Rematch, Sloclap Studio’s recent live service 5v5 soccer title, has quickly achieved impressive engagement milestones: Ampere’s Games Analytics data estimates Rematch approached 4M unique players in the two weeks following its June release. This is good for a newly launched live-service title, but even more impressive for a title based on a new IP competing with two established franchises, EA Sports FC (EA FC; formerly FIFA) and Rocket League. 

But while Rematch’s early success indicates there is strong player interest for another entry in the soccer category, the first two weeks of data indicate the title is expanding the soccer category by reaching players beyond the direct competition. Ampere’s Games Analytics global overlap data indicates that during June Rematch players were more likely to have played a shooter title than a competing sports title. Six of the top 10 titles that Rematch players also played in the same month were shooter titles (Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Siege, Fortnite, Call of Duty, Counter-Strike 2, Marvel Rivals, and Splitgate 2). Additionally, only 6% of EA FC 25’s and 8% of Rocket League’s audience also played Rematch in June, underlining that a greater share of Rematch players played non-competitor titles.

However, although Rematch is reaching a new segment of users, the title is also attracting a small share of its competitors’ user bases. An overlap user cohort analysis with EA FC 25 and Rocket League indicates Rematch players’ average game time in EA FC 25 and Rocket League declined in June, with EA FC 25 in particular experiencing a -30% average decrease across Xbox, Steam, and PlayStation. Some of this decline is seasonal, with prior EA FC titles also declining in June. However, although time spent in competing titles declined, the soccer segment's total average game time increased month over month, except for on Xbox (due to Rematch’s inclusion in Game Pass, which attracted a greater number of EA FC user thereby reducing average EA FC game time).

This early data suggests that Rematch is a complementary title expanding the soccer segment’s engagement overall. Rematch has attracted users who were primarily playing shooter titles and increased the soccer segment’s average game time. However, the data also suggests Rematch will cannibalise a small share of users from competing titles, and impact competitors’ engagement KPIs, most notably for EA FC. Currently, Rematch’s audience overlap with competitors is small, but it could become a threat if the title gains further traction amongst players of competing games, or if Rematch is included in a greater number of multi-game subscription services, such as PlayStation Plus.