Has Innovation Become a Thing of the Past With Sports Games?

[Mr.Smif]

With all these monopolies id say yes, innovation has become a thing of the past. The only company/sports game I see really taking changes in the NBA 2K series. Yeah they get a lot of complaints but they have a lot more stuff in their game for people to complain about. If it wasn't for 2K Sports, sports games wouldn't be where they are today.

[Dazraz]

Innovation in sports games isn't on a great decline in my opinion. Sports simulations are attempting to replicate something we watch & love everyday. Sure if you enjoy novelty aspects like Night Golf, Bobblehead Players & streaks of fire on your Basketball then that can easily be achieved (and be classed as innovative). Most people just want to see what they see for real in their game. Innovation is fine as long as it's kept within the boundaries of the sport its representing.
As a old gamer who goes back to the days of the Atari 2600 I find it pretty impressive that we see people complaining about a tattoo being in the wrong position or, perish the thought, not their at all!!! That's an indication of how far we've come.

[mastershake88]

When you have the capability to buy up licenses, the spirit of competition dies. To be said when the purchaser wants that environment it will be that way. make no mistake MLB 15 the show is an incomplete game. I can list tons, TONS of examples that would point out the lack of detail and attention given to things that are mentioned.

[Guapo516]

I gotta say 2k has been one of the main suspects of taking things out of the game only to re introduce it as something new 2-3 years later. How you can take out summer league, d-league, draft combine, and crew is beyond me. I take note of this and when they introduce it as something new, i simply dont count it as a new feature.

I was thinking more gameplay wise not features, but if any company is king of taking things out just to reintroduce them as new, it's ea, by far. I've seen literally the same 3 year recycle of "new" features for like the last 9 years. Qb, trenches, wr/db interactions.

[Guapo516]

You're wrong. The show is the best sim sports on the market.

Well I don't think either of us are right or wrong, it's all a matter of opinion, but forgive me for stating my opinion as fact originally.

What you say may be true, but 2k to me is the deepest game I've ever played. Literally, no 2 games have been the same for me. Still seeing new things. Not to take anything away from baseball but how they incorporate what's a very deep game is amazing to me. Baseball seems less complex to simulate than basketball, of course I play basketball and not baseball so my opinion is swayed.

[aaron777]

Why be inovative when there is no competition? That's the problem . Focus ur time on ultimate team mode to make the most cash is the motto .I don't deny them making money but for God's sakes make a great playing game.

[thaSLAB]

I think the most under-the-radar innovation (due to it not being a gameplay feature) is the introduction of Year-to-Year saves in MLB 15 The Show. It's very significant in my opinion, as sports gamers have always wanted this, but no one could ever achieve it. The lighting and directional hitting are other, more subtle innovations that they also introduced this year. While DD (both Diamond Dynasty and Dynamic Difficulty) are not a new innovations, I think they were pretty well refined this year. I also think Super Mega Baseball innovated in a couple areas too, namely their ego (difficulty) and mojo systems.

[jeremym480]

Re: Has Innovation Become a Thing of the Past With Sports Games?

I think the most under-the-radar innovation (due to it not being a gameplay feature) is the introduction of Year-to-Year saves in MLB 15 The Show. It's very significant in my opinion, as sports gamers have always wanted this, but no one could ever achieve it. The lighting and directional hitting are other, more subtle innovations that they also introduced this year. While DD (both Diamond Dynasty and Dynamic Difficulty) are not a new innovations, I think they were pretty well refined this year. I also think Super Mega Baseball innovated in a couple areas too, namely their ego (difficulty) and mojo systems.

Y2Y Saves is the most recent major innovation that pop's in my mind, as well. 2k's MyGm mode was fairly original although I'm more of MyLeague/ Association Player so I was happy to see that return in 2k15.

One of the most innovative games of the past few years imo was NCAA Football. I believe they were the first to have a fully integrated online website. I thought Team Builder was a very innovative as well... Also I think Coaching Carousel was innovative for it's time and I believe they really could have made it into something special with another year or two of improvements.

Y2Y Saves, a fully featured online website with roster editing and a coaching carousel is something that I would like to see added in every team sports game.

[thagrandson]

People want innovation, then they cry when their game isnt what it was from last year....

[punx317]

Micro transactions have made innovation very stale. The real innovations in gaming is online competition with monetary risk. You don't need to blow someone away with your product when the user gets his fix by risking his own money against someone just like him. This business practice while wildly unethical is perfectly protected by the law. While a wager match is essentially a gamble it's acceptable because it is not a game of chance.