With the current lockdown situation, many live sports fans have had to get their fix in other places. Some people have turned to watching esports playoffs, playing games in popular pro sports franchises like FIFA, or even engaging in a bizarre new Internet trend known as "blaseball."
Many baseball stadiums are empty of fans, but blaseball doesn't require anyone to leave their homes or even get off their computers. The game seems pretty straightforward at first blush, with games played via text matches in real-time online that players can bet on with fake currency. It may seem fairly straightforward, but the differences range from unusual (with team names like "Kansas City Breath Mints") to surreal (with the possibility for a player to spontaneously combust into flames).
Blaseball is an odd combination of fantasy football and absurdist horror, which is surprisingly popular for many people to scratch their itch for a mysteriously spooky game. There's also a lot of choices available for players to make; most games allow players to choose from a limited set of options, while blaseball will let players collectively vote to literally rewrite the rules of the game (and reality), like giving extra fingers to pitchers.
This odd little game has a decent following on Twitter, with plenty of fanart, theorizing, and strategizing. Some users attempt to explain blaseball and its eldritch rules, while others are content to let the game's esoteric nature remain its main appeal. Add in the MLB using the Unreal engine to fill crowds, and the line between video games and sports is becoming increasingly blurred.
Source: #Blaseball/Twitter, PC Gamer