Hoop Land news & patch notes

Hello Hoop Fans!

The 'Tournament' Update is finally here! Version 1.09.7 adds exciting new features such as college rankings, tournament courts, CPU player trade requests, and much more!

Those of you that enjoy playing Commissioner Mode with a friend can now set specific teams to Player or CPU. Player controlled teams will be able to draft, sign, and trade their own players without any CPU involvement.

Unfortunately, Cloud Saves did not make the cut but it's still on my list of things to add in future updates along with Achievements.

This update also sets the foundation for the big College Franchise Mode coming to Update Version 1.10 later this year. This will also be the update when Hoop Land finally exits Early Access so your feedback leading up to full release will be crucial!

Thank you all again for putting your trust into the development of this game, I couldn't have done it without all your support!

New Features

- Added Top 25 rankings for college leagues

- Added ability for unhappy players to request trades

- Added ability to scout coaches in Franchise Mode

- Added ability to toggle between Player and CPU control for any team in Commissioner Mode

- Added ability to edit tournament and playoff matchups in Commissioner Mode

- Added ability to edit tournament courts in Commissioner Mode and custom league editor

- Added ability to edit player injuries in Commissioner Mode and custom league editor

- Added ability to edit exact total of season games

- Added ability to edit menu background color

- Added ability to cycle through various menu UI with gamepad shoulders and triggers

All Season Modes

- Added ability to export box scores as a text file

- Added player star ratings to trade summary screen

- Added double doubles and triple doubles to advanced stats screen on player profile

- Added color key for player and team options on contracts screen

- Added deceased status to coach profile screen

- Added informative text when box scores are disabled

- Added warning text when selecting a league with more than 64 teams

- Improved CPU trade value calculation

- Updated standings screen for college leagues

- Updated divisions to conferences in college leagues

- Players will now select previous worn jersey numbers if possible

- Teams will now retire number most worn by retiring player

- Draft rankings will now only display declared players if custom draft class is loaded

- Moved Honolulu from Northwest Division to Southwest Division

- Fixed incorrect team logos getting cached

- Fixed incorrect coin display when viewing a player from another league

- Fixed draft lottery odds not applying to upcoming season

- Fixed inability to advance past free agency if player minutes array is empty

- Fixed inability to view past season standings if expansion team is added

- Fixed top news not redirecting to coach profile screen after coach passes away

- Fixed score text size on playoffs bracket screen

- Fixed championship trophy appearing on non championship games during live sim

- Fixed star team logos, courts, and table graphics not caching properly

- Fixed retired player animation when cycling years in player comparison screen

- Fixed exported stats formatting on mobile devices

- Fixed gender for generated Icelandic surnames

Career Mode

- Fixed projected minutes not factoring in teammate injuries

- Fixed trophy preview text size on trophies screen

- Fixed inability to view entire trophy collection on trophies screen

- Fixed freeze when simulating to next sub-in

- Fixed All-Star game ending prematurely when simulating to next appearance

Hoop Gram

- Added breaking news for player trade requests

- Added Search button to main screen

- Fixed posts when box scores cannot be found

- Fixed posts not directing to correct profile screen

- Fixed post not displaying player of the game

- Fixed blank posts when player or coach has passed away

Franchise Mode

- Coaches must now be scouted before they can be hired

- Fixed player control selection for All-Star game

Commissioner Mode

- Added ability to simulate ahead in college leagues without switching to the pro league

- Fixed ability to trade draft picks after the trade deadline

Gameplay

- Added Top 25 rankings to scoreboard for ranked teams in college league

- Added series lead to scoreboard during the post season

- Added additional tracked stats to team stats screen

- Fixed players teleporting when catching the ball after a pass

- Fixed players getting stuck mid-air

- Fixed player not getting credited with a steal after deflecting the ball

- Fixed player not getting credited with an assist after saving or tipping the ball

- Fixed play targets not reappearing after a replay has ended

- Fixed inability to substitute players to certain positions in quick subs menu

- Fixed #00 appearing as #100 when displayed below the player

UI

- Added ability to disable menu background scrolling

- Added descriptive text for various game and season settings

- Fixed freeze on startup screen if exhibition and game settings fail to load

- Fixed inability to switch between mouse & keyboard and gamepad while in-game

- Fixed Workshop button overlayed on top of the Options button

- Fixed Star Teams not uploading properly to the Workshop

Hey Hoop Fans!

