Sports games got weird

[Address_Unknown]

I didn’t watch this video, but I know every sports game these days have a “MYTeam” mode, which is something I’ve never done in any game. I remember when 2k first introduced the MyCareer, and that was cool at first going from college, getting drafted, possibly going to the G-League and working your way up. One thing I never liked about that mode is that it’s too unrealistic in the sense that they make you start off EXTRA trash. Rookies aren’t coming into the league with no athleticism AND no skill. Rookies don’t even really get more athletic. They might get stronger, and that’s about it. It’s their skill and IQ that increases over time. With micro transactions, they made it so that the only way to build up your player in a reasonable amount of time is to pay, and I’m not doing it. I haven’t played that mode in years.

I really only play exhibition these days. I would do franchise mode, but the CPU transactions make no sense, and the CPU generated rookies look weird.​

And unfortunately, that model of play isn't going away since too many people are somewhat alright with paying 20-30 dollars to get their stats up even though b*stards like myself have no problem grinding out from the mud to becoming a 90 rated player after a solid, every game played, 12 minute quarter series since, like you I refuse to give these fukkers money (NBA 2k24 is on gamepass and I won't buy it for anything above a 20) but the slowly encroaching war on folks that go this route is becoming more and more apparent every year and having not played a 2K properly in damn near 5-7 years, seeing all the restrictions and purposefully maligned benefits is just..crazy.
I can't get into the game itself without being bombarded with packs and other nonsense to buy and it gets worse when I actually play the game and the CPU purposefully neglects my roster changes in order to have my character play less minutes, while purposefully punishing your character with fatigue penalties for 'playing too many minutes'. How do you combat that?

Buy boosts with virtual currency!
Yeah. I've been playing sports games damn near all my life and I never thought it would get so predatory to the point the game purposefully makes your experience horrid enough to get you to even think on paying EXTRA money just for it to run normal.​

 

[Ed MOTHERFUCKING G]

Fighting Games are at this point too...at least though, you get an entire character, or some really irrelevant cosmetic shyt. These kids complain about the cost of costumes and gear for their characters...you don't HAVE to play dress up with your Tekken action figures...

this sports shyt is off the charts...some of us just want to pay $60 at most and play a game...they're forcing you to be a hardcore player

 

[Based Lord Zedd]

A lot of this has already been mentioned but for me it's the combo of:

Playing against the computer is awful, no matter what house rules, sliders, or difficulty you use.
Playing Ultimate Team or any similar mode is a huge time or money sink. Plus unrealistic gameplay with overpowered players.
Devs don't bother with other game modes because they only care about microtransactions. Madden H2H for example is barebones and has a persistent ad trying to get you to play UT instead.
Exclusive licenses slow down progress.

Really though I think we just got old, guy in the video mentioned playing these games a lot as a kid. Little kids still love these basic ass fortnight-esque sports games.

 

[The Intergalactic Koala]

CoD and Warcraft pretty much started that breh. The whole mtx trend was well in effect before NBA2k or Madden.

Don't put that bad juju on WOW . 14.99 a month including being able to farm just to continue the addiction for free>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Same ole shyt sports games with bunny ears for 4.99.

 

[Grifter]

Stopped playing The Show cause of taking away features for shyt repetition and too much focus on the card game.

 

[IsThatBrothaMouzone?]

Once you expand to other game genres you realize how unimaginative and repetitive sports games are. Cats get on here and talk about casuals but no genre relies on casual gamers like this one. 2K, FIFA, & Madden are a hit to a fiend and they will always comeback, so why reinvent the wheel.

Damn that's facts.

I started out big into sports games. Madden, FIFA, KO Kings/Fight Night, 2k games, 989 Sports etc.

Played Sonic on Dreamcast and Crash Bandicoot on Playstation. Then played a little Metal Gear Solid....GTA 3/Vice City kept it going.

However...it wasn't until playing Elder Scrolls Oblivion that I realized action/adventure and RPG's were so much more rewarding. The games leading up to it, started the shift but that was the first time I couldn't be bothered to play sports.

 

[T-K-G]

Fighting Games are at this point too...at least though, you get an entire character, or some really irrelevant cosmetic shyt. These kids complain about the cost of costumes and gear for their characters...you don't HAVE to play dress up with your Tekken action figures...

this sports shyt is off the charts...some of us just want to pay $60 at most and play a game...they're forcing you to be a hardcore player

with fighting games nowadays 50-60% of the characters are released after the game comes out as DLC content

so nah they milking their fanbases too

 

[ALonelyDad]

They do good numbers regardless, there isn't much motivation for those making it if the numbers are great. Only competition can get them to work but unfortunately most sports games don't have real competitors in their field

 

[TL15]

Sports video games are just $60 entrances to stