Pathea Games, the studio best known for My Time at Portia and My Time at Sandrock, has officially launched its long-developing futuristic sports title Superball — a free-to-play “hero sports ball” experience now available on Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, and PC via Steam and the Microsoft Store. The game is also live on WeGame in China.
Originally known as Super Buckyball Tournament (yeah, probably a good idea on the name change), Superball has been in development for several years, evolving from an experimental PvP mech project into a full-blown team sports experience inspired by both football (soccer) and hero shooters. Lead producer Guo Yuheng said the game’s shift came after a side mode “captured the team’s imagination,” ultimately defining the direction for the entire project (via Gematsu).
Set in a cyberpunk-themed future, Superball pits teams of three against each other in five-minute, arcade-style matches filled with fast movement and flashy abilities. Each hero fits of of three roles — Goalkeeper, Midfielder, or Forward — with gameplay emphasizing team coordination, assisted passing, and creative use of abilities. The roster currently includes 17 unique heroes, each with distinct traits and abilities. Overall, it seems to be kind of like Rocket League, but with a hero shooter twist.
Beyond traditional 3v3 football, Superball offers multiple casual modes like Slam Dunk, Dodgeball, Icebreaker, and Divine Path to keep the action varied. Cross-play is supported across all launch platforms, allowing friends to squad up regardless of system.
At launch, Pathea is offering a suite of rewards and seasonal content. Sixteen heroes are free to try for the first 72 hours after sign-up, and players who log in on Day 2 receive a voucher to permanently unlock a hero. The debut Season Pass, titled Wild Journey, includes both free and premium tracks featuring cosmetics, bonuses, and exclusive rewards.
While Superball launches with a promising mix of accessible gameplay and cross-play support, its free-to-play structure could face familiar challenges. Limited-time hero access and reliance on a seasonal pass risk alienating players if unlocks feel too restrictive or updates arrive too slowly. The “hero sports” genre has a shaky track record, with several similar titles (Knockout City, Rumbleverse, etc.) struggling to maintain player bases after launch. Pathea’s long-term success with Superball will depend on balancing monetization fairness, content cadence, and player retention in an already-crowded live-service space.