Since the last big update which added Steam Workshop I've been busy working on the next update, Version 1.09.7. This update fixes a variety of bugs and issues that have been on my backlog and also adds in new features and requests. My goal is to release Update Version 1.09.7 within the next month or so but I should have a more firm release date as it nears closer to completion.

Here are some of the highlights thus far!

Improved CPU Trade Logic

CPU teams will factor in player award history so that players with the same star ratings but more awards will be more valued. Teams will also be more cautious trading away their draft picks.

CPU Player Trade Requests

CPU players that become unhappy due to their playing time, performance, or team success may request a trade from the team. At this point, your only options are to trade away the player or leave them to sit on the bench as they will refuse to play in games.

Unknown Coach Scouting

Free agent coaches with unknown traits and attributes can be scouted for 25 coins. Scouting will reveal the whole report so that you can make more well informed hires.

Editable Player Injuries

Player injuries will be editable in Commissioner Mode and in the Custom League Editor.

Improved Commissioner Mode Team Control

Those of you who play Commissioner Mode with a friend may have experienced issues controlling your own individual teams in the past. In the next update you will be able to set each team's control to either Player or CPU so that you can take full control over any team's roster decisions.

Additional Post Game Stats

On the Team Stats screen, you will be able to view more advanced stats such as second chance points, bench points, largest lead, and more.

Exportable Game Box Scores

At the end of any game, you will be able to export the complete box score in text file form.

New Background Options

For those of you that experience motion sickness, I've added the ability to disable menu background scrolling. You will also be able to change the background color to any color of your choosing.

New Tool Tips

Descriptive text for various season and game settings have been added, better explaining what the setting changes for the game or user.

Improved Gamepad Support and Cloud Saves

I'm hoping to further improve gamepad support for menu UI navigation as well as added support for cloud saves. More details will come as development progresses.

Road to Full Release

Update Version 1.10 is still on track to release by the end of 2026. This is when the game is planned to fully release with the addition of College Franchise Mode.

Thanks again to all of you that have chosen to support Hoop Land throughout Early Access. I'm excited at what's still to come and can't wait to hear more of your thoughts and feedback in the months ahead!

Happy New Year's Eve, hoop fans!

Steam Workshop is now open for all with the release of Update Version 1.09.6! Browse, subscribe, download, and share custom leagues directly from the Workshop without any hassle. I've also added some other quality of life improvements that have been requested by the community.

Thanks for supporting Hoop Land throughout Early Access. I have plans to improve menu UI navigation which I know is a huge pain at the moment. I also plan to add cloud saves and achievements in a future update. Your feedback and support have been invaluable so please don't hesitate to provide any input.

Check out the full patch notes below and have a safe and happy new year!

New Features

- Added ability to upload custom leagues and draft classes to Steam Workshop

- Added ability to download subscribed leagues and draft classes from Steam Workshop

Gameplay

- Moved Defensive Assistance from Custom Difficulty to the Controls panel in Settings

- Added Off-Ball Assistance for automatic off-ball movement in control settings

- Added ability to toggle ball handler’s name, #, and position in gameplay settings

- Added ability to toggle icon target player’s name, #, and position in gameplay settings

- Added ability to view teammate’s shot accuracy when using icon passing

All Season Modes

- Added total offline players label for each mode in the Select Mode screen

- Added ability to edit league logo, name, and divisions in the offseason

- Added ability to adjust max contract values in the offseason

- Added ability to view player’s college stats and awards while in the pro league

- Improved Spark Plug skill description

- Fixed freeze if historic game data contains a team that has been deleted

- Fixed freeze if player's team id value does not match current team id value

- Fixed player not loading correctly when resuming a game in progress

- Fixed Times Won award weighting not calculating correctly

Commissioner Mode

- Added ability to play offline multiplayer with up to 4 players

- Added ability to edit league schedule

Franchise Mode

- Fixed scouts scouting players in the college free agents list

Customization

- Cached images are now removed from storage when a custom league has been deleted

Hey everyone!

If you missed the 10% discount during Steam Sports Fest, the holiday savings will continue throughout the Steam Winter Sale, starting from now until January 5th!

Steam Workshop support is currently in beta testing and is still on track to release before the end of December. I’m excited for you all to start sharing and downloading custom leagues and draft classes directly from the Workshop.

Thank you all for supporting Hoop Land throughout Early Access. Your feedback and support are helping shape the game into the best version it can be ahead of its full release next year. You truly are the best fans!

Hello everyone!

