Rebellion's just surprise rebooted a '90s classic and released it on Steam

If you're of a certain vintage then Speedball, and more specifically Speedball 2: Brutal Deluxe, is an all-timer. Created by the one and only Bitmap Brothers for the Amiga, Speedball is a no-holds-barred future sport that's a little like someone stuck hockey, rugby and UFC into a blender: Two teams batter the life out of each other while throwing the ball around an enclosed arena trying to score goals.

Today Rebellion, best-known for the Sniper Elite series, surprise launched a reboot of the series: Speedball is now in early access on Steam (£15/$20), and the launch trailer's below.

Rebellion calls this "a brand new entry into the legendary Bitmap Brothers series" set in the year 2138. "Once an underground sport reviled for its brutality, Speedball has risen to unprecedented heights of popularity and profitability," reads the blurb. "It is the only sport that allows two cybernetically augmented teams to go head-to-head at levels of speed and violence beyond human limitations, where any moment could be a player's last."

The thing about Speedball 2 was always the speed. It was a game with a huge skill ceiling but everything happened at a million miles a minute, and with two matched competitors it was almost dizzying at times. The new Speedball is fast, though this game is full 3D and not quite as white-knuckle as the 2D (2.5D?) top-down original, and adds "visceral takedowns" alongside a slowmo replay mode for especially brutal moments.

Another reimagined element is the management side: Brutal Deluxe was named after the team that you would take from the doldrums to the Speedballing heights, and picking players and formations was part of the strategy. The new Speedball lets you plan all this out based on "stars' strengths, weaknesses and cybernetic augmentations" and tailor teams for all-out aggression (yes!) or defensive strength, albeit in a fairly barebones fashion right now.

The game may be early access but it's launched with AI opponents, local multiplayer (a really nice touch given the heritage) and online multiplayer. The game has a 12 month roadmap leading up to a 1.0 release, and the current plan is to add "team management and draft systems, player and manager progression, Career Mode, skill-based matchmaking and leaderboards, new cosmetics, skins, arenas and more."

Well, didn't have this one on the bingo card. But I quite like the way Rebellion's chosen to play this one: The Speedball name still has some cachet, for me at least, but it's been so long since Speedball 2 and all we've really had of note since then is remakes of that game (there's a good one on Steam). A hype cycle for a new Speedball would've made little difference, but a reboot out of nowhere? For those who know: get ready!