I don't play online because of that. I played CHoops 2K8 quite a bit, but after three cheesers on NCAA 09 and one post-Super bowl Cardinals cheeser on Madden I shut it down.

I play online from time to time, and I've come to expect it.

It doesn't ruin my day, but that's because I don't let it.

The only online game I play is nhl 09 and ive had it a month. I have been in tight games thru 2 periods and then suddenly they score 6-10 goals in the 3rd period with shots from the same area...****ins the experience. But, I have now come to the realization, it is how it is.

So, in your opinion, how big is the problem of 'online cheating' and/or 'cheesing' to the future of sports games?
I think its a huge problem, but I dont think there is anything the avg gamer can do about it. Its a development thing. In NHL 09 there are simply just areas on the ice where people can hit everytime with certain moves and score.
An even better question if you don't think so...how much do you play online?
I hardly play anything offline. Even NCAA 2009 with the drag route cheese i like to play just wish i didnt have to try and find ways to stop it from happening all the time.

I don't play online for that reason, and also the fact that it takes away some realism to the game. When playing Madden or NCAA it's annoying playing someone who doesn't run the ball. Or people on FIFA who don't play defense, and ball hogs in NBA 2k9. Combine that with the cheesers just makes for a bad online experience, thats why I choose to play with friends offline, cause I know they wont glitch, and play the game how it should be played.

Melman, just to be devils advocate...why is it unrealistic to pass all game? Would you call Mike Leach's offense unrealistic for example? I'm actually blogging on this tomorrow so I guess I'll leave it at that

Joey,

Interesting idea brotha. I think you hit the nail on the head...if you want to play 'fair' then join a league I suppose?

njd.aitken,

I like your style man...it's just a game, but we know a lot of people get bothered by some rather simple things!

I've been doing most of my online sports gaming in a league that I joined after someone on this site suggested it, and haven't looked back.
We can't expect the developers to make sure everyone plays realistically. In a well run "sim" league, players who don't play clean get called out and are dealt with.
To all of you who posted that they don't play online because of cheaters: you're missing out. Check out:
http://www.unitedleagues.com

If developers don't want cheesers, don't but glitches in.

Boomer Sooner baby! Now on to the topic. The fact is that cheating is the biggest issue across the whole of the industry, but probably the biggest in sports, MMOs, and FPS, with sports being the biggest of the three. The thing is that more and more you are going to see sports gamers increase as our generation, gets older and moves from the field to the chair. I know for a fact that as my ability to play on the court and diamond deminished I looked for that competition on the gaming venues. The CPU is never going to be enough for us gamers to find a great challenge (though MLB '09 is pretty darn close) and so the only way that game companies are going to keep us in there game is through online play.

As those companies continue to look for new revenue options they also see the ads in sports games as an option. Well you want that money to keep pooring in you have to have gamers playing online. You lose people when you create a culture of cheaters and cheesers. This must be fixed before people stop even attempting to play these games competitively over the internet except for the few friends that they will always log with.

Hopefully all game companies at some point will get hard on the cheaters and cheesers, but I for one will not allow them to continue the way they are and still get my money and interest.

Its one of the main reasons I no longer play online. Its not even worth the trouble, because most of the people cheat or cheese unless they're a certain age is pretty comon. Its just isn't fun to play against people who will win at all costs.

the only games i play online right now is COD 4 & 5, SF4, and sometimes GTA.

i stop playing madden online cuz its just irratating and not fun. i dont mind losing but just beat me fairly. glitching ur way to victory just pisses me off. just takes all the fun out of it.

even in FIGHT NIGHT, u got people just throwing haymakers all day. no real boxing at all. and im starting to get pissed off at COD as well. i let go a whole clip on some guy and he doesnt die but he shoots me twice and im dead!? WTF!!!! AND THIS IS WITH STOPPING POWER! this happens all the time.

playing just isnt fun anymore really. only with friends but there not always around and sometimes u want to play someone else and not the computer but these ***holes ruin it.

Whoever said that "its just a agme" is oddly misinformed. Normal games are the Ratchet & Clanks, the Final Fantasies, the Mario Party games. Sports games are labeled as "simulation". So,for us hardcore sports gamers, that's what we expect: "simulation".

Glitches suck. Developers want to get rid of them, but with new technology comes new glitches and new cheesers that want to exploit them. I've been a victim of the Madden WR Direct Snap Glitch countless times.

Speaking of Madden, does anyone else notice that all of the glitches are coming from EA Sports games?

JWill,

I think your last comment is a bit of fanboyitis. No companies have made a perfect game so far, so there are glitches in every single product out there from 2K to EA to Sony. Saying it's just EA is unrealistic at best and trying to dish out nothing but haterade at worst.