Quick! Name the top selling sports video game in the world. If your answer was FIFA Soccer, then you are correct. FIFA 12 has hit store shelves and it is largely receiving pretty positive feedback from consumers and critics alike. But yet, come the end of the year, FIFA will probably not be in the discussion for Sports Game of the Year on most sites -- despite quality which seems to be on par with our genres best.

So the question OS Staffers is: Does FIFA get a fair shake? Do we give the series enough credit or is it unfairly punished for being a game replicating a sport which most in this country couldn't care less about?

Phil Varckette: I think it gets an unfairshake. The game itself is a blast to play, soccer fan or not. I am the furthest thing from a soccer fan, yet I really enjoyed the demo. In fact, I made it a priority to go out and rent it first thing this morning. It made me want to delve deeper into the world of soccer. I admittedly don't know a lot about the sport, the teams or the players. That's why I usually just play with Italy when I do play. I am however looking forward to trying some MLS teams and some tournaments with other countries. I think gamers owe it to themselves to at least try the game. I didn't think I would ever like a soccer game, or soccer, but when a videogame can actually influence you to like a sport. Someone is doing something right.

I think critics need to put their money where their mouth is and give what is arguably EA's best sports game the credit it deserves.

TJ Lauerman: Let me ask you all a question. "When you say "most sites" are you talking about mainstream gaming sites, or are you talking about sports game specific sites?"

The difference being, I think mainstream gaming sites don't give it a fair shake, because they are usually looking at the big back-of-the-box things. For games like FIFA and NHL, they are so far into their evolution, that huge changes aren't needed. 

As for sports game specific sites, I do feel they give FIFA a fair shake, because those outlets are more "in-tune" for lack of a better phrase with sports game development. Yes, Gears of War 3 or Uncharted 3 will most likely win Game Of The Year over any sports game, but that rests more on the fact that those games are in development far longer then a sports game with a yearly upgrade. 

Not sure if that's a question about the question, or the answer. I'll let you decide.

Kelvin Mak: "If David Beckham scores for the Galaxy, does anybody give a damn?"

Surprisingly, this is coming from somebody who has very little interest in watching the MLS, yes. I do think there are enough people on this side of the pond who know and are passionate about their soccer. Even for sports gamers who don't necessarily care for the sport, I've seen many instances of them saying they picked up FIFA anyway because of the good press and feel it to be a fun game. Experienced sports gamers usually have a sixth sense about games. So even if they don't know that sport particularly well, they can tell whether a particular title is good or bad. So yeah, I think the game gets a fair shake.

The main reason why FIFA doesn't usually come into the discussion as Game of the Year is because it hasn't been Game of the Year quality. I don't know if this year's game will get much consideration -- most of it depends NBA 2K12 because if it's anywhere near the hype, we don't even need to hold a vote. But the fact is that the last few FIFAs have been good but not great games, and have certainly been below NBA 2K and MLB: The Show in terms of simulating the nuances of their respective sports.

Glenn Wigmore: I'd say the FIFA series is getting a bit of a raw deal when it comes to receiving accolades and recognition here in North America, especially considering the consistently strong feature set, presentation and gameplay that the franchise offers. Unfortunately, annual releases in the FIFAseries suffer in regards to “Best of” consideration because of the same reason the actual sport suffers in North America – lack of exposure. True, soccer may be “the beautiful game,” but many casual sports fans would be hard-pressed to tell you the names of many soccer stars, let alone the names of the teams they play on.

It seems like most end-of-year awards focus on grandfathering in de facto releases like Madden, NCAA Football, NBA 2K and MLB: The Show. The last spot or two usually ends up being a dogfight between NHL, FIFA and possibly a combat game or Tiger Woods release. One gets the feeling that unless we have a rooting interest in the sport – and soccer happens to be dominated by European, Asian and South American players and teams – we're not going to engage it as directly as something we can get behind more regionally, such as NFL football.

Until there is more awareness of the sport and its stars in North America, FIFA seems unlikely to ever truly stand alongside its peers in the genre, even though its quality often suggests it should.

Bo McCready: FIFA may not get a lot of Game of the Year consideration simply because many reviewers aren’t entirely comfortable in their own assessments of the game’s quality. Here in North America, everybody knows NFL football and baseball. So when it comes time to review the latest iteration of Madden or The Show, it’s not hard to find a point of reference, in regards to both presentation and gameplay. For FIFA, though, it may be much more difficult. 

We often see football and baseball games assessed based on their ability to mimic TV-style presentation. Even casual sports gamers know whether what they’re seeing in an EA game looks like what they see on ESPN, and it’s become a common topic in reviews. But how many people could describe what it’s like to watch soccer on TV? And not just MLS soccer, but European club soccer? 

Likewise, how well can most mainstream reviewers assess whether FIFA’s gameplay mirrors real soccer? It’s likely that they know football and baseball much better, and they’re more comfortable making definitive conclusions about whether gameplay in football and baseball games captures the essence of those sports, so they’re more willing to be confident in their assertions that these games are good. And to some extent, I don’t blame them. As an example, no matter how much I enjoyed an Australian rules football game, I don’t think I could comfortably call it “Game of the Year” because I wouldn’t feel qualified to assess its fidelity to the real sport. 

Until soccer becomes ubiquitous in North America, it’s hard to imagine FIFA getting the level of attention enjoyed by major sports games. But I wouldn’t say it’s unfair – after all, it’s not like FIFA flies entirely under the radar. It’s reviewed in every major publication, it’s advertised heavily, and you can find a copy at any store. It seems like the game itself often gets more coverage than the sport it portrays.