and Ultimate Team modes, so seeing a nimble indie hit the top spot is a statement. It won’t dismantle decades of FIFA dominance overnight, but it shows gamers are hungry for something less about DLC packs and more about pure fun.

So, what’s the magic ingredient? By trimming each team to five players and scrapping offsides and fouls, matches unfold at breakneck pace. It’s distilled soccer: crisp passes, deft set pieces, and zero referee hair-pulling. The result is an addictive loop that rewards teamwork over superstitious button-mashing.

If you’ve ever relished a backyard five-a-side skirmish—or the exhilarating chaos of games like Rocket League—Rematch will feel instantly familiar. You’re not a lone superstar; you’re part of a tight-knit squad. Hogging possession or ignoring your teammates? Prepare for some friendly (or not-so-friendly) ribbing. Rematch’s design celebrates shared glory over individual stat-padding.

Yet, there’s a snag: no crossplay at launch. In today’s connected era, splitting players by platform seems archaic. Sloclap insists crossplay is “coming soon,” but in developer lingo, that could be anywhere from a week to a quarter. If it arrives quickly, this initial surge could evolve into a lasting, cross-platform community instead of a one-week wonder.

Rematch’s beta phase already drew close to two million players—an encouraging sign that interest runs deep. Sloclap appears to have tapped into gamers’ desire for straightforward, social sports experiences free of invasive monetization. Will they stay true to that indie ethos, or will battle passes and loot crates rear their heads? Only time will tell.

Is Rematch Worth Your Time?

In an industry dominated by annual releases and wallet-draining monetization, Rematch is a breath of fresh air. If you’re down for fast, social, pick-up-and-play soccer without paywalls, this might be your cup of tea. But if Sloclap drops the ball on updates or lets microtransactions creep in, the hype could evaporate just as fast as it arrived. The next few patches—and the promised crossplay—are make-or-break.

TL;DR

Rematch’s five-a-side arcade soccer smashed Steam records with 92k+ players at launch, proving there’s room for indie innovation in the genre—and all eyes are on that crossplay feature.