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Com2uS renames App Store hit Baseball Slugger as Homerun Battle 3D

And next up, micro-transactions

Com2uS renames App Store hit Baseball Slugger as Homerun Battle 3D

What's in a name?

Quite a lot according to Korean publisher Com2uS.

It's just updated its Baseball Slugger: Homerun Race 3D game - which was released back in June 2009 - and has been duking it out in the US App Store Top 100 with a couple of other baseball games ever since.

Now it's called Homerun Battle 3D.

The reason for this somewhat surprising marketing switch on a live game is the company believes it’s a better name to position the game, not only as a baseball game but also a casual sports title which has an online match-up or Battle mode.

After all, baseball is only really popular in the US, Japan and Korea.

"It's a home run hitting game that you can challenge with your friend online," said Don Lim, Com2uS America's general manager. "We wanted to rebrand the game as simple and clearly as possible. It's the best online Homerun Battle game and it's 3D."

If you've already bought the game, you don't have to do anything, but when you update it, the name and icon will change.

Other additions in the update include Facebook and twitter support so you can show off your national ranking.

And it will certainly be interesting to see how Homerun Battle 3D’s chart position changes and whether gamers are confused by the change.

Still, Com2uS promises the next update will support micro-transactions so you can buy in-game items.

We reckon this is the real reason it makes sense to rebrand a game that's already been out for almost three months.

Homerun Battle 3D is available now, priced 99c, €0.79 or 59. Hit the Buy It! button to score a home run.
Jon Jordan
Jon Jordan
A Pocket Gamer co-founder, Jon can turn his hand to anything except hand turning. He is editor-at-large at PG.biz which means he can arrive anywhere in the world, acting like a slightly confused uncle looking for the way out. He likes letters, cameras, imaginary numbers and legumes.