“Daily Walkoff” is a new online trivia/puzzle game for baseball fans that offers daily grids for all 30 Major League Baseball teams. Created by Eric Parker and Jacob Cook, the game challenges players to match 12 players to their corresponding columns based on their relationships with each other. The goal is to correctly assign all players before getting three outs and “walking off” to win. The game is unique in its ability to allow players to select any team and answer questions specific to that team using a publicly available baseball data set.
Parker and Cook, both game and baseball enthusiasts who met at the University of Washington, developed “Daily Walkoff” in their spare time while balancing their day jobs. Parker is a Tableau trainer and consultant, while Cook is a software engineer at Levanta. The duo drew inspiration from games like “Connections” by The New York Times and their love for baseball to create a challenging and engaging experience for fans. Despite the complexity in coding and modeling required, the game has attracted over 1,300 users in its first few days after launch.
The game comes at a time when the baseball season is winding down, with teams like the Seattle Mariners facing challenges in their playoff aspirations. However, “Daily Walkoff” provides fans with a fun distraction from the ups and downs of their favorite teams’ performances. The game features questions related to MLB batting averages, starting pitchers, wins and losses, home countries, and more, providing players with a comprehensive trivia and puzzle experience centered around America’s favorite pastime.
While there are other sports and baseball-related games available, such as “MLB Pickle” and “Immaculate Grid,” “Daily Walkoff” stands out for its focus on individual MLB teams and its unique gameplay mechanics. Players can test their knowledge and skills by selecting any team and attempting to answer questions specific to that team. The game relies on a data set sourced from public baseball data, which is used to generate columns featuring various trivia questions for players to solve.
Parker and Cook approach the development of “Daily Walkoff” with a combination of passion and pragmatism. They enjoy the challenge and fun of creating the game, but also understand the need to balance their personal lives alongside their project. While there are no immediate plans to monetize the game, the creators are open to opportunities for sponsorship or potential buyers who may be interested in acquiring or supporting their creation. As they continue to refine and enhance the game, Parker and Cook remain committed to providing a unique and enjoyable experience for baseball fans looking to test their knowledge and skills in a fun and engaging way.
