When I was growing up, my parents didn’t let me play shooters or anything remotely violent. While I understood I was fairly young, I was jealous watching all of my friends play said games. Call of Duty was never more popular than in the late 2000s, early 2010s. Halo, while being an alien shooter, got a slight pass but it didn’t satisfy the desire to play CoD. Somehow, I got my hands on a copy of Modern Warfare III (2011). The gameplay, while probably being standard, was revolutionary to me. It was extremely enjoyable and I finally got a chance to play with friends.
Eventually, it was discovered I was playing shooters downstairs in the basement, away from prying eyes. The game was taken away and hidden somewhere in the house (I did find it in Mom’s closet years later). To make up for having to take away my game, my mom bought me a racing game; the name escapes me all these years later. I was horribly upset as the game didn’t nearly compare to MWIII. Years later when I could fully process my emotions, I felt bad about being so upset. My mom was trying her best and she didn’t even need to buy another game to replace it. So, if you’re reading this mom, I’m sorry for all those years ago.
Some may say racing isn’t a sport, but for the sake of this post, we’re including it. I wanted to speak on sports videos games (such as NBA2K, FIFA (now EAFC), and Madden, among others). Why are sports games getting so bad, and why should we stop supporting them?
Same Old
The main purpose of this article is to complain about how every year, game studios release the same slop with a new cover. The biggest culprits of this are 2K. I had stopped purchasing NBA2K because I was tired of the same formula every year. Create a MyPlayer, play two seasons with MVP level stats, win two championships, and get burned out. Play MyTeam until you reached an obvious pay gap between yourself and people who spend hundreds on VC. At a certain point, it only becomes fun for playing against friends on the same console.
Recently, there was a sale in the Microsoft Store to buy the new 2K for $6.99, which is -90% off, so I jumped. I bought the newest 2K and installed it, ready to poach upon all of the free giveaways in MyTeam. First off, codes expire, which is ridiculous. The new 2K is about to release in a month and a half, so why not start giving stuff away. Ronnie is the worst community manager in all games, which is saying something. I don’t want to climb slowly getting a minute and a half in MyCareer and I refuse to drop 100,000 VC to make it playable from the beginning. A game like 2K relies so heavily on in-game purchases which is crazy for a $70 base game.
My biggest gripe in the “same old” formula is the gameplay. How can you change the gameplay of a sports game? You can’t, without drastically changing rules. You’re always going to dribble, shoot, pass in 2K. In Madden, you’ll always run plays and try to score touchdowns. The gameplay isn’t quite revolutionary. So why not just buy one game and make it last a while.
In-App Purchases
Sports games, like most games, rely heavily on in-game purchases despite charging so much for the base game. Now, if the game was free and asked for in-game purchases or cosmetics, it would be worth it. But for games like FIFA and 2K, there aren’t many “cosmetics” to unlock. You can buy packs to get better players for your teams. In MyCareer in 2K, you can customize your player but so limited, because in the actual game, s/he’s wearing a jersey regardless. When I first starting playing sports games, in-game purchases didn’t exist. You simply grinded your way to the top. You couldn’t buy your way there.
As I loaded up 2K yesterday, I was almost immediately forced to buy the newest game for $130. The advertisement popped up while I went to click a menu, and if I wasn’t attentive, or if I was a child, I would’ve just spent my grocery bill on a game that’s been recycled for years. It’s no wonder in this day and age kids can run up a parent’s credit card.
I don’t talk much about Madden or NHL, but that’s mostly because I don’t play it often. MLB: The Show, however, is very guilty of in-app purchases. You can buy player cards to improve your Ultimate Team. I tend to veer away from any modes that are pay-to-win like this.
Difficulty Scale
Another gripe I tend to have with sports games is the level of difficulty. In most games, I smash through difficulties while playing offline. Put me on the hardest difficulty in FIFA and I’ve won the CL, PL, domestic cup, everything. Then in another games, such as 2K, the hardest difficulty has the bots never missing a shot, no matter how good of defense you play. Now time for the first mention of Forza, but the hardest difficulty in Forza Horizon/Motorsport (though I’ve never played the latter) sees the bots fly ahead of you on the road/track. I haven’t the slightest clue on how to beat them.
The only way you can possibly bypass this difficulty scale is by playing online, but even in online is there a scale. The hardest rank to get out of in FIFA Seasons’ mode is the highest rank (10). This is because everyone starts out there and you might encounter an absolute god versus someone who’s never played before. 2K’s online modes are just as bad with people who may have never stepped foot outside their bedroom. The only tolerable modes I’ve found in online sports games is Forza’s racing and Rocket League (in general), which might not classify as a sports game for the sake of this article.
If there was an actual efficient way of matching up with equal level players no matter what, it would make the sports game experience much more enjoyable.
What I’ve Been Enjoying Instead
I recently uninstalled FIFA and 2K and have begun only playing open-world games, especially single player. The single player experience is unmatched, especially when not having to deal with other, most likely unemployed, people. The video game world is becoming so much more unbearable as I grow with little time to play online. Another type of game, which some have referred to as “friendslop”, has been enjoyable. These type of games follow the format of Lethal Company, REPO, and other co-op indie games. While the term “friendslop” might be seen as more derogatory, I thoroughly enjoy playing these games.
Until video game studios can actually implement changes that make sense, other than adding more sweat to teaser images (Ronnie, looking at you), I won’t support buying full-price games. Why spend half a day’s work for some game I’ll play a few hours and get bored/annoyed with? It’s time we put the power back into fellow gamers’ hands and stop supporting this slop for sports games. Take some creativity like Rematch and Quidditch and make games fun again.