FreeStyle Street Basketball

E3 2006 First Look Preview

It’s basketball online, but not like you’ve experienced it before. This is a massively multiplayer online game, but one in which style is the most important thing of all, and you have to earn the ability to purchase the hops and styling moves.

FreeStyle Street Basketball was a brief glimpse only at the pre-E3 event Vivendi Universal held in San Francisco recently, but from what was seen, this is a game that may have some broad appeal for sports fans.

The game is PC-based and online only, with the timeline likely being a soft beta in November and should that prove solid, launch in Q1 of 2007.

Players will start in a chat room and form games, from 1v1 to 3v3, and play out the games peer-to-peer (not server) in a Window mode. The game is totally based on community and customization, and players can purchase not only skills, but clothes and tattoos as well.

Experience earned is based on how well you do in the game, not the final score. Each of the games last five minutes with a two minute overtime, should it prove necessary. Every move is a skill players will learn (like a pass behind the back or through the legs) and the game is keyboard based when it comes to the control system. Going into a game you can load up five skills and that will be the pool you draw from during the contest.

Right now, the title is the No. 3 MMO in Korea. The game will feature a team system and friend’s list.

The graphics are fluid and have a bit of a graphic novel look to them, with cel-shading. The music will range from hip hop to rock and a hit/play list will be available as well.

A bit unique for the MMO space, FreeStyle Street Basketball is certainly a title worth keeping an eye on as the development cycle continues toward launch in ’07.

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