Knockout City release date: Trailer, gameplay features, beta signup & more

Knockout City, the latest original franchise from EA, is essentially a giant futuristic dodgeball match, and it’s a whole lotta fun. We’ve got all the information you need about the game right here.

With a seemingly endless supply of multiplayer games to choose from right now, Velan Studios and EA have shaken things up with Knockout City. Choosing to swap firepower for dodgeballs, it’s a great multiplayer game to sink your teeth into.

Players can customize their brawler, team up with friends to form a Crew, then enter a sprawling city environment full of skyscrapers and obstacles for lightning-fast multiplayer matches with the promise of “mind-blowing” dodgeball mechanics.

Knockout City released on May 21, 2021. Check out our first impressions here.

Knockout City release date

EA announced Knockout City during a Nintendo Direct live presentation on February 17, 2021. It’s coming to multiple gaming platforms including Switch, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, and Windows.

Knockout City released on May 21, 2021, so gamers can jump into the ring for some wild dodgeball action right now!

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The game is the latest creation from indie developers Velan Studios, the studio behind Nintendo’s Mario Kart Live: Home Circuit. EA is publishing the game under its EA Originals label.

Knockout City trailers

A few trailers were revealed ahead of launch, each of which shows off different aspects of the game. The first was released during a Nintendo Direct livestream, and the second during Sony’s State of Play presentation.

Reveal Trailer

For their official reveal trailer, EA chose to use humor to make an impact, and it worked. The trailer kicks off with various archetypes including Princess Charm and Lt. Alex Jackson describing how they want a different gaming experience.

Then, around the halfway mark, the real gameplay begins, giving the world their first look at the multiplayer dodgeball action that features in the game. It also does a pretty good job at showing off the various ways characters can be customized.

State of Play Gameplay Trailer

A second trailer was released on Thursday, February 26 during PlayStation’s State of Play presentation. It offered a more in-depth look at Knockout City’s gameplay, with narration from Velan Studios’ Josh.

The trailer goes through the different gameplay modes and the mechanics of play. Well-timed catches power up your ball, trick shots can be used to lob balls around obstacles, and faking throws can mess up your opponent’s timing.

We also get a look at a new map called Back Alley Brawl, and a special dodgeball called the Sniper Ball, which locks onto targets from far across the map and takes them out before they can react.

Season One trailer

Prior to launch, Knockout City’s Season one trailer dropped, showcasing to players all the fun they can look forward to in the coming 9-week season.

What is Knockout City?

As we mentioned before, Knockout City is basically one giant dodgeball match. It’s nothing like the sport you played in gym class, though, as here you’ll be competing in a futuristic city setting and using powered-up balls to take out your opponents.

Brawlers can team up with friends in 3v3 and 4v4 multiplayer matches, or go it alone in free-for-all matches. There are specialized balls, and passing to your teammates will power up dodgeballs. If there aren’t any around, you can simply “ball up” to get thrown by teammates.

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There are multiple maps across the city that will see players traversing skyscrapers, jumping across rooftops, and navigating construction sites. Dodgeballs aren’t the only thing to watch out for, as there will be obstacles like moving cars and wrecking balls.

Knockout City features

One of the most exciting features of Knockout City is the sheer amount of customization available for your brawler and their Crew. Players can choose from a range of clothing and body type options, then show off with KO Effects, Gliders, Taunts, and Victory Poses.

While a solo free-for-all mode is available, brawlers will most likely want to play with friends in a team as there are Crew-only rewards to unlock for storming to victory with teammates.

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It’s not just your standard-issue red dodgeballs that players can use, as there will also be a variety of Special Balls to add to your arsenal. So far, there’s the zero-gravity Moon Ball, the Bomb Ball, the Cage Ball, and we’d expect more to be announced soon.

Maps confirmed for the game so far are Rooftop Rumble, Knockout Roundabout, Back Alley Brawl, and Concussion Yard.

Does Knockout City have cross-play?

Whenever a new battle royale title comes out, one of the first questions gamers have is whether or not it will have cross-play. This means they can play with friends who own the game on a different console.

Gamers will be glad to know that Knockout City includes cross-play, too. In fact, EA is pushing it as one of the game’s biggest features, as playing with friends is a major part of the experience.