Ares Interactive opens pre-registration for Baseball Hits 26 featuring Cal Raleigh

• Ares recently raised $70m to support expansion and the game’s 2026 launch.
• Designed for quick sessions, the game focuses on roster collection, club-based competition and live seasonal content.
• The team aims to balance accessible arcade pacing with strategic depth and competitive progression.

Ares Interactive has unveiled a new free-to-play mobile sports game titled Baseball Hits 26 featuring MLB All-Star catcher Cal Raleigh as its cover athlete.

Now available for pre-registration on the App Store and Google Play, the game offers players an exclusive launch bundle including a Rare Cal Raleigh card, in-game currency and a platform-specific badge.

Officially licensed by MLB Players, Inc., Baseball Hits 26 combines motion-captured animations, ball physics and player ratings inspired by real athletes with portrait-mode gameplay designed for short sessions.

The title is being developed by 7th Inning, a San Francisco-based studio founded by Ares Interactive and staffed by veteran developers behind the MLB Tap Sports Baseball franchise, which ended following EA’s acquisition of Glu Mobile. 

Mobile-first design

Earlier this month, Ares Interactive raised $70 million to expand operations and support the game’s 2026 launch. The company currently runs live titles, including Heroes vs Hordes, which has surpassed 13m installs globally.

“Baseball is a game of timing, those split-second moments when every swing and every pitch can change everything, and we wanted that tension and payoff to translate instantly on mobile,” said 7th Inning director of engineering Michael Saperstein. 

“Baseball Hits 26 is faster and more approachable than a traditional simulation, but it still feels like real baseball and rewards players with collaborative social play, deep strategy, competitive progression, and meaningful stats.”

All-star catcher Cal Raleigh commented: “Having the opportunity to partner with Ares Interactive as the cover athlete for Baseball Hits 26 is a highlight. The game is going to be perfect for road trips when I’ve got some downtime and just want to have a little fun.”