The lost art of sports gaming

Where'd all the time go

Unlike the usual blog format, I wanted to make this one just a little bit different. As I was sitting around thinking, an interesting topic of discussion came into my mind… what happened to the days of sports gaming?

Sports video games over the years have come in many different shapes and sizes, including games like 2K with NBA or WWE, NFL Madden, MLB The Show, and many other old-school or retro sports games. I remember in high school hoping for a snow day so that my friends I could go to MyPark in 2K and play all day. These games that once drew intrigue no longer do so—at least for a lot of people.

There are three reasons that I came up with as to why this is the case…

Number 1 is that the games having yearly releases reached a point where it was harder to get excited. Having to spend full price every single year for a game can be tiresome. Call of Duty is an example of this, and many people, because of the game’s status, have gotten to the point of not wanting to pay $70+ every year for the same kind of game. This part ties directly into my next point.

Secondly, the replay value of these games goes way down because there is very little room to expand. Bringing Call of Duty back as an example—at least with Call of Duty, there’s a wide range of ideas or routes they can take to make the games different in some ways. Although in itself, COD has been lacking the last few years in that, you still get my point. Anyways, the main aspect being: there really ends up being a cap after so many times—how much exactly can be done with a game just revolving around basketball, football, baseball, or a game like FIFA?

Now, sports are something we enjoy playing and watching overall, but over time, the video game versions (to me) have lost a step, and the reality of sports remains far more enjoyable.

The last point I would like to mention is: in itself, most of these developers stopped caring. I understand, as previously mentioned, there is a cap on what they can do, but also, you need to try at least. Sadly, developers such as EA and 2K stopped trying long ago to improve the quality of their games and at least make an attempt to add new features or new ways to build up your MyCareer characters. The MyPlayer feature and/or MyTeam mode in these games remain the highlights of the gameplay and value, and if there is little effort put into them, it is a recipe for disaster.

I will never forget the joy I had—and still have—playing with my friends when it comes to these main titles, as well as some older ones such as NBA games, or even golf games—heck, even Wii Sports. Unfortunately, releasing these games every year with a huge price tag, only to see little to no improvement, has led to the ultimate downfall and lack of hype now surrounding them.

I am interested in hearing everyone’s opinions on this and what parts you agree or disagree with. Feel free to respond and let us know!