Goals (video game)
{{Short description|Upcoming football simulation video game}}
{{About|the upcoming free-to-play video game|the 1989 NES video game|Goal! (video game)|the 1993 game|Dino Dini's Goal}}
{{Infobox video game
| title = Goals
| image = GOALS_Logo.png
| caption =
| developer = Goals AB
| publisher = Goals AB
| designer = Frans Perers
| platforms = {{Ubl|Windows|MacOS|PlayStation 4|PlayStation 5|Xbox One|Xbox Series X/S}}
| released =
| genre = Sports
| modes = Multiplayer
| engine = Unreal Engine 5
}}
Goals (stylized as GOALS) is an upcoming football video game developed & published by Goals AB. Conceptualized by Andreas Thorstensson, Goals will follow a free-to-play business model with a focus on esports viability. First announced on July 22, 2021, the game is intended to compete with the FIFA & eFootball series of video games, with a focus on responsiveness over fidelity. The game will feature cross-platform play, for Microsoft Windows, MacOS, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One and Xbox Series X and Series S platforms.
Gameplay
Goals places players on football pitches at different arenas, with game modes of 1v1 & 5v5. A practice mode called "The Arena" may be accessed, allowing for testing player avatars & features.{{cite web | last = Anthony | first = Ashley | url = https://primagames.com/tips/separates-goals-other-football-games | title = What Separates GOALS From Other Football Games? – Answered | date = January 18, 2023 | publisher = Prima Games | access-date = February 28, 2024}}
Development
Swedish gamer & programmer Andreas Thorstensson was one of the earliest professional Counter-Strike players, with his career beginning shortly after the release of the game in 1999. As a player, executive and owner of the German & Swedish organization Schroet Kommando, which became SK Gaming, he led it to become one of the most prolific in the scene, before retiring in 2009.{{cite news|url=http://www.sk-gaming.com/content/27621-bds_seeks_new_challenges|title=bds Seeks New Challenges|date=July 12, 2009|access-date=December 17, 2010|last=Shields|first=Duncan|publisher=SK Gaming}} After several web development & entrepreneurship ventures over the subsequent decade, Thorstensson teased Goals as his new venture, before formally announcing it as a football video game on August 18, 2021. Thorstensson detailed his intention to develop an esports-ready AAA cross-platform multiplayer game that would reward players.{{cite web | last = Fitch | first = Adam | url = https://www.dexerto.com/gaming/goals-football-game-announced-1633622/ | title = FIFA and eFootball competitor GOALS announced by SK Gaming founder | date = August 18, 2021 | publisher = Dexerto | access-date = August 18, 2021}}
The game would be built using Unreal Engine 5.{{cite web | last = Monteiro | first = Rafael | url = https://www.techtudo.com.br/noticias/2022/06/conheca-goals-jogo-de-futebol-que-sera-rival-gratuito-de-fifa-e-efootball.ghtml | title = Conheça Goals, jogo de futebol que será rival gratuito de FIFA e eFootball | date = June 28, 2022 | publisher = Grupo Globo | access-date = February 28, 2024}} An objective outlined by Thorstensson from the onset was to give audiences access to Goals during its early days, allowing for the team to gauge feedback and combat bugs before release.{{cite web | last = Craven | first = Joe | url = https://www.dexerto.com/gaming/goals-dev-reveals-plans-to-launch-a-basic-and-poor-version-of-the-game-1895517/ | title = GOALS dev reveals plans to launch a "basic" and "poor" version of the game | date = August 7, 2022 | publisher = Dexerto | access-date = February 28, 2024}} Early access testing for Goals began with a single-player demo called the "Arena" in September 2022, with rudimentary functionality implemented. The following February, multiplayer access on a football pitch setting began.{{cite web | author = Shubh | url = https://www.fragster.com/stockholm-based-goals-recieves-20m-series-a-funding-for-the-hyped-soccer-game/ | title = Stockholm-based GOALS {{as written|rec|ieves [sic]}} $20M Series A funding for the hyped soccer game | date = April 19, 2023 | publisher = Fragster | access-date = February 28, 2024}}
In April 2022, Goals AB was announced to have raised $15 million in seed funding, led by venture capitalist firm Northzone.{{cite web | last = Akamo | first = Ajibola | url = https://nairametrics.com/2022/04/05/blockchain-gaming-getting-more-vc-attention-as-goals-announces-15-million-seed-funding/ | title = Blockchain gaming getting more VC attention as GOALS announces $15 million seed funding | date = April 5, 2022 | publisher = Nairametrics | access-date = February 28, 2024}} In April 2023, Goals received an additional $20 million in funding - led by Reddit founder Alexis Ohanian’s venture capital firm Seven Seven Six and supported by Northzone, Moonfire, Cassius and angel investors Peter Sellis, Wayne Mackey, Riqui Puig and Clément Lenglet - bringing the total funding to $39 million.{{cite web | url = https://www.forbes.com/sites/mattgardner1/2023/04/19/goals-secures-20-million-to-give-football-the-game-it-deserves/?sh=31d26a8f54c2 | title = GOALS Secures $20 Million To Give Football Esports 'The Game It Deserves' | first = Matt | last = Gardner | date = April 19, 2023 | website = Forbes | access-date = April 21, 2023 }} In July 2023, GOALS AB's board was bolstered by the arrivals of Ebba Ljungerud and Oskar Gabrielson, the former chief executive officers of Paradox Interactive & and DICE, respectively.{{cite web | url = https://esportsinsider.com/2023/07/goals-board-appointments | title = GOALS appoints former Paradox and DICE executives to Board | first = Ivan | last = Šimić | date = July 5, 2023 | website = Esports Insider | access-date = February 28, 2024 }}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- {{Official website|https://playgoals.com/}}
{{Portal bar|Sweden|Video games}}
{{Authority control}}
Category:Association football video games
Category:Early access video games
Category:Free-to-play video games
Category:Unreal Engine 5 games
Category:Video games developed in Sweden