For a limited time, SpongeBob, Patrick, Squidward and Mr. Krabs will race for glory across 26 courses, including a special map set in Bikini Bottom, as Oh Baby! Games’ closed beta hit Steam and the Epic Games Store yesterday.
Oh Baby! Games has announced the official launch of its debut title Oh Baby Kart (OBK), a cross-platform multiplayer kart racing game which boasts intricate skill-based gameplay and compelling interwoven narratives through its maps and modes. Unlike previous kart racers, OBK has been constructed within a live service model and will be free-to-play.
In partnership with Paramount Global and Nickelodeon, OBK will feature iconic characters from the SpongeBob SquarePants universe as playable racers. For a limited time, SpongeBob, Patrick, Squidward and Mr. Krabs will join an eclectic cast of over 20 characters racing for glory across 26 courses — including a special map set in Bikini Bottom.
Reimagining the kart racer genre, OBK offers a live service gameplay experience that challenges the status quo:
- Expansive Playable Characters & Karts: 20+ unlockable characters and 26 courses at the start of closed beta, including four limited time SpongeBob SquarePants racers. With hundreds of kart customization options, players can find the cosmetic style that fits them best.
- New, In-Depth Race Mechanics: A revolutionary racer talent system allows for mid-race stat and ability buffs to improve your character's Grand Prix build. Each racer leverages a unique passive trait and can select from multiple ultimate abilities (charged by kart drifting) to achieve victory their way.
- Live Service Model: Fresh content, new characters and tracks will be released on a steady seasonal cadence. These updates will include constant balance adjustments to racer stats, ensuring the game stays dynamic and evolves with the growing player base.
- Friends Race Together: A smooth, cross-platform matchmaking and in-game social chat system that takes a connected approach to playing with friends.
- New and Familiar Modes, with a Twist: In addition to the usual Grand Prix and Duo Racing formats, strap in for 100+ challenges that go beyond simple time trials. Think boss battles, in-race quests, and even more experimental modes to come!
- Ranked Multiplayer: Race in tiered competitive leagues based on past performance, ensuring balanced matchups. An asynchronous PvP mode allows players to test their skill against other players' best times for a coveted spot on the leaderboards.
Pasteur Tran, Founder and CEO of Oh Baby! Games, said, “I'm thrilled for players to get their hands on Oh Baby Kart. Growing up, I loved the classic kart racers like Mario Kart and Diddy Kong Racing. But I see Oh Baby Kart as a long overdue update to the genre, offering a fully online experience for the next generation of kart racing fans. At Oh Baby! Games, we're building an entire gaming platform from the ground up, a space that focuses on great games and the imaginative ways modern gamers inhabit those worlds. Beyond Oh Baby Kart, I can't wait to show everyone what else we've got coming down the pipeline.”
After securing a $6 million seed round earlier this year, Oh Baby! Games boasts several other game titles nearing completion, which will all be hosted on its custom-built Oh Baby! Games launcher. The launcher will serve as an important service and social hub for the wider community as the studio bolsters its game roster.
Oh Baby Kart entered closed beta for Windows and macOS on December 14 on Steam and the Epic Games Store, with mobile and console versions to follow in 2024. Apply to enter the closed beta HERE.
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