Sports Games & Franchise Mode: What's the Future?

[Speedy]

Wasn't really sure where to put this so I created a thread in the OS neighborhood.

Fortnite made $3B in profit last year....a free-to-play game made $3B in PROFIT. I get mobile games have been free and such but this was a video game for PC, console that made millions (billions!) of profit and it was free-to-play. Apex Legends is following the same model too. I expect in full many other studios to try and copy this method, given how successful it is - the kicker being quality content must be provided and frequently.

As a video gamer, I think this is an incredible and transcending movement as the game publisher massively increases the player base and me as a user can enjoy it for free and as my enjoyment increases, put $$ into it. The level of satisfaction for the users is much higher as we always think "well it was free-to-play, I can buy this for $xx." My first free-to-play was Rocket League as I got it on PS+. I put probably $20 into it as I enjoyed the game and wanted some of the cosmetics...first because they were awesome but also as a way to show my appreciation and give some $$ back to the game studio/devs. This model has proven to be fairly successful but again, the requirement is quality content and consistent.

So I was thinking about sport video games...Madden, MLB Show, NBA 2K, etc. I think we can all fairly easily see a AAA video game moving to a free-to-play or a reduced price video game that has these micro-transactions and the game still be profitable. Madden has MUT, 2K uses VC currency, MLB Show has stubs and each has a fairly decent system in place as it allow players to use real-life currency to purchase in-game content for cosmetics, upgradables, etc. I don't know the detail but I'm sure based on the devs focus on these modes each year, they are very profitable.

BUT my concern - I love franchise/GM modes. I can't really think of ways to "monetize" this mode and make it profitable like the aforementioned modes. I don't see it logical pouring in $10-$15 into my franchise and it still be "realistic" and "sim"...franchise has been and will always be to me about the slow grind and building up my team to a juggernaut versus instant gratification that these microtransactions provide. So upgrades for xx% doesn't make sense to me, or upgrades for more $$ in budget or even $$ to get more equipment to put on my players...it just doesn't "fit" to me. So how could devs make a franchise mode that would sustain itself? It feels like franchise would hang onto whatever profit is made thru the other modes and as devs see the the $$ made from other modes vs. franchise.

Maybe it's just me but I honestly think in 15-20 years, franchise modes in AAA video games games might be just skeletons or even non-existent.

[Majingir]

I wouldn't mind a Baseball Mogul type game on mobile.

Even for other sports too, this type of game would be fun and you don't really need any type of gameplay, just simming.

Probably could monetize it in "online mode". Offline you can compete like you do in regular franchise modes, but online maybe people could pay for things like upgrades to their team to beat other users. Pay $5 and increase your teams budget by $10m or something. Pay for improved scouting or medical staffs?

It could still be achieved by regularly playing, but paying speeds it up.

[Jr.]

The only way I can think of is to provide a base game with a franchise then add DLC that's extra.

So you have a game that you could play in a pretty basic way, but if you wanted to relocate, you pay $10. If you want to redesign your team's uniforms you pay $3. If you want to upgrade your scout/trainer/coach, you pay $1 each. Add different broadcast packages for $5 each. Something like that.

Make everything that isn't absolutely necessary to the franchise functioning a payable/earnable option.

Sent from my SM-G920V using Operation Sports mobile app

[ImTellinTim]

This past round was the first time maybe ever that I didn't even buy a single traditional console sports game. I didn't purchase the latest FIFA - my last holdout. Every franchise mode in every game I played had legacy issues that they simply didn't fix. So I moved on. Madden in about 09, The Show two years ago, FIFA last year. I actually played outside of the franchise modes in the Show and FIFA more the last couple years anyway. Football Manager and OOTP ruin console franchise modes. Once you go to those more text based games, it's laughable how lacking franchise modes are in comparison.

I'm just not their target, and that's fine. I don't really miss them.

[areobee401]

Quote: Originally Posted by ImTellinTim

I'm just not their target, and that's fine.

Something many on this site could benefit from accepting.

[Suntan Superman]

Quote: Originally Posted by ImTellinTim

This past round was the first time maybe ever that I didn't even buy a single traditional console sports game. I didn't purchase the latest FIFA - my last holdout. Every franchise mode in every game I played had legacy issues that they simply didn't fix. So I moved on. Madden in about 09, The Show two years ago, FIFA last year. I actually played outside of the franchise modes in the Show and FIFA more the last couple years anyway. Football Manager and OOTP ruin console franchise modes. Once you go to those more text based games, it's laughable how lacking franchise modes are in comparison. I'm just not their target, and that's fine. I don't really miss them.

The only reason I still buy FIFA when it's on sale is that I enjoy the single player experience, even if it's ultimately lacklustre. I don't think I'll ever be paying full price for a console game again, especially with EA Access on Xbox One.

Football Manager ruined gaming in general for me, I'll be playing a game and have an idea for FM, and just stop and do that again.

[Cavsfan4life]

I've had these talks before with some friends in regards to making sports games free to play, or something along the lines of you pay for yearly roster updates at a reduced price, and we would end up at the same conclusion. People like us will drop the $60 and still buy DLC anyways, why would sports games decide to make it free to play, or reduce prices when they know we(the majority) will buy it anyways?


We joke in our 2k league, if 2k could figure out a way to monetize MLO or any franchise mode, we wouldn't have the issues we are having now. Look how quick they are to patch out a vc glitch or any glitch involving the mycareer modes compared to franchise modes, it's laughable. It's how businesses operate, invest into what makes the most profit, worry about the rest later.

Like it was mentioned earlier, we are no longer the target audience. Just have to hope sports games continue to at least try and improve on franchise modes.

[Yeah...THAT Guy]

Quote: Originally Posted by Cavsfan4life

I've had these talks before with some friends in regards to making sports games free to play, or something along the lines of you pay for yearly roster updates at a reduced price, and we would end up at the same conclusion. People like us will drop the $60 and still buy DLC anyways, why would sports games decide to make it free to play, or reduce prices when they know we(the majority) will buy it anyways? We joke in our 2k league, if 2k could figure out a way to monetize MLO or any franchise mode, we wouldn't have the issues we are having now. Look how quick they are to patch out a vc glitch or any glitch involving the mycareer modes compared to franchise modes, it's laughable. It's how businesses operate, invest into what makes the most profit, worry about the rest later. Like it was mentioned earlier, we are no longer the target audience. Just have to hope sports games continue to at least try and improve on franchise modes.

And the sad thing is that these issues exist in 2K, which probably adds more to their franchise modes each year than any other game by a pretty considerable margin.

It's definitely frustrating as a mainly franchise mode player of sports games. 2K and FIFA, even with their glitches/relatively thin mode in the case of FIFA are still enjoyable enough for me to continue coming back to them. DeuceDouglas' franchise posts in the Madden forum ruined Madden for me; I just can't buy their games anymore after reading his posts. And MLB is more of a once in awhile purchase for me at this point; they don't seem to add anything at all to their franchise mode anymore but it's at least deeper than EA's franchise modes and the ability to carry-over saves is absolutely huge.

I imagine that I'll someday tap more into games like Football Manager as I get older; I really hope someone makes a FM equivalent for basketball at some point; college basketball would be even better. I still occasionally pop in NCAA 14, College Hoops 2K8, and NFL Head Coach 09 and mainly simulate games while enjoying the franchise aspects of those games.

I am kinda surprised that nobody has at least tried to move towards more of a biannual release schedule for sports games in the very least. I guess the profits of a yearly release probably makes it worth it, but it seems like they could cut costs significantly and release higher quality products if they released their games on a schedule more in line with other video game companies.