ESPN Games and Playdom Officially Launch ESPN Sports Bar & Grill

ESPN Games and Playdom officially launched ESPN’s highly anticipated sophomore social game release on Facebook, titled ESPN Sports Bar & Grill presented by Samsung. The game gives fans a virtual destination to run their own sports bar and grill, win over loyal customers, decorate walls with sports paraphernalia, show simulated live and on-demand games via flat-screens, get real-time scores and news, interact with friends at their sports bar and grills, and more.

“Following the success of ESPNU College Town, we pulled out all the bells and whistles for the launch of ESPN Sports Bar & Grill, our most integrated and real-time connected game developed to date,” said Raphael Poplock, vice president, games and partnerships at ESPN. “We’re excited to continue our collaboration with Playdom in the development of sports-themed social games that reach a broad audience of both casual and passionate fans.”

Fans are challenged with all the day-to-day management duties of a real sports bar and grill owner. The more patrons served and kept happy, the bigger the buzz, popularity, and success of the bar and grill. By earning more, owners can purchase enhancements to their sports bars to level up faster, including expansion, flat screen TVs, the Samsung Galaxy Tab and TVs, posters, signs, arcade games, sports memorabilia, tables, chairs, bar stools, and more. For players under the age of 21, the game experience will be customized to serving food and non-alcoholic beverages.

Most importantly, fans will never be far away from the latest news in the sports world while playing ESPN Sports Bar & Grill. Owners can simulate a broadcast of live and on-demand games through the bar’s TVs to follow real-time scores and big in-game moments, all while entertaining patrons and watching them cheer on the bar’s favorite team. Additionally, owners can pipe a live feed of ESPN Radio through the sound system and receive the latest sports news via ESPN Ticker – all while managing their sports bar and grill.

For additional challenges, owners will be able to compete within the Game Predictor pick ‘em game integrated within ESPN Sports Bar & Grill. The more correct predictions among owners and their top friends, the more rewards earned. In Collections, owners earn items that consumers drop like bats, balls, down markers and more. There’s even a “Cheater’s Collection” that includes items like corked bats and a “Hockey Collection” to collect missing teeth. Owners are able to complete their sets by trading extras with friends.

“Every sports fan dreams of one day owning their own sports bar and grill to host their friends for the big game, and now is their chance,” said Michael Rubinelli, Playdom’s vice president of studio operations. “With ESPN Sports Bar & Grill, we’re giving players the opportunity to live out a sports fan’s fantasy.”