Mind of Michael: Sports video games

By Michael Leek
Sports Editor

Growing up playing sports video games gave me some of the fondest, as well as hilarious, memories I can think of. The sports games now just aren’t the same.

With the advances in technology, you would think games would be getting better, but within the sports genre, the community thinks otherwise, and I agree.

It could be that because I am getting older, I’m not enjoying video games like I used to, but that is not the case. I still highly enjoy other genres of video games.

The conversation surrounding most of the sports games is, it is the same sport, so there is only so much you can do about it gameplay-wise.

Let’s use NBA 2K as an example. My favorite 2K was NBA 2K 16 or 17. Why haven’t the rest of the 2K games been up to par with a game that came out around eight years ago?

The community is tired of the developers not listening to its complaints, taking things out of the game, or adding things in the community does not want.

For me, I feel like I am spending $70 every year to play the same game. I have more fun on the game playing offline modes like MyNBA, rather than the online game modes you can play with friends.

The gameplay online is just not fun to me, and because of the way a lot of people play online, the realism aspect of the game goes out the window.

When playing online it does not feel like I am playing a basketball game anymore. Instead I feel as if I am playing a game of who can memorize and time patterns better.

I have not spent an ample amount of time on the Madden series since Madden 18. I cannot speak on the state of Madden because I just don’t play it. From what I do see, I do not want to. Again, the realism aspect of the game seems to fade going into the online modes.

There are more sports games to talk about. I could go on for a long time. Golfing games, hockey, soccer and UFC.

To begin improving the sports video games, I would say to go back to what was working.

Try and bring game modes back that the community enjoyed, listening to the complaints and watching for the things that are received well.

Sports video games can be fun, especially the online modes that involve playing a game against or with your friends.