I assume many, if not all of us here at OS, have a love for sports video games. Sports are a large part of who we are, and how we spend our free time (and for many of us, an area in which we work). I know for a fact that sports video games are the only tie many of you have to video games, and for others, it remains an integral part of the gaming experience. Unfortunately, we've seen our options dwindle to the point where there are relatively few sports still being represented, and even fewer options in terms of games per sport.
When I finished reading Owen Good's article on the year of sports video games, it got me wondering: is the genre on its way out?
Of course, this is a devastating thought for me. I'm a gamer first, but the sports genre is right up there with my favorites, and it's probably the genre I log the most time with (or at least very close). But with the Madden contract up next year, NBA Live struggling really badly, and Tiger Woods on "hiatus", I think there's definitely reason to worry. There's no guarantee that the NFL picks up any offers and if Madden goes down with the NCAA series, there's reason to believe that EA wouldn't bother holding a team together for a golf game that isn't raking in money. NBA 2K is doing so well that I'd imagine they continue making games, but what happens if that series ever goes down? I don't think any of us have too much trust in Live right now, especially with their sales numbers.
Which really just leaves us with hockey and football (soccer), two sports that are massively popular outside of the United States. It's great that UFC is on its way in - and looks great, at that - and that indie titles like Powerstar Golf are doing very well. I've made an argument that as long as the industry holds up, I don't see us being without a college sports game for much longer. But what if the industry doesn't hold up?
I don't know, just a thought. I'm not saying it's likely, but it's seeming more and more possible. I'd love to hear a counter argument to the whole thing, because I really want to feel differently. What does OS think?
When I finished reading Owen Good's article on the year of sports video games, it got me wondering: is the genre on its way out?
Of course, this is a devastating thought for me. I'm a gamer first, but the sports genre is right up there with my favorites, and it's probably the genre I log the most time with (or at least very close). But with the Madden contract up next year, NBA Live struggling really badly, and Tiger Woods on "hiatus", I think there's definitely reason to worry. There's no guarantee that the NFL picks up any offers and if Madden goes down with the NCAA series, there's reason to believe that EA wouldn't bother holding a team together for a golf game that isn't raking in money. NBA 2K is doing so well that I'd imagine they continue making games, but what happens if that series ever goes down? I don't think any of us have too much trust in Live right now, especially with their sales numbers.
Which really just leaves us with hockey and football (soccer), two sports that are massively popular outside of the United States. It's great that UFC is on its way in - and looks great, at that - and that indie titles like Powerstar Golf are doing very well. I've made an argument that as long as the industry holds up, I don't see us being without a college sports game for much longer. But what if the industry doesn't hold up?
I don't know, just a thought. I'm not saying it's likely, but it's seeming more and more possible. I'd love to hear a counter argument to the whole thing, because I really want to feel differently. What does OS think?
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