Football Heroes League opens early access for free-to-play soccer action RPG

Run Games, a studio founded by AAA game veterans from Treyarch, EA, and Pandemic Studios, has shadow-dropped its high-octane tactical soccer title, Football Heroes League, now available as a free-to-play Early Access title on PC via Steam and the Epic Games Store. The announcement came during the Future Games Show at gamescom latam, where it caught audiences by surprise with its bold fusion of sports and arcade action.

Set in the futuristic year 20XX, Football Heroes League reimagines soccer in a world where the sport dominates society and players wield science-fueled powers. From elemental strikes and robotic defenses to genetically enhanced abilities, this isn’t your average game of footy.

Players can dive into 2v2, 3v3, and 5v5 matches—ranked or casual—choosing from a roster of over-the-top heroes. At launch, five characters are available:

• Kenzo, an attacker with a devastating Spinning Bicycle Kick.

• Bun-E, a defender deploying robotic blockers.

• Beckers, a midfield dynamo with balanced offense and control.

Despite its arcade-style chaos, Football Heroes League emphasizes smart, tactical soccer play, rewarding team strategies and hero specialization with smooth physics and intuitive controls.

“We wanted to fuse the tactics and thrill of soccer with the excitement of arcade action,” said Michael Marzola, Creative Director at Run Games. “Football Heroes League is for fans of the sport and lovers of wild gameplay alike.”

Players can unlock additional skins, recolors, and emotes or opt for an All Character Bundle for one-time access to the full hero lineup. The game currently supports a wide range of languages including Chinese, Portuguese, Japanese, Korean, and more.

A full 1.0 release on console and mobile platforms is planned, with new heroes and game modes set to roll out during the Early Access phase.