The Firm. Hooligan Game [Alpha test, 1st build]

Alpha test, 1st build of the game- please help me with development!
I count on you, Itch.io community!

Join The Firm

Dedicated Discord channel invite for all passionate football

https://discord.gg/h4sd4V9z9B

Story

Football’s gone soft. All-seaters, selfie sticks, sponsored chants. But somewhere beneath the surface, the old ways still breathe — just harder to find.

Word spreads across the pubs and terraces:

There’s a secret tournament. Firm vs firm. Stadium to stadium. No rules, no tickets, no mercy.

The challenge? Each crew must fight their way through rival territory, earn enough dosh to buy match tickets for their lads, and make it inside for the final fight — a full-scale stadium brawl where the last firm standing takes the glory.

Trouble is, firms are scattered, banned, or long retired. Only the desperate, the loyal, or the completely mental are still game. One by one, they start crawling out of hiding — gathering mullar from knocked-out enemies, watching each other’s backs, and bringing the old chant back to life:

“One crew. One fight. One more for the badge.”

From train stations to chip shops to grim alleyways outside League 2 stadiums, every matchday map is crawling with local nutters. The Gutterboys, the Terrace Saints, the Iron Mob — each firm runs their turf like kings, and they don’t plan on giving up their spot without a scrap.

This isn’t about football anymore.
It’s about pride, loyalty, and whether your crew has the bottle to get inside the gates with their heads held high — or leave face-down in takeaway sauce.

No mates? No chance.
No ticket? No entry.
No bottle? Stay home.

This ain’t FIFA.
This is THE FIRM.

What Is THE FIRM? 

THE FIRM is a tongue-in-cheek beat ’em up hooligan simulator where you and your crew fight your way through rival territory, scrapping for coins to buy match tickets and backing your boys in brutal, boss-level stadium brawls.

Inspired by cult classic Hooligans: Storm Over Europe (yes, from 2002 — 23 years ago!), THE FIRM brings hooligan culture back to the gaming pitch with humor, style, and chaos.

Gameplay Summary

Squad-Based Beat ’Em Up – You’re never alone. Your firm follows you into every fight, and how well you protect them matters.

Cash Rules Everything – Knock out rival fans to earn money. Use it to buy match tickets for your mates before the big stadium clash.

Strategic Progression – Every map is themed after a rival team’s turf. Buy tickets for your mates and keep them alive to gain advantage during the final mass brawl.

Mass Stadium Brawls = Boss Fights – Each level ends with a huge fight near the stadium. More surviving mates = better odds.

Multiple Maps, Multiple Firms – From your home turf to away games, face off against different hooligan factions.

Co-op Mode in the Works – Bring your real mates along for a proper laugh. (Local first, online possibly later.)

Why Am I Doing This?

It’s been two decades since the last proper hooligan-based game. I'm not glorifying violence — I'm embracing the over-the-top, beer-soaked, slightly stupid charm of hooligan pop culture in a way that no game has since 2002.

This isn’t just a game — it’s a love letter to cheap away days, cheap lagers, and unforgettable scraps in the name of your club.

Quick ReadMe about this build :)

Controls? Sorted.
Press C on your keyboard or hit MENU (that’s the OPTIONS button for all you PS5 warriors) on your gamepad to see the controls in-game.
Everything’s listed there so you don’t end up headbutting the air by accident.

Character Customisation Tip (IMPORTANT!):
Avoid picking the red shirt like it’s the last pint in the pub.
Enemies wear red in this build, and you'll end up confusing your own nan.
This will be fixed later (enemies won’t wear any player-available colours),
but for now... pretend red’s cursed.

About the Level:
You’re dropping into a rainy evening scene—moody, dramatic, perfect for a punch-up.
But hey, while you’re cracking skulls, do yourself a favour, trust me and check out the football pitch.

Quitting the Game?
You can’t press ESC in this version.
I may or may not have forgotten to hook that up.
So if you're done with the demo and want to bounce—just do the good old ALT + F4.
Yes, seriously. Don’t hate me.

Join the Mob (aka Discord):
Got thoughts? Bugs? Epic fight replays?
Jump into the official Discord:

👉 https://discord.gg/h4sd4V9z9B 👈

There’s a “feedback” channel just for that. Be kind. Or don’t. But preferably be kind.

That’s it for now.
Thanks for checking out the prototype!
More chaos, characters, and co-op coming soon!