Where Are the Tennis Games?

[emelki1968]

Great articule, and even better comments. Tennis and basketball were my favorite sport video games. I loved the Top Spin series, and Top Spin 4 to me was a master piece. The game play was the closest to a simulation game. Yes, it has problems with the net game play (one of those really hard aspects that almost no game was able to figure out), but the rest was great. I totally agree with Rich G. It is going to be impossible because of the sells and the cost of licensing. The worse part is that ATP tennis itself is in one of it's worse moments in History. It has less and less fans, tv ratings are in all time low and if we talk about WTA, they don't even know what to do. Serena Williams getting closer to 40 is the best player, with nobody behind her in the last 5 years. The least they could do is try to lure young people to their sport, and what better idea than with video games?
I just hope that one day we can see a Top Spin 5.

[CujoMatty]

Tennis Elbow on Steam. Get the Sams MegaMod.

Its the best tennis game ever.

Bought Tennis Elbow because of your comment. Installed the Sam mod. Gotta say glad I did it's pretty incredible.

[LowerWolf]

Re: Where Are the Tennis Games?

I'd buy a PS4 Hot Shots Tennis.

Which reminds me, I'm still waiting on PS4 Hot Shots Golf.

[theaub]

Re: Where Are the Tennis Games?

Tennis Elbow is fantastic

The mods are very good, and its also notepad based so you can go into the database and edit pretty much anything you want with ease.

[Malcolmpordes]

While waiting (hopefully not in vain) for the next PC tennis game (I've always been a PC games player. Never had a console), my guilty pleasure is tennis games on my iPad.
Some of them are half-decent, and I like the idea of flicking the ball with your finger.
The ones I have are Cross Court Tennis, Stickman Tennis 2015, Hit Tennis 3, Tennis Champion, and Tennis 2012.

[StubbyStan]

Great article guys.

Just a quick thing on this Rich - we only ever did non-gameplay work for EA on the Tiger Series and we definitely wasn't allowed to use anything that was in those games. So TGC was from scratch. The course designer actually started as a terrain editor for a tank game.

Licensing costs are through the roof at the moment. My belief is that the only way we're going to see any innovation in the sports genre is to be creative with it, like we were with the Greg Norman Course Designer.

We should do a podcast about it

Thanks for commenting (& for designing a great game in TGC)! My hope is that someone with some creative control & decision making ability will see the buzz surrounding this article & seriously consider making a tennis game. It's been far too long!

[tonybologna]

Re: Where Are the Tennis Games?

I wonder if there will ever be another Top Spin Tennis game released on any console? It would probably have to be for PS4 and/or XBox One but I always loved this series of Tennis games.

I thought Grand Slam Tennis was going to be the legit Tennis game with all the hype but it was a disappointment. Not a terrible game but just not what everybody thought it would be.

[Thrash13]

Re: Where Are the Tennis Games?

It's crazy to think how long it's been since we've gotten a legit console tennis game. When the PS4/XBox One install base was low, I wasn't too surprised we didn't see a new tennis game. Now that the install base is much higher, however, I'm shocked a developer hasn't taken a chance on a new tennis game. The licensing would be high, but it would surely sell pretty well just for the fact we haven't gotten one in awhile. A new tennis game for consoles is by far at the top of my personal wishlist..

[tonybologna]

Re: Where Are the Tennis Games?

It's crazy to think how long it's been since we've gotten a legit console tennis game. When the PS4/XBox One install base was low, I wasn't too surprised we didn't see a new tennis game. Now that the install base is much higher, however, I'm shocked a developer hasn't taken a chance on a new tennis game. The licensing would be high, but it would surely sell pretty well just for the fact we haven't gotten one in awhile. A new tennis game for consoles is by far at the top of my personal wishlist..

I totally agree with you. It's time for a new tennis game. Doesn't matter how polished the game will end up being if you ask me either. It's just time for one on either PS4 or XBox One. Not an arcade style game but a tennis game with real professional tennis players.

[pk500]

Re: Where Are the Tennis Games?

Tennis is just like boxing. Sadly it's far too much of a niche sport in the U.S. -- the major global market for games -- for a company to justify the development and licensing costs.

Licensed tennis and boxing games are almost guaranteed money losers in the current climate due to their limited appeal and the design crossroads facing all developers of niche titles. Build an arcade game, and the purists scream and don't buy. Build a sim, and casual gamers moan the game is too hard and don't buy.

[Chris200000]

Re: Where Are the Tennis Games?

We do need a new tennis game, Grand Slam Tennis 2 i bought and tried to play but it is just so tedious and boring and graphics wise not impressive too me.

[tonybologna]

Re: Where Are the Tennis Games?

We do need a new tennis game, Grand Slam Tennis 2 i bought and tried to play but it is just so tedious and boring and graphics wise not impressive too me.

Is Grand Slam Tennis 2 just for current gen consoles like PS4 & XBox One? I have Grand Slam Tennis for PS3. Wasn't aware of a Grand Slam Tennis 2. Maybe it's because the game is for current gen because I've not made the jump to PS4/XBox One yet.

[Thrash13]

Re: Where Are the Tennis Games?

The original Grand Slam Tennis was released for Nintendo Wii, and Grand Slam Tennis 2 followed for PS3 and XBox 360. I actually found GST 2 a few weeks back for $6, so I picked it up. It's a fun game, but it just makes me want a tennis game for PS4 and XBox One even more.

[ajs41072]

Re: Where Are the Tennis Games?

Grand Slam Tennis for the Wii, with use of the Wii Remote was THE best tennis game I've ever played. Problem was that I'm an online player, and you could only play 1 set, first player to 3 (not 6) games online. But the gameplay was so much fun, and you had to swing with the Wii Remote in one hand and hold the controller in your other hand to move the player. The ball moved realistically to where you were aiming, and shots could land very close to the line and make you want to argue with the umpire. The ball would hit the net sometimes. It could've used a challenge system and more players, but as far as gameplay went, it was the most fun and realistic tennis game I've ever played.

[tonybologna]

Re: Where Are the Tennis Games?

I just got a feeling that a new Top Spin 5 will be released on PS4 in the coming year or 2. If not Top Spin 5 then Grand Slam Tennis 3 for both consoles(PS4 & XBox One). I would settle for either game myself. Just looking for a new tennis game to play. My favorite has always been the Top Spin series but I liked the 1st Grand Slam Tennis for PS3 & Wii as well.