Atlanta-based software developer Brian Minter has created a viral online baseball trivia game called Immaculate Grid. Minter initially developed the game as a personal project to explore a new JavaScript framework but quickly realized its potential. Immaculate Grid challenges users to name nine Major League Baseball (MLB) players that match the criteria set by each cell’s row and column in a three-by-three grid.
What sets Immaculate Grid apart is its ability to test fans’ knowledge of career-defining stats and their ability to recall baseball players from the past and present. For instance, users may be asked to name an LA Dodger who had over 200 hits in a season or a player who played for both the New York Mets and New York Yankees during their career.
Minter noticed that people were manually filling out similar grids on social media, leading him to automate the process. The game gained traction after being shared on the Baseball Subreddit and the popular Foolish Baseball Twitter page. Within its first 100 days, Immaculate Grid attracted over 100,000 daily users who wanted to test their knowledge of America’s favorite pastime.
The game’s success caught the attention of Sports Reference LLC, the company behind the popular baseball statistics website Baseball Reference. While the details of the acquisition were not disclosed, Immaculate Grid is now embedded into the landing page of Baseball Reference. This integration allows users to easily access the trivia game and test their knowledge amongst the 23,010 baseball players throughout MLB history.
Brian Minter, an Atlanta native and lifelong Braves fan, has experienced firsthand the rapid growth of his game. Starting off with mainly friends and family playing the game, Immaculate Grid quickly gained popularity and became a viral sensation. The acquisition by Sports Reference LLC further solidifies the game’s success and opens up new opportunities.
As for Minter’s next steps, he looks forward to leveraging his expertise in creating engaging online games. The acquisition has not only provided a major boost to Immaculate Grid but has also given Minter the opportunity to explore other avenues within the gaming industry.
Immaculate Grid’s journey from a personal project to a viral sensation is reminiscent of the success of Wordle, a daily word game that was acquired by the New York Times earlier this year. Both games have captivated online audiences and showcased the potential for innovative game concepts.
With its integration into Baseball Reference, Immaculate Grid continues to engage and entertain baseball fans. It serves as a testament to the power of combining technology with a love for sports, and it exemplifies the entrepreneurial spirit of creators like Brian Minter. As users continue to test their knowledge of baseball history through Immaculate Grid, Minter’s game continues to make an impact in the world of online entertainment.
