November 19, 2008

Baseball Boss: "The first game to combine baseball simulation games with collectible card games"
By Louis Bedigian

“The appeal to baseball fans is on several levels. First, it is a short form game. Second, it’s very social. Third, collecting is fun.”

As an official licensee of the MLB Advanced Media and the MLBPA, Baseball Boss is one of the more unique card games available. Designed solely for the Web, Jeff Petry from Challenge Games Marketing says that the game is based on three simple things:

• Players collect and trade virtual Baseball Boss branded baseball cards of current and historical players – its like iTunes meets baseball cards.
• Players use those cards to create a baseball team.
• Players then challenge others through a variety of head-to-head baseball game play modes.

"Players can register and play free at www.baseballboss.com, " Petry says. "We give all new players free packs of our Baseball Boss cards when they register, and there are a number of ways players can grow their card collection. What’s interesting is that we’ve found that people like to play in a couple of primary ways. Some just want to play baseball games against others. But some play just for the sake of collecting our baseball cards (and have amassed thousands of cards in just the few months that we’ve been live.) I believe some of our more entrepreneurial players are running virtual card shops through the game, which we think is pretty cool. We’ve definitely put economic structures in the game to allow folks to play that way if they want."

Baseball Boss is described as a "baseball card fantasy" game. For our readers who are used to playing Sony's MLB series and others like it, explain what this game is like, how it differs from the pack, and why baseball enthusiasts should be excited.

Jeff Petry: Baseball Boss is very unique to the baseball game genre. It is the first game to combine baseball simulation games with collectible card games. The appeal to baseball fans is on several levels. First, it is a short form game – players can hop online and get a quick baseball game fix in just a few minutes. Second, it’s very social – players can compete against other players online (or against historical teams). Third, collecting is fun – players can amass a vast a baseball card collection without having to store boxes and binders. Our game’s Auction House is a like a mini baseball card only eBay where players can get cards from other players. We think Baseball Boss will have a very strong appeal to baseball fans, gamers and collectors.

Is Baseball Boss anything like the card-based RPGs? Did any of them serve as inspiration for this game?

JP: We were inspired by other card-based RPGs in that we felt we had a product that would very much add to the genre. We were also inspired by the best card-based RPGs to make the best possible game. We feel that Baseball Boss’ innovative combination of CCGs and fantasy baseball stands alone in the market, but that doesn’t mean that the game play will be unfamiliar with card-based RPGs. Anyone who has played a CCG should be able to get into Baseball Boss right away and have a great time.

The iPhone has proved to be a successful device, but why bring a game to this platform as opposed to a dedicated game machine?

JP: Our company mission is to create online, short-form games that are challenging, fun and easy to play whether you're a serious or casual gamer. This makes the iPhone a perfect fit. You can use iPhone’s browser to play Baseball Boss anytime, from anywhere. So it is perfect for someone on-the-go or who has a few minutes to to get that quick baseball and gaming fix.

Given that this is a Web-based title, is that how it will be displayed on the iPhone?

JP: Gameplay has been formatted to fit into the iPhone layout and functionality. Using the iPhone web browser and controls, Baseball Boss players will be able play the games, browse their collections and some of the game’s other common functions.

Did that make the conversion process from PC to iPhone fairly easy?

JP: As the case with all technical things, it takes some work. But the response from our testing has been very positive and we hope players love it.

Will you release this game via the Apple store, or…?

JP: Our games are free to play and players can find it online at www.baseballboss.com.  Players don’t need to buy an app.

What game functionalities will be available to those who play the iPhone version? Which functionalities are only available on the PC?

JP: Players can accept challenges and see the results, browse their cards and review the status of auctions on their iPhone.

There are few differences between the play on the iPhone versus a computer, and we are planning to add to what you can do on iPhone over time. You start by creating an account via a computer, then can play on a either you computer or iPhone.

Can PC players compete with iPhone players?

JP: Yes, if you have an iPhone, you can accept challenges from players using a computer and vice versa.

Are the two versions cross-functional? In other words, can I play the game at home on PC, drag the save file (or whatever) to an iPhone, and continue playing?

JP: They are because the game is entirely web based, so there are no save files to manage – all your data is in your game account. It’s really easy to play on a computer or on your iPhone.

Other than the functionality, did any conformities have to be made for the game to work on an iPhone?

JP: The main thing to tackle was formatting the game screens for the iPhone browser. The base game design – short form, social, card-based - lends itself to iPhone very well

Can you play Baseball Boss on an iPod Touch?

JP: If you can access a web browser and get on the Internet, you can use the iPod Touch to play Baseball Boss.

Thus far, the iPhone has been overwhelmed with quick game developments, making it difficult to sift through the crappy titles and only play the good ones. This isn't as big of a problem on the DS and PSP because you have fewer games to begin with, and the good games tend to have a big-name developer or publisher attached and are advertised fairly well. Given your situation, how do you plan to promote Baseball Boss to let consumers know that it's not just another "app" thrown onto the iPhone?

JP: First, this is not an app for the iPhone. It is a web-based game that is set up to enhance the online experience of iPhone users. So this isn’t a case of creating a game for one platform then mashing it up to fit into another.

We will continue to push out new features and work with our players to improve the game and get the word out about how much fun this free game is. We just went live a few months ago, and while the response has been great, we are working hard to continue building a player base that comes from a variety of places. We feel like the game appeals to casual or hardcore gamers, CCG players, baseball and collectible fans. We will have fun promotions throughout the year that will appeal to each of those target groups.

Finally, have you considered releasing Baseball Boss for any other platform?

JP: Not at this time, but we’re always looking at new opportunities.

Thank you for your time.

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