Blaseball Developer Shuts Down the Bizarre Fantasy Baseball Simulator

Blaseball, a text-only fantasy baseball simulator, was developed during Covid and imagined baseball as played in a world of otherworldly horrors. Blaseball was a remarkable example of procedural storytelling in which players could bet on the games to win points throughout a given week. The community could spend their points to vote on new rules for the game, and anything could happen. However, the developer, The Game Band, is shutting it down. The company is laying off its Blaseball development team and will provide them with severance pay, healthcare extensions, and a dedicated staff member for job search help.

The End of Blaseball

Blaseball’s developers said in a statement that Blaseball isn’t sustainable to run. The team has tried countless solutions to make it work, but it isn’t sustainable in the long run. The cost, literally and metaphorically, is too high. Blaseball developed an incredibly devoted online fandom, one that even established a merch store full of fan-created apparel, Blaseball cards, mugs, and more, where all profits were given to charity. The store will continue to operate until June 30, 2023, and will then be shut down as well.

The Legacy of Blaseball

Blaseball players could bet on the games to win points throughout a given week, where chance encounters, Dungeons & Dragons-style could rend games, and reality itself, asunder. At the end of the week, Blaseball’s community could spend their points to vote on new rules for the game, and in true D&D fashion, anything could happen. Blaseball developed an incredibly devoted online fandom, one that even established a merch store full of fan-created apparel, Blaseball cards, mugs, and more, where all profits were given to charity. The store will continue to operate until June 30, 2023, and will then be shut down as well.

Blaseball was a unique and strange world that captured the imaginations of many fans. It was a remarkable example of procedural storytelling that allowed for anything to happen. The developer’s decision to shut down Blaseball has left many fans disappointed. However, the dedication and passion of the Blaseball fandom show the impact that this bizarre fantasy baseball simulator had on its players.