Sloclap’s data reveals that the core audience for their summer hit game, Rematch, mostly aren’t traditional football fans. Many of the developers themselves aren’t die-hard football enthusiasts either. This insight sheds light on how Rematch managed to make its mark in a genre typically dominated by industry giants focusing on hardcore football simulations.
“There was a space, clearly,” said Pierre Tarno, CEO of Sloclap. “Our fans extend beyond traditional sports game enthusiasts. Our data shows that the core audience leans towards those who engage with online competitive gaming rather than football fans.”
Tarno explained that even many of the developers behind Rematch weren’t passionate about football.
“Loads of people in the team don’t really care about football at all,” he said. “But quite early on in the project, team members who weren’t convinced – after we ran internal tournaments – told me, ‘I get it now.
Diverse appeal beyond football fans
I don’t give a s**t about football, but this really struck something in me.'”
Rematch’s appeal revolves around the game’s dynamics and team play rather than the sport of football itself. This accessibility has attracted a diverse player base who might not typically pick up a football game. Tarno pointed out that their main untapped audience includes casual gamers who might not stay on top of gaming news or rush to new releases but are familiar with major titles like FIFA or Call of Duty.
“They play FIFA, but they don’t read gaming news regularly,” he said. “Maybe they just wait for their annual release. To reach them, it’s about word of mouth, continuous communication, and rolling out updates.”
As competitive games often do, Rematch is likely to see its play styles evolve over time, and new players will become more familiar with its mechanics, reinforcing its audience for the long term.
With the groundwork laid, Sloclap aims to dive deeper into this ocean of casual sports fans. The journey may take time, but the success of Rematch shows that with the right approach, a game doesn’t need to rely on traditional football fandom to become a hit.
Senior Software Engineer with a passion for building practical, user-centric applications. He specializes in full-stack development with a strong focus on crafting elegant, performant interfaces and scalable backend solutions. With experience leading teams and delivering robust, end-to-end products, he thrives on solving complex problems through clean and efficient code.
