"Especially for us as an indie studio, leaning into gameplay, not wanting to do aggressive paywall mechanics and things like that, we thought a relatively low premium price but with loads of content packed in, will bring in as many people as possible," Guha Bala said. Karthik Bala added that the 10-day trial will help people understand what "Knockout City" is, as it's not purely a shooter, fighting game, nor sports title, but contains elements of all three genres.

The next video game from publisher Electronic Arts started with a simple activity: playing catch. What developed is something far more intense: the dodgeball-inspired action game "Knockout City," which will launch May 21 for PC, PlayStation, Xbox and Nintendo Switch. It will be available under a free trial at launch, then cost $19.99. The game, described by its developers as "dodgebrawl," has players compete against each other in a bustling metropolis, working as teams to knock out their opponents with powered-up balls. Even players' characters themselves can become the ball, allowing their teammates to whack an opponent.