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The Harlem Globetrotters will release a video game later this year as the legendary team celebrates its centennial, Acclaim announced Monday.
“Super Basketball Classics featuring the world-famous Harlem Globetrotters” is intended to give sports fans the opportunity to pick up and play whether they are on a PC or console.
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The Globetrotters warm up as fans enjoy legendary antics during the Harlem Globetrotters 100 Years of Legacy Tour at Exactech Areana at the Steven C. O’Connell Center in Gainesville, Fla. on Monday, January 12, 2026.] (Alan Youngblood/Gainesville Sun)
“We’ve combined a lot of things, but it’s about pick-up and play and so whether it’s a half-court shot almost out of bounds or in the stands and all the interaction, you’re going to have the wow factor, and I think for a guy who sits down and just wants to play for a little while off the couch, that’s important,” Jeff Jarrett, professional wrestling legend and founder of the revived Acclaim company, told PK Press Club Digital in a recent interview.
“We’re going to incorporate as many elements as possible and it’s fun. At the end of the day, you come to a live Harlem Globetrotters show, just like the game, we want you to have fun and enjoy yourself.”
Jarrett is best known for his prowess in the squared circle for several decades. But it was his love for basketball that led him on the path to starting a new Globetrotters game.
The current All Elite Wrestling star said his first “true love” was basketball – even before professional wrestling.
Splash Blount (38) of the Harlem Globetrotters interacts with fans during a game against the Washington Generals in a 100th season stoppage on December 30, 2025, at the Resch Center in Ashwaubenon, Wisconsin. (Sarah Kloepping/USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images)
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“But the Globetrotters are a completely different story for me,” he explained. “I remember going there when I was little. Meadowlark Lemon and Curly (Neal) and all the famous players, I wanted to be like them because of the arrogance, the style, the showmanship and the game of basketball. We celebrate with the whole world because it’s far from basketball, the Globetrotter brand.
“It’s the centennial celebration, the 100th anniversary, which I think is really amazing because a lot of people don’t understand. When you get into the DNA, the first team inducted into the Naismith (Basketball) Hall of Fame, it wasn’t a team that went undefeated, it was the Harlem Globetrotters…
“So when you combine basketball in its truest sense, but also showmanship and a lot of people, whether it’s football, basketball, baseball, hockey, whatever it is, there’s touchdown celebrations, slam dunk celebrations, slap shots and all that kind of stuff. The Globetrotters are truly the pioneers of sports entertainment when it’s really tied to so many things, not just the basketball world.”
Basketball fans will be able to pick up an arcade-style game and have the opportunity to experience a full season, play with their friends or dazzle the crowd.
Harlem Globetrotter Bulldog Mack (5) interacts with a fan during the Harlem Globetrotters 100 Years of Legacy Tour at Exactech Areana at the Steven C. O’Connell Center in Gainesville, Florida, Monday, January 12, 2026. (Alan Youngblood/Gainesville Sun)
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“The Harlem Globetrotters are synonymous with basketball and entertainment,” said Alex Josef, CEO of Acclaim, in a press release. “This game celebrates that spirit while honoring the classic arcade basketball experiences that fans loved growing up while nurturing a whole new generation of fans, for years to come. With tight controls, big personalities, and instant pick-up-and-play action, Super Basketball Classics brings the legacy of the Harlem Globetrotters to gamers and sports fans everywhere.”