I'm excited to announce Hoop Land will be joining Steam Sports Fest starting on Monday, December 8th at 10 AM Pacific Time. Sports Fest is a showcase celebrating all of the great sports titles on Steam. Hoop Land will be discounted by 10% during the event.

I also want to share a preview of Steam Workshop coming to Update Version 1.09.6 by the end of December. Steam Workshop will make sharing and importing custom leagues significantly easier on PC and Steam Deck.

Sharing

• A new upload screen lets you enter a title, description, changelog, and visibility settings for your custom league before uploading.

• Your league's logo will automatically be used as a preview image.

• Once confirmed, your custom league will be uploaded to the Workshop for other players to view and subscribe (if set to Public).

Subscribing

• Importing a custom league is as simple as clicking Subscribe when browsing leagues on the Workshop.

• Subscribed leagues will appear directly in your game the next time it is launched.

• After loading a subscribed league, you must save it before using it in Season Mode or making any edits.

The same functionality will also be implemented for custom draft classes.

Besides the Workshop, other Steam features I want to implement by full release include:

• Achievements

• Cloud Saving

• Improved Menu Navigation for Gamepads

Your feedback thus far has been a huge help in making Hoop Land the best it can be. Thank you for the support, I look forward to continuing development towards full release and can't wait to share more soon!

Career Mode

- Added ability to view draft rankings in college league after getting drafted

- Removed ability to add expansion teams to pro league while still in college

- Fixed inability to start Career Mode with certain custom leagues

- Fixed inability to view custom draft class before the first season

- Fixed inability to view trade targets if a target player no longer exists

- Fixed inability to control player when advancing to new career through college league

- Fixed Hall of Fame players not appearing in search results

- Fixed inability to cycle to the next page in player search results

Franchise Mode

- Fixed players list not defaulting to free agents only

All Season Modes

- Added ability to set Class Type for generated prospects

- Fixed teams with future season data not getting removed when starting new season

- Fixed rotation minutes algorithm using incorrect game length when starting new season

- Fixed unprotected players not returning to active status after expansion draft completes

- Fixed inability to sim when team has less than five healthy players on roster

- Fixed player game logs not updating after games are completed

- Fixed incorrect max overall levels on player comparison screen

Gameplay

- Extended overtime length to 5 minutes for 40 and 48 minute games

- Increased simulation Contested Shot Strength slider from 30 to 50

- Increased simulation Steal Success Rate slider from 50 to 70

- Reduced simulation Dunk Distance slider from 70 to 60

- Further reduction to backdown knock back distance

- Fixed inability to call plays during Coach Mode

- Fixed player controlling incorrect player when inbounding the ball

- Fixed player control switching when receiving the inbounds pass

- Fixed CPU constantly passing out of the back court

- Fixed CPU calling multiple timeouts in crunch time

- Fixed CPU going for two when down by three or more points

- Fixed multiple players getting set as the inbounder after a timeout

- Fixed play not initiating when player is already in position coming out of a timeout

- Fixed play changing when crossing the half court line

- Fixed ball handler getting impeded by the defender in the back court

- Fixed shoot button input passing through during free throws

Audio

- Fixed abrupt fading transitions

Custom League Editor

- Fixed league logo not updating when changing logo URL

This is an optional update that includes all the fixes from Version 1.09.52, along with an additional fix for an issue where some players couldn’t access all game modes. If you’ve already updated to Version 1.09.52 and weren’t affected, no further update is required.

Franchise Mode - Added ability to Spectate games without coaching - Fixed inability to see pro league player’s scouting reports All Season Modes - Fixed teams generating duplicate draft picks before the season - Fixed inability to add players to draft class before the season - Fixed incorrect game log when viewing players from another league - Fixed players not appearing after using search filters Gameplay - Decreased backdown knock back strength distance - Decreased assist window from 3 seconds to 2 seconds - Fixed play not getting called when CPU brings the ball across the half court line - Fixed CPU not passing out of the backcourt resulting in an 8 second violation - Fixed CPU immediately passing the ball back to the player after receiving a pass UI - Fixed mouse scroll wheel sensitivity

The moment you've been waiting for.. Hoop Land Steam Edition has finally entered Early Access!

Just a couple notes before you decide to purchase:

• For the best experience, it’s recommended to use a mouse and keyboard for menu navigation until full gamepad support is implemented.

• Steam Workshop integration is currently in development and will be available shortly after release.

Aside from those two things, the game in its current state includes all features available in the mobile version including Career Mode, Franchise Mode, Commissioner Mode, and full league customization.

