“Daily Walkoff” is a trivia/puzzle game created by Eric Parker and Jacob Cook, two baseball fans and game geeks who met at the University of Washington 12 years ago. The game offers daily grids for all 30 Major League Baseball teams. Each puzzle features 12 players spread across four columns, and players must correctly match them according to their relationships. Get three correct in one column for a hit, but get one wrong for an out. The goal is to get all four columns correct before getting three outs, hence the name “walkoff.”
The game, which uses publicly available baseball data, quizzes players on various MLB statistics such as batting averages, starting pitchers, wins and losses, and home countries. It has already attracted over 1,300 unique users within its first few days of launch. Parker and Cook are both juggling their day jobs—the former running his own Tableau training and consulting business, and the latter working as a software engineer at Levanta—while developing “Daily Walkoff.” Their motivation for creating the game stems from their enjoyment of daily games such as “Wordle” and the belief that a game catered to casual baseball fans could be well-received.
As the baseball season is winding down, “Daily Walkoff” provides fans with a fun distraction from the current state of play, especially for teams like the struggling Seattle Mariners. While there are other sports and baseball-related games available, Parker believes that “Daily Walkoff” stands out due to its unique feature of allowing players to select any team and answer questions specific to that team. The complexity in coding and modeling required for such customization sets this game apart from its competitors, making it a challenging yet rewarding experience for players.
Though the creators do not have a concrete plan for monetizing their creation, they are open to sponsorship opportunities from brands like Big League Chew or potential buyers interested in acquiring the game. Parker and Cook are driven by their passion for the game and the enjoyment they derive from its creation, but they are also conscious of the need to balance their personal and professional lives. As the game continues to grow in popularity, the creators are committed to learning and evolving to provide an engaging experience for baseball fans looking for a new way to explore and interact with their favorite teams.
