Do Franchise Modes Have a Future? (Chat)

[Steve_OS]

Chris Sanner: Okay everyone. Welcome to our first chat on the new OS frontpage design! We haven't...

Written By: Operation Sports

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[Unlucky 13]

Re: Do Franchise Modes Have a Future? (Chat)

Offline, singe player franchise modes - the kind that I've been playing since the early 90s on the NES, are the only thing that matter in sports games to me. What I want is for a game to be an awesome GM simulator, and then have solid graphics and gameplay on the field.

I do not play online, I don't want to create a player and RPG him through his career, and I have no use for any of the other various mini modes that are around today.

I've already, depressingly, chosen not to purchase MLB The Show for the first time since 2008 because they made no improvements to their franchise mode. I'm hoping that I don't have to do the same with Madden. Gaming is my only hobby, and it would crush me to lose a big part of what I love.

[mcpats]

Re: Do Franchise Modes Have a Future? (Chat)

One thing that I believe would help franchise modes immensely would be the incorporation of a full functioning companion app. I welcome increased depth with franchise modes, but I often only have an hour or so to sit in front of the console. However if I could allocate xp points, scout, and manage my roster from my smartphone during downtime over the course of the work day, that would be heaven. I would fully expect to pay for an app like this too

[GlennN]

Re: Do Franchise Modes Have a Future? (Chat)

I love the comments above by mcpats and Unlucky - I agree with both. I am only an offline gamer with no intention of changing. I am not sure there are enough of us for the future of offline gaming to be rosy (heck, with the few sports games that come out these days, sports gaming, to me, has been less than rosy for years).

[Peter_OS]

Re: Do Franchise Modes Have a Future? (Chat)

I'm with unlucky 13.

Game must have a franchise mode, or else no buy for me.

Online is fun, but most of my time playing sports games are spent on franchise mode for me.

There were some changes made to the Show 17 for franchise mode, but I'm also a bit disappointed in the overall experience. MVP 2005 had me hooked with it's franchise mode. It was deep and fun to play! Still hoping out that we'll see another MVP in my lifetime...

[Gosens6]

Re: Do Franchise Modes Have a Future? (Chat)

The neglect shown to offline franchise modes are the reason I play text sims these days more than actual console games.

OOTPB is the greatest representation of actual baseball that you can purchase. MLB the show was returned to GameStop and I've been playing OOTP non stop since it's release. The level of detail and depth is mind blowing.

I'm old school, so I'm all about realism and being the general manager of a team. I don't care about cards, online domination modes, play now online, NONE of that whatsoever.

OOTP and NBA 2K are currently the only games that offer me a deep, franchise experience, so those are the only two games I currently have in my library.

[lwilkins]

Re: Do Franchise Modes Have a Future? (Chat)

I spend months fixing/detailing/editing the roster so Franchise play can seem as realistic as possible. This is my joy in the sports titles I play. No online play nor money spent in Ultimate Team Modes for me. $60 for the game itself is enough spent every year.

[R1zzo23]

I can concur with most of the sentiments said already. I'm a strict offline franchise guy myself. I would gladly play online in a league but A) I don't have a ton of friends that play and B) I don't have the time to schedule games on a regular basis. This is a huge reason why I have gravitated much more towards online sports sim leagues rather than console gaming. 
I have given MUT a try and while I do enjoy the collecting, trading and auctioning of the cards, I don't particularly care for playing against other users. Again, time is a premium and I don't have the ability to grind out challenges to better my MUT binder. That time would be much better spent playing a solo, offline franchise mode.
The games that I have spent the most time in franchise mode are College Hoops 2k8, NCAA 14, MVP 05 and Madden 06 and in that order. They all did it pretty damn well and would have no problem playing those same games still to this day.

[Gramps91]

Re: Do Franchise Modes Have a Future? (Chat)

Yeah I really only play offline franchise modes. The day those are gone would be a very sad day indeed.

[eric7064]

Re: Do Franchise Modes Have a Future? (Chat)

I do believe every sports game NEEDS to have an online franchise component that's parallel to the offline one. There's no excuse not too.

Only Madden has that. The Show is an extremely watered down and broken version of offline. 2k, NFL And fifa don't have one.

Everyone in the interview seems to be looking at online franchise as having full leagues. 30 users.

What about the 3-4 guys that want to play together? I feel that is more popular. Me and my buddies get 10+ seasons done in Madden. When MLB comes out we play 1 gm a series and are currently in year 6! Even with how horrible the mode is, there is nothing better then fighting for the division, free agents. Who can find the gem draft prospect. It's awesome. But nowhere near where it needs to be.

Lastly, for the guy who said who would want to play LF? Um me? Many would. Another thing I would love Is a combined RTTS where me and a friend could be the SS/2B for the franchise. Or PG/SF for 2k. QB/WR in Madden. Or even SS/FS.

How awesome would that be? Honestly. It's not all about full fledged 30 team leagues. Its about the 2-4 group of friends playing together in a shared franchise.

[ImTellinTim]

The only place to get a realistic management experience these days is a text sim.  It's really as simple as that.  Keep up the good fight, offline guys, but you're just not where the money is.  I actually do still buy FIFA and The Show (not 17 yet though - wasn't going to buy a game where the servers didn't work again).  I don't even touch franchises in these titles because they can't come close to FM and OOTP for really feeling like you're managing something.  I buy console titles for pick up games and the card modes because they're fun.  I'm not going to concern myself with trying to produce realistic results in their severely lacking franchise modes.  Right when you figure out sliders to get what you're looking for, a patch comes out and changes the balance.  It's a chore.

[spoofrice11]

Unlucky 13 - 
I agree with you. Franchise Mode is the main important thing to me.
I'll try out some other modes like "myplayer" and possibly the "card modes" since I wait a bit to start my real Franchise mode for updated Rosters and stuff. But if those things weren't in the game I wouldn't care.
I don't buy every year on sports games, because I like to get a long ways into them before starting over. And Madden hasn't impressed me lately (it's Franchise mode feels so shallow compared to NBA 2K). Hoping it's improved this year and I might buy, if not I will wait another year.

[SHAKYR]

Franchise mode is a huge selling point for many. I look forward to these modes.

[BBallcoach]

I'm in the sentiment of i'm pretty much a franchise mode only guy. I'll dabble in the UT modes but nothing serious.. Hell my stream is dedicated to playing franchise modes because there is nothing out there for us who enjoy franchise modes and watching someone play games. I wish there were more franchise mode streams. I love seeing people play franchise.

[kennylc629]

For me, offline franchise modes are all that matter... these are the only modes that I play. I'm a busy guy: work full time, school full time, and I have a wife and kid. I need to be able to play my franchise at my leisure. It might take me two months to complete a season, and I rather do that knowing I am hold holding up everyone else. 

For stuff like Madden MUT, sorry... I just don't get it. I think in 2013 I fired it up once and just did not see the appeal. If Madden and other titles decide that stuff like MUT and "you get the pretend to be a fictional character" mode is priority, so be it... I guess my video game days would be over.