Hoop Land has also just received a massive Version 1.09.5 update, which has been in development since the middle of June. This update adds a ton of new features and quality-of-life improvements to make the game experience more enjoyable. A full patch list can be viewed in-game.

And lastly, my vision for Hoop Land is still not yet complete. You can expect many more updates and improvements to come throughout Early Access based on your feedback.

I truly appreciate all your support and passion throughout development. I hope you enjoy the game and I look forward to hearing your thoughts!

A new Steam Edition demo has just been released in time for today's Steam Next Fest starting at 10 AM PST! This demo includes all of the latest gameplay improvements coming in Update Version 1.09.5, releasing next week on October 21st for Steam Early Access. Try out all the new enhancements early as well as new customization tools that have been made available for the demo!

What's New?

• 2 new play types and over 80 new variations for all positions

• Improved CPU post offense, play calling, and late-game decision making

• Improved pump faking abilities

• Improved hook shot mechanics

• 32, 40, and 48 minute game length settings

• Access to the Custom League Editor

Please keep in mind that this update is still a work in progress and there may be additional tweaks and improvements based on player feedback. Thank you for all your patience and support and I hope you have fun with the new Hoop Land Steam Edition demo during Steam Next Fest!

Hello everyone!

I’ve been hard at work improving the first version of Hoop Land Steam Edition, which will launch in Early Access on October 21st as Version 1.09.5.

Key additions include:

• Improved CPU post game offense

• Improved CPU play calling

• Improved CPU late-game decision making

• 2 new play types and over 80 new play variations

These improvements make every position more versatile and better at playing to their strengths. Shooting bigs will now get play calls that put them out on the perimeter and post bigs will be able to focus on shots closer to the rim. Playmaking bigs will also have the opportunity to initiate plays to show off their ball handling and passing ability.

All of these updates will be available in an updated demo for Steam Next Fest starting October 13th. The new demo also grants access to customization tools so you can start creating leagues ahead of the early access release on October 21st.

I’m also working to have Steam Workshop ready for launch! Features include:

• Browse and download custom leagues & draft classes directly in-game

• Upload your creations straight to the Workshop

• Rate, comment, and subscribe to your favorite leagues & draft classes

• Automatic downloads for creations you subscribe to

You can check out an early look at the Workshop here:

https://steamcommunity.com/app/2453660/workshop/

Thank you all for reading, Hoop Land Steam Edition is almost here and I can’t wait to see what you create!

Hello everyone!

I’m excited to announce that Hoop Land will be entering Early Access on October 21st, 2025 for $14.99 USD with a 10% discount during the first week!

The Steam Edition will contain all the modes and features from the mobile version plus optimizations for PC, Mac, and Steam Deck. I also plan to integrate Steam-exclusive features like Workshop support for custom league sharing - if not by release, then shortly after.

Here's what will be included in Early Access:

Game Modes

• Career Mode – Start in college, enter the draft, and build your pro legacy

• Franchise Mode – Manage contracts, scout, draft, trade players, and compete for championships

• Commissioner Mode – A sandbox mode where you can play, spectate, or simulate any game

Each mode keeps track of league history, letting you view past champions, award winners, stat leaders, and the Hall of Fame over an endless amount of seasons.

Customizable Features

• Leagues – Name, logo, teams, divisions, league type (pro or college), gender, countries of origin

• Teams – Name, logo, location, uniforms, court design, rosters, coaching staff

• Players – Name, hometown, appearance, attributes, tendencies, archetypes, potential, awards

• Coaches – Name, age, archetype, appearance, attributes, awards

• Awards – Name, appearance, qualifications, stat weighting

• Game Balls – Colors

• Draft Classes – Fully editable and importable before each season

You’ll be able to run both custom pro and college leagues simultaneously in your season saves, with new prospects feeding into the pro league through draft classes each season.

Your feedback from the demo has already been a huge help in improving the game and Early Access is just the next step in making Hoop Land the best basketball game possible. I still have big plans for the future and can’t wait to share more in the coming weeks and months!

Thank you all for your support and don’t forget to wishlist Hoop Land on Steam so you’ll be notified when it launches on October 21st!

Hey everyone!

Thank you all for your feedback on the first Hoop Land Steam Edition Demo! The response has been fantastic, and this past week I’ve been hard at work improving the game. Check out the patch notes below for everything new in Demo Version 1.01!

