In the summer of 2007, two roads diverged, on the path to developing a new fantasy team mode in sports videogames.
One track, named
UEFA Champions League 2006–2007, sent gamers on a card-collecting quest, with the goal of building a five-star team of superstar soccer players.
The other trail, titled
All-Pro Football 2K8, felt more like a recess game of football, where two talented captains picked their supporting casts from a lineup of flawed role players, each inhibited by multiple shortcomings, but blessed with one or two specialized skills.
The videogame business, naturally, took the road more easily monetized -- spawning fantasy team modes like Ultimate Team, My Team and Diamond Dynasty, which were not primarily designed to be fun, but instead, to test gamers' purchasing patience and spending self-control.
Read More - The Psychology Behind Ultimate Team's Success