There's a pickleball video game now
Pickleball may not be an Olympic sport, but the activity — which is played with a perforated plastic ball and wooden paddles on a badminton-sized court — has become popular enough to inspire a video game.
PPA Pickleball Tour 2025, released on Wednesday by FarSight Studios in partnership with the Professional Pickleball Association, enables users to play against top professional pickleball athletes in real PPA Tour venues. The game is now available on Xbox, PlayStation and Steam.
Pickleball rose rapidly in popularity in the years since the pandemic. It remains the fastest-growing sport in the United States, according to the latest data from the Sports & Fitness Industry Association, which has reported unprecedented growth in the sport since 2022. More than 13 million players participated in the sport last year.
Parker Roberts, the PPA's vice president of revenue, said the video game's release showcases how the sport "has truly gone mainstream."
“The launch of PPA Pickleball Tour 2025 represents the latest step in the game’s explosive growth and will help bring the sport to millions of new players," Roberts said in a news release.
In addition to featuring the likenesses of the world’s top pickleball players, the game further attempts to imitate reality by allowing players to equip themselves with paddles and apparel from real-world pickleball brands.
Gamers can then practice against an artificial intelligence opponent in a “quick play” mode or compete in simulated PPA Tour events to earn career achievements.
Pickleball is the latest sport to enter a wide network of video game series emulating professional sports leagues, from NBA 2K to PGA TOUR 2K to the now-discontinued FIFA franchise.
It became the official sport of the state of Washington in 2022, and local Facebook groups for pickleball players have drawn thousands of members each. In recent years, fitness centers have begun installing pickleball courts and offering classes. Some cities are even seeing the rise of pickleball social clubs.
