Somnia, the blockchain network focused on gaming and entertainment, has announced the addition of Sparkball, a 4v4 sports brawler developed by Opti Games, to its platform. The move positions Sparkball as a flagship title in Somnia’s lineup of web3-native and web2-transitioning games. The launch follows Sparkball’s successful funding round in 2024, where it raised over $2 million to support the expansion of its community and development roadmap.

Developed by a team with prior experience at Riot Games, Blizzard Entertainment, and EA Sports, Sparkball blends fast-paced action with strategic gameplay. The game has drawn comparisons to League of Legends and Rocket League, offering players a mix of combat and sports mechanics. As part of its integration into the Somnia network, Sparkball will introduce new gameplay features, including wager-based mechanics, AI-versus-AI matches, and various player incentives.

Sparkball Launches on Somnia as Flagship Title

About Somnia and Sparkball

Somnia is a high-performance EVM Layer 1 blockchain built specifically for gaming and interactive applications. Its architecture includes innovations such as Multistream Consensus, the IceDB database, and real-time event responsiveness in Solidity. Designed to handle millions of users simultaneously, Somnia provides a foundation for scalable, cost-efficient, and reactive web3 applications. 

Sparkball is a 4v4 sports brawler developed by Opti Games. It combines elements of strategic team play with fast-paced action, where players compete to score goals while engaging in combat. Drawing from the design philosophies of popular titles such as League of Legends and Rocket League, Sparkball offers an accessible yet competitive experience for a wide range of players.

Sparkball Launches on Somnia as Flagship Title

Expanded Features and Competitive Plans

Sparkball has already made an impact in competitive gaming through events such as the Sparkball Ascension Invitational Tournament, which featured partnerships with organizations including G2 Esports, Cloud9, and Fnatic. Later this year, Sparkball will begin Season Zero, which will include the introduction of a full Battle Pass system and a ranked ladder. These additions are expected to lay the groundwork for formal esports integration.

Season Zero will also feature content exclusive to the Somnia platform, including a Somnia-branded in-game skin. Opti Games founder Chandler Thomlison commented on the collaboration, stating that alignment with Somnia's long-term vision became clear early in discussions. He emphasized the importance of working with a platform built specifically to meet the performance and design needs of multiplayer games.

Sparkball Launches on Somnia as Flagship Title

Somnia’s Purpose-Built Blockchain Infrastructure

Somnia was developed from the ground up to support gaming applications with real-time demands. Unlike other blockchains that adapt existing codebases, Somnia’s infrastructure is optimized for persistent player identity, scalable multiplayer environments, and high-speed on-chain activity. It is capable of processing over one million transactions per second and delivers sub-second finality at low cost.

Somnia's capabilities were tested in Chunked.xyz, an MMO that handled more than 250 million transactions during a community stress test weekend. The network is currently supporting a range of titles, from more traditional games like Crusader to experimental and community-driven projects such as Maelstrom, Procedure, and the Ghibli Pet Game.

According to Somnia founder Paul Thomas, the network was built to support complex and competitive games like Sparkball. He noted that the integration of blockchain technology into gaming should be foundational, rather than added as an afterthought. Herman Narula, CEO of Improbable and co-founder of Somnia, also shared support for the partnership, highlighting Sparkball’s engagement with its player base and the quality of its development.

Sparkball Launches on Somnia as Flagship Title

Future Availability and Community Engagement

Sparkball will be available to play for free during Steam Next Fest, taking place from June 9 to June 16. This marks the beginning of broader community access and engagement as the title continues to grow its footprint within the web3 gaming space.

With this launch, Sparkball becomes part of a growing network of games that are not only designed for entertainment but are also supported by blockchain infrastructure capable of meeting the demands of real-time, large-scale interaction. Both Opti Games and Somnia see the partnership as a step toward a more scalable and connected future for competitive multiplayer games.