The problem with sports gaming
- Riley Angel
- May 5
- 2 min read
And how it can improve
Many sports fans grew up on sports video games. Whether is was NBA 2K, MLB the Show, or Madden, every sports loving kid is familiar with a sports title. The great thing is, with the industry gaining over $11 BILLION in revenue in 2024, there is little doubt that there will be gaming opportunities for sports fans for years to come.
The questions is, are sports games getting boring? The reason for asking this is simple, is it possible to retain players whenever there is little done to improve a title from year to year?
Gaming has been built on innovation and a craving for new ideas ever since it's conception in the late 20th century. Creating innovation in sports games, though, is hard on the surface. How many new features can be added when the action stays the same year in and year out.
This reality is causing many players to call sports games "boring" or "worse" than they were in previous years. Almost all players also feel that they are getting the same product over and over and over again. Big companies can get away with this due to the fact that there is little to no competition in the sports genre.
Each sport is associated with a certain development company. The list below lists the sport and the company that controls the rights to that sport's professional equivalent.
Baseball - San Diego Studios
Basketball - 2K Sports
Soccer - EA Sports
Football - EA Sports
Golf - 2K Sports
WWE - 2K Sports
UFC - EA Sports
College Football - EA Sports
Every sport, except for baseball, is controlled by only two major companies. This lack of competition creates a lack of innovation within each of these companies. They have no reason to make any real improvements because they can count on tremendous numbers year after year due to there being no other option.
When talking to other fans of sports games I heard the same sentiment myself. My brother, Colby Angel, is an avid player of MLB the Show and NBA 2K, as am I. When asked why he feels sports games are dull, he spoke with confidence when he said, "Their only goal is money."
Those words are ring very true. Many of these games are riddled with microtransactions. A microtransaction is exactly what it sounds like. It is a purchase that can be made within the game after the player already bought it.
Each separate title has one similarity; they all rely on in game currency in their online modes. The main problem most players have with this is it feels like there is a "pay to win" aspect to online play. A consumer can pay to upgrade their team within the team builder modes. This is a problem for most, as people want a fair gaming experience.
On the bottom line, sports gaming is in a great place, but for consumers, it is filled with frustration. Until publishers figure out how to compete with eachother, or get rid of greedy tactics, there will never be improvement.
What is your favorite sports game? What are your opinions on the state of sports gaming? Let us know!
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