Gameplay

- Added ability to position lock for single and multiplayer games

- Added individual teammate grades for multiplayer games

- Added end of game multiplayer stats screen

- Added ability to toggle off Defensive Auto-Switch

- Added re-bindable Teammate Shoot action to off-ball controls

- Added shot percentage text to shot bar when playing on Player %

- Added emote when calling for the ball in multiplayer game

- Fixed inability to call timeout before the ball is inbounded

- Fixed inability to call timeout for other players in multiplayer game

- Fixed 30fps setting not locking to 30fps

UI

- Added preset and custom screen resolution settings

- Added input icons for left stick and right stick directions

- Updated tutorial controls screen for keyboard and gamepads

- Call Play button now shows controller specific icon

- Play Calling Menu now shows controller specific icons

- Player control text now displays correct CPU or Player labels

- Changed ’Simulate’ text to ’Sim/Quit’ in Pause Menu

- Extended dialog screen background to support ultra wide monitors

- Fixed inability to use gamepad back button in in-game menus

Controls

- Fixed rebinds not applying when loading into a game

- Fixed rebinds not applying after resetting to default controls

- Fixed player control not persisting into the next game if simulating to end

- Fixed ability to assign same input for multiple actions

- Fixed inability to combine mouse with keyboard controls

- Fixed Steam Deck controller icons not appearing

- Fixed Xbox controller icons not appearing

Thanks so much for playing the demo and sending your feedback. More improvements are planned and a release date announcement is coming soon, so stay tuned!

The Hoop Land Steam Edition demo is finally playable on Windows PC, Mac, and Steam Deck!

What’s included in the demo:

• Exhibition Mode with 30 original teams

• Up to 4 players in offline local multiplayer

• Full 5-on-5 gameplay with adjustable sliders and settings

The demo is just a tiny bite size of the full game and I can’t wait for you to try it out! Please share your thoughts in the Steam discussion forums or join the community over on Discord. Your feedback will directly help shape the future of Hoop Land.

Thanks so much for playing and I hope you enjoy the game!

I’m excited to share that the Hoop Land Steam Edition Demo will launch in less than three weeks on August 28, 2025!

Players will finally be able to experience an optimized version of Hoop Land for PC, Mac, and Steam Deck. Feedback from the demo will be used to continue improving the game leading up to the Steam Edition release later this year. The contents of the demo will include:

- Exhibition Mode with 30 original teams

- Single and offline multiplayer options

- Adjustable game settings and sliders

Be sure to check out the trailer below and have a great weekend!

Hello again, Hoop Fans! These past two weeks I've been making more progress towards Hoop Land Steam Edition and today I'm excited to share that I have officially added a working offline player vs player mode! Check out the video below to see it in action:

Hoop Land Steam Edition will allow you to connect up to four bluetooth or usb controllers to play with your friends on the same screen. I plan to have this mode fully completed for the demo version which I am now hoping to release by the end of August. A list of features that I plan to have available for the demo include:

• Exhibition Mode with 30 teams (Completed)

• Player vs CPU and CPU vs CPU (Completed)

• Player vs Player (In Progress)

• 1-3 Players vs 1-3 Players (In Progress)

• 2-4 Players vs CPU (In Progress)

• Remappable Button Controls (In Progress)

Once all of these things are nearly done or added, I will be ready to announce the release date of the demo. I also plan to support Steam Remote Play Together for the full release if not ready for the demo version.

That's it for now but still more to come in the following weeks. Be sure to find me on Discord, Bluesky, Twitter, and Reddit for discussions, updates, and feedback!

Hello Hoop Fans! It's been a while without any updates on the Steam Edition of Hoop Land but today I'm excited to finally share some significant progress!

These past few months since the Steam announcement have been spent developing the mobile version which just received a huge Career Mode update in April. Since then I've been fixing bugs and improving the game with the latest update (Version 1.09.4) releasing in June. This update was significant because it finally gave me some breathing room to work on the Steam Edition. In the past week alone I built a new PC from scratch and finally got the game running on both PC and Steam Deck!

This was a huge milestone and achievement as I've only ever released my games on mobile devices. It was surreal to finally see my game running on a new platform and I feel like PC and Steam Deck will be the perfect fit for Hoop Land. In the coming weeks I will be preparing a demo so that you can all experience the newest retro basketball game to enter the market. My hopes for the demo will include an Exhibition Mode with 30 teams and the ability to play against the CPU or another player in local multiplayer. And yes, you'll even be able to spectate or coach CPU vs CPU matches.

Thank you for reading and stayed tuned for a demo release announcement coming in the near future!