#1: NBA 2K16 is a lock to win Sports Game of the Year.

Kevin Groves: Fact. From gameplay to graphics to modes to post-release support, NBA 2K 16 is guaranteed to take home SGOY in runaway fashion. While the Show and even Madden have made huge strides, the distance between 2K and the field is growing and hopefully inspiring other companies to push the envelope.

Caley Roark: Fiction. I say "fiction" only because I think the term "lock" is a strong one. While I think it is likely that NBA 2K16 will win, I'm not sure it's a given. I believe I say this every year, but I think The Show gets overlooked a bit because of its Spring release date. Either way, both titles represent the best of their sport.

Jayson Young: Fact. NBA 2K16 will definitely be getting my vote for sports game of the year, as the gap between it and the next-best sports game just seems to be growing wider with each passing year on the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One. NBA 2K16 showcases the best graphics, animations, and presentation packages in the sports industry, plus there's a deep experience for every type of gamer, whether you're into online team play, ultimate team, online leagues, or career/franchise modes.

#2: There will not be an NBA Live 17.

Kevin Groves: Fiction. Only because EA will not admit defeat and will continue to push an inferior, bottom-line reducing product. Live 17 is definitely an improvement over 16 but still lags behind the competition in almost every category. Furthermore, Live 16 is the weakest of EA's next-gen sport offerings.

Caley Roark: Fiction If predicting, I'd guess that this poorly reviewed, poorly received title disappears the next year. I agree with Kevin that NBA Live is easily the worst of EA's current lineup.

Jayson Young: Fact. NBA Live 16's dismal sales show why EA Sports never should have released NBA Live 14 when it knew that game wasn't ready for the PlayStation 4's and Xbox One's launch. Live 16 isn't a bad product, and if there's a Live 17, it probably won't be a bad product, either. But the public perception of the Live brand was absolutely destroyed by NBA Live 14, to the point that mediocre, inoffensive follow-ups like Live 15 and Live 16 aren't getting a second chance from consumers, even with a meaty, free trial available for download. When NBA 2K14's servers failed during the 2013 Holidays, that was EA's one chance to snag a foothold in the next-gen basketball market. But all NBA Live 14 did was slam the series' foot into that door -- so violently it will never be thought of as a true competitor in consumers' minds. It's time for EA to retire their crippled NBA Live brand and bring back the fondly remembered NBA Street franchise.

#3: Today's sports games desperately need arcade/simpler counterparts.

Kevin Groves: Fiction. While games like NBA 2K and PES 2016 aren't the easiest when it comes to pick-up-and-play titles, I stated Fiction based on what FIFA 16 was able to implement with it's "FIFA Trainer". As an experienced FIFA player I quickly turned the feature off but I can see personally see the usefulness as many younger players graduate from "2 button controls" to the more robust controls due to features like this.

Caley Roark: Fiction. While I love the old arcade series (NHL Hitz, NBA Street, NFL Street, etc), I'm not sure the industry would support new versions--especially considering the selection of sports games continues to shrink. Where I think these titles have migrated to is the mobile platforms. Instead of paying to buy a new NFL Street, users can download a free "arcade" version of Madden to play on their cell phone. I don't like this new business model--I'd quickly buy a new Street game--but I believe it is here to stay

Jayson Young: Fact. Successes like Rocket League show that people will still support arcade games, so long as they aren't simply designed as "X sport with fewer rules and flashier animations" (e.g. FIFA Street). These types of games need to be built with more imagination if they're going to grab casual fans' attention and go on to sell millions instead of thousands. Super Mega Baseball is a great-playing arcade-style game, for instance, but I doubt that it caught on with anyone outside the already tiny baseball gaming community.

#4: NHL 16 has been overlooked, but is actually one of the best sports games of the year.

Kevin Groves: Fiction. Fiction - Huge caveat here, I have not played the game but having spent time with NBA 2K16, FIFA 2016, PES 2016, Madden 16, and MLB the Show I can somewhat confidently say that it would fall behind the good majority of those games. It's not to say that the NHL 16 is a bad game, moreover a result of NBA 216 being great while FIFA 16 & surprisingly Madden 16 being incrementally better.

Caley Roark: Fact. I can only agree with the first part of this statement--NHL 16 is overlooked--simply because I haven't played it. The NHL series was once one of my annual purchases, but after a few years of stripped down content and a rough transition to the current generation, it's now an afterthought.

Jayson Young: Fiction. The only aspect of NHL 16 that's being overlooked is EA's surprisingly gamer-friendly decision to remove microtransactions from the EA Sports Hockey League in favor of a more balanced and enjoyable class-based system. If you're not into online modes, then you're stuck playing what's arguably the dryest career/franchise experience in the sports genre. And on the ice, the developers haven't addressed any of their longstanding issues with AI, animation, physics, goaltending, defending, and player ratings. But hey, at least we've got mascots, superfans, and crowd signs in the game now, eh?