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Type ‘Super Mega Baseball’ into a YouTube search and you’re bound to find many fans expressing their gratitude for the game.
“It is legit,” said one YouTube personality. “I am loving this game already,” said another.
Through the years the little baseball video game that could has generated a cult-like following, bringing a smile to the faces of Victoria-based duo Scott Drader and Christian Zuger.
“It’s been a long, fun and wild ride,” said Drader, co-founder of Metalhead Software.
Drader and Zugar are the visionaries behind Super Mega Baseball and from day one, the two were not afraid to swing for the fences.
“We have been working together in one form or another for about sixteen years now,” said Drader, who met Zugar while working together at another gaming studio.
“When I look at where we started, you know, we started out in Scott’s basement,” said Zugar, originally from Switzerland.
With minimal gaming and zero business experience, the two decided over beers at a Victoria bar that they wanted to launch a gaming company.
Today, Metalhead Software has twenty employees, a downtown office on Wharf St. and a baseball game franchise that’s thriving in one of the world’s most competitive industries.
“Start-ups are super hard,” said Drader, who admits there were many moments of doubt in the early stages, namely when they launched their first edition of Super Mega Baseball in 2014.
“We thought it was great, we had really high hopes for it but we were a nobody studio that nobody knew,” said Zuger.
With little marketing and low sales, Super Mega Baseball appeared to be another casualty in the cutthroat gaming industry. However, word among the gaming community started to spread and Super Mega Baseball received critical acclaim. The franchise, known for its fun gameplay and cartoon-like characters, has since built up a strong and loyal following.
“It’s amazing to have watched it grow through the years.”
Their 3rd version of the game was released just prior to the pandemic when many people had a little more time on their hands.
“It was a big year for us,” said Drader, originally from Calgary.
With the game’s success, Burnaby-based gaming giant EA Sports started to take notice.
“They put out an incredible product with Super Mega Baseball 1,2, and most recently 3,” said Sean Ramjagsingh, executive producer and general manager at EA Sports.
After nearly a year of conversations, EA officially acquired Metalhead Software earlier this week.
“Huge, huge, huge milestone for the studio,” said Zugar. “We’re very excited to take what we have and bring it to a much bigger audience.”
“The games are a byproduct of their people and their culture for sure,” said Ramjagsingh. “It starts from the top, it starts with Scott and Christian.”
It’s an underdog story for the ages, and for Scott and Christian, one that’s far from over.
“The partnership with EA is a huge event for us and we’re really looking forward to the next chapter,” said Drader.
Drader says despite the acquisition, Metalhead Software will remain with its employees Victoria.
Kevin Charach
