Five Questions for the 2010 Sports Gaming Season - BlyGilmore's Blog

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Five Questions for the 2010 Sports Gaming Season Stuck

Posted on July 18, 2009 at 05:22 PM.

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Each year, the launch of NCAA Football signals the official start of the 2010 sports gaming season � with major titles released every few weeks from now through late October.

(All apologies to Tiger Woods � but your game used to launch in late August).

With this in mind, here are five big questions about the crop of summer and fall releases.

1 � Can NBA Live, NHL 2k and PES narrow the gap and challenge their rivals?

In each case above, the rival in question is the undisputed champion for their sport, and has held the title for the past several seasons. However year after year they move a little bit closer to challenging NBA 2k, NHL and FIFA respectively. Will this be the year each takes a giant step forward, leap frogging their competition?

Regardless, you can�t argue the benefit of having two titles for each sport competing head to head. Hopefully the NFL and MLB are watching.

2 � Will one of this season�s titles breakthrough and become a truly great game?

Right now there are only two sports video games with a 90 rating on Metacritic � The Show 09 and Forza 2. But a number of games are very close. One of FIFA�s goals this year is to crack a 90 on Metacritic after placing in the high 80s last season. NHL was also just a few points short of cracking 90. And Forza 3 is coming out in late October � hoping to improve upon the great Forza 2.

In each case the games are just a couple of improvements away from crossing over into the elite of all video games. But can each title continue to innovate and improve?

3 � Will gamers take advantage of new web applications, social tools and iPhone applications?

Both NCAA and Madden this year will feature new web applications that tie directly to their gaming. So far NCAA has had more than 100,000 custom teams created online. And Madden will allow you to take your online franchise to the web or an iPhone application.

But will gamers take advantage of these new features en masse? Will people follow their Madden online franchise like they would a Fantasy Football team?

4 � Will NCAA and Madden avoid the perils of a post-patch, game breaking bug?

Sadly over the past couple of years, patches for all sports games have become the norm. As a gamer you almost have to be resigned to the fact the game isn�t going to work right for a couple of weeks after you buy it.

Unfortunately, however, not all bugs are found before the patch hits the street. Both NCAA and Madden have felt the affects of these types of bugs over the past few seasons.

Last year NCAA�s online dynasties were victims of two big bugs that were never fixed: teams weren�t able to talk players out of leaving the program early, and the commissioner�s players didn�t progress correctly.

Two years ago Madden had catastrophic franchise issues that began appearing after the game was patched and past the point of no return.

Will this year be any different? Or will NCAA and Madden's new online features be sabotaged?

5 � Will FIFA drastically improve the most unrealistic �franchise mode� in the business?

FIFA�s success over the past couple of years has really been incredible when you consider how unrealistic the game�s Manager Mode is.

For starters it is completely devoid of the drama and excitement of the transfer market. Players are signed to play for clubs their real life counterparts would never dream of playing for. Stars are scouted way too easy. Exceptional players are available as free transfers and will sign for clubs that aren�t even in the top flight. And when all is said and done its far to easy to take a team from a second or even third division and have them playing in the Champions League within a couple of season.

Take FIFA 09, and completely overhaul the Manager Mode experience to be something akin to Football Manager Light, and you have a sports video game that can rival The Show for top dog.

What are your thoughts? What do you think the answers might prove to be? Chime in and let OS know!

Comments

# 1 RamzaLugria @ Jul 18

Nice read. Here is my take
1) Yes (NBA Live) No (NHL rules) and No (FIFA hitting its stride)
2) NHL and FIFA could, I would say NHL is more likely unless MM is improved.
3) Probably not, fantasy football is too big a beast.
4) Unlikely...best to hope for limited problems.
5) I hope so and I think it's a stated goal. We'll find out in a few months.

# 2 savoie2006 @ Jul 18

I think NBA Live will close the gap with 2K for sure. As far as NHL goes, 2K10 will no doubt be better than 2K9. I mean once you hit the bottom, you can only go up right. Will it be enough to close the gap with EA? Not likely as NHL10 is looking like it very well might win sports game of the year outright this time.

I don't care for soccer and haven't played those games so I can't compliment on that. I'm sure there will be some users that use the new web apps and such, but I don't see it being huge or anything. Well, considering NCAA already had a roster error with a patch. It's just a matter of time before more issues arise and Madden will most likely have its issues as well. They're sports games, they're bound to.

Again, it's soccer, I don't do soccer.

# 3 Shinyhubcaps @ Jul 18

There is no way that NBA Live will be significantly better than recent years, and 2K should moonwalk to victory after EA's usual hype has run its course. EA's NHL will remain superior, and as for soccer, I haven't played Pro Evolution since it was Winning Eleven (which was better than FIFA, in my opinion). I would be willing to bet that the champions all repeat.

As for the 90-rating, well, that's a tough one. NHL has a chance, but then again, a lot of games in this generation have been regressive in some ways; that is, the sequel fails to improve on its predecessor and gets docked as such in the ratings.

# 4 savoie2006 @ Jul 18

Quote:


	There is no way that NBA Live will be significantly better than recent years

Last years was better than previous years. I think this year will only get better. Oh, and 2K hasn't really made strides with its series lately.

# 5 Seahawk76 @ Jul 19

FIFA is overhauling its Manager Mode and with 360 degree control it could potentially be the sports game of the year. Its actually the game I'm most looking forward to and I'd never even played soccer games prior to FIFA 08.

# 6 BlyGilmore @ Jul 19

I hear ya Jusmegamer, but at the same time a lot of folks were disappointed with NBA 2k9 because it really didn't seem to advance 2k8 much. Meanwhile NBA Live did make a jump from the year before.

Granted it went from almost crap to decent (7 to 7.5 on OS, 67 to 77 on Metacritic).

If NBA Live makes the same kind of jump this year to an 8 on OS or in the 80s on Metacritic, and NBA 2k doesn't step forward, its crown might be in jeopardy.

# 7 savoie2006 @ Jul 19

Precisely Bly. NBA Live hasn't been the better basketball game; I don't think anyone will argue that. However, the series is started showing life last year. I think if 2K doesn't step it up a bit this year and EA progresses as much or more than last year, that race will be alot closer than alot of 2K fans would like to admit. The biggest issues with EASports games is the animations. They need to improve in all the games.