5 troubling signs for sports game fans across the world

[JerzeyReign]

Quote: Originally Posted by stlstudios189

Honestly if sports games die off next gen I will not even buy the system. I play 95% sports games. I still think next gen they should release games every other year and have a DLC in between. Think about it release it @$59.99 with a $8.99 DLC in the next year. Think about it that is $68.98 for the same game over 2 years. Plus the game wouldn't have as large of a price drop after year 1 as it's the the most recent game that was just updated. Year 1: sell 300,000 copies @ $59.99 = $17,997,000 Year 2: sell 100,000 copies @ $39.99 = $3,999,000 Year 2: sell 200,000 DLC's @ $8.99= $1,798,000 Thats a solid chunk of $$ you would pay your team full time on year 1, start them back a year later part time and work on the DLC then work on the next years game. I think that would really help the development of games. The team pours themselves in full time for a year takes a break and works on a side project or another game etc... bring them back and jump full into the game again with a fresh approach.

Exactly. Give me a solid game and some roster updates and I'm good. Give me two years worth of improvements and I'd be more than happy to support the next game released -- with no issues. I'd happily return to a "blind" first day buyer.

[IK720]

I would seriously question buying a new console without sports games. Yea I play other games, but you play them and beat them and its done. Sports games keep me going between good releases.

Seriously though I really don't think it will come to that. I think the revenue stream will have to be modified is all.

[The GIGGAS]

Quote: Originally Posted by TheShizNo1

Doesn't really bother me any. The sports games I play are football, MMA, baseball, and basketball in that order.

At first they came for the hockey, but I didn't speak up because I wasn't a hockey fan.

Then they came for the baseball, but I didn't speak up because I wasn't a baseball fan.

To be continued...

[simgamer0005]

Quote: Originally Posted by dickey1331

Will be interesting to see what happens with sports game next gen. Seems the hay day of sports games are over.

yeah i thought the hay day of sports games were on the PS2 / Xbox1 / GC, even the Dreamcast. the difference between that and PS1 were huge in terms of graphics, animations, and control. to me, what amazed me about that generation was the control of players in a sports game. from PS1 and the 8-direction control, to PS2 where games starting having 360 degree analog control. it was like wow, that really made a huge difference. also no more pixelly crowds, no more boxy player models.

since the 360 / PS3 came out, the way of making sports games changed, and yearly console games started coming out with new engines and with more bugs, and more in need of patches. while there have been technical improvements with things like motion control, like exercising while playing games (still think Grand Slam Tennis on Wii is great for building arm strength), the fun factor in gamepad based sports games have declined a lot since the PS2 days. The feeling that you controlling players, putting unique touch and strategy on the game through user dexterity, has gone down since the PS2 era. games went from being a beneficial exercise in hand eye coordination while being entertained and actually making you happier to games becoming annoying and not satisfying to the user.

However, like TheShizNo1 said, MMA games are good on 360 / PS3, specifically EA MMA. I think EA MMA is a great great game, but in terms of team based sports games, like football and hockey, the PS2-era engines of NHL 2K, NFL 2K, or NCAA Football are still the kings in my opinion. i think the reason for this is that control mechanics were so finely tuned and tailored to user skill and control. also i think something that people rarely talk about is frame rates. the frame rates were key to the enjoyment level. the smoothness of team based sports games on DC / PS2 / Og Xbox / GC were much better than 360 / PS3. it seems that many 360 / PS3 games have frame rate issues. Like Fight Night Champion on PS3 for example. It's like we have these more powerful systems, but yet the games aren't as smooth. Also team based sports games on the 360 / PS3 have animation systems that take control away from the user and more into predetermined long complex animations. whereas on last-gen system you got the feeling that your movements were directly affecting the actions, in an every moment split second type of way.

It's amazing to me that games like NFL2K on dreamcast are more fun smooth and realistic than Madden on 360 / PS3. it's like in over a decade, football games have devolved. back then, games weren't frustrating. you didn't buy a game and see bugs and wait for patches. back then you had a game and it had endless replay value and you see something different each time. that's what a sports game should be, a game that you should be able to play forever, because it's just that darn good.

[Ramboooo]

pssshhh, not so sure about this article. Sports games haven't even come close to peaking. As long as you have people interested in the NBA, MLB, soccer, etc... you're gonna have gamers who want to control the action themselves. As long as there are sports and professional leagues and competition, you're gonna have gamers who want to take that competition and passion to the console as well. And considering the amount of features that can still go into a game and have yet to be tapped into, I say the best is yet to come.

Nba 2k12 for example... one of the greatest sports games of all time...yet so much more can be added, especially when xbox720 comes out. You can still do a kinect thing that is uber-sensitive so it responds to every move you make accurately. YOUR shot would actually be YOUR SHOT in the game. YOU would be the motion-capturer...how sick would that be? Plus they haven't even begun to tap into what Crew mode and multiplayer can become. Seasons, worlds, a first-person story mode and mass multiplayer online type of thing like other games.

[strive]

Innovation/small dev cycle is the problem. Sports game need to learn how to capitalize on the dlc market as well, so they can either (a) buy more staff to meet the demands of innovation/small dev cycle (b) hold consumers interest over a longer dev cycle.

People are getting tired of buying a 60$ uniform/roster update with minimal features added.

[nryan34]

Quote: Originally Posted by strive

People are getting tired of buying a 60$ uniform/roster update with minimal features added.

I agree with this. I used to buy 3 or 4 sports games brand new every year. Now I only buy the show. Don't even bother with the others til they are like 2 years old and can get for 10 bucks.

I feel people are getting tired of shelling out $60 for multiple sports games and just choose one or the other and wait and buy the other when it goes on sale.

I like the idea of releasing the game maybe only every two years, while continuing to support the current title with patches and roster updates.

[kwilliam]

I usually get them every other year except NCAA series. However, I would like to see what Tecmo could with the current generation hardware. I have good memories of enjoying playing Tecmo Super Bowl, Tecmo NBA and later MLB on NES and SNES.

[niharjhatn]

Quote: Originally Posted by nryan34

I agree with this. I used to buy 3 or 4 sports games brand new every year. Now I only buy the show.

I would by the Show too, but their insistence on releasing ONLY for PS3 leaves a bad taste in my mouth. Brilliant game, but at least 2k makes somewhat of an effort to cater for the wider crowd.

But now that its 99% that MLB 2k is dead, I may have to swallow my pride...

these exclusivity deals with the sporting league and a particular console is what is killing the sporting genre.

[dickey1331]

Quote: Originally Posted by niharjhatn

I would by the Show too, but their insistence on releasing ONLY for PS3 leaves a bad taste in my mouth. Brilliant game, but at least 2k makes somewhat of an effort to cater for the wider crowd. But now that its 99% that MLB 2k is dead, I may have to swallow my pride... these exclusivity deals with the sporting league and a particular console is what is killing the sporting genre.

Why would the Show release for the Xbox? That makes no sense. That's like Halo coming out for the PS3.


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