Half-life 2 players everywhere can now download and play the public Beta release of Smashball: The Galaxy’s Most Violent Sport! Fast and Furious Action! Rend your foes into hamburger with a lethal array of weaponry. Grab the ball, pass it to your teammates, and don’t fumble! Run or shoot the ball into your enemy’s goal to win the game!

Match and Player Stats! On the smashball web site, you can see your personal stats, as well as the results of any match played on an official server. As you play, you gain Experience Points and Levels. These make you a more versatile player by giving you access to special abilities.

I guess it’s better if we just show you what this Source engine based game is capable of……

The Commissioner of the Intergalactic Smashball League held a press conference this morning to announce the game: “Take a bunch of guys. Pump ’em up on combat drugs. Give ’em guns, a grappling hook, and a ball. Throw ’em in an arena. Hilarity ensues.”

Once you do, you’ll be subjected to all the grace and glory that Smashball has to offer:

* Fast and Furious Action! Rend your foes into hamburger with a lethal array of weaponry. Grab the ball, pass it to your teammates, and don’t fumble! Run or shoot the ball into your enemy’s goal to win the game!

* Match and Player Stats! On our web site, you can see your personal stats, as well as the results of any match played on an official server. As you play, you gain Experience Points and Levels. These make you a more versatile player by giving you access to special abilities.

* Fame and Fortune! Think you’ve got what it takes to make the grade? We invite the best teams and players into our Pro Division, where they can compete for cash prizes. We publish the best matches as high-definition video on YouTube.

Kate “Sassy” Yanker, the League’s well-spoken and voluptuous Director of Public Relations, talked more about the launch: “Smashball mixes up the best parts of extreme violence and professional sports into a chewy and delicious carnage-filled experience. And can you please look me in the eyes while you’re interviewing me?”

Smashball in action!

Ms. Yanker went on to explain that over the next few months, Smashball will be adding a lot of new features:

* Updated Art and Animations. Right now, we’re using placeholders for a lot of things — you probably won’t be trembling in fear at our majestic watermelon gun! Our full release will include custom models and new animations for everything!

* Full League Integration. You can create your own team and compete in our Amateur Open Division. You’ll be able to painlessly find opponents and schedule matches. The results will be automatically registered with the league!

* Custom Video Tool. We’re currently generating video for the most exciting matches in the league. You will be able to create videos from any match. You and your team will be rewarded based on how many views your videos receive!

“We’d love for everyone to come see what our Beta launch has to offer,” said Ms. Yanker. “We really need the help of all you dedicated and psychotic playtesters to help us move closer to our full release. I think we could reward you, too… perhaps with a big cash-prize tournament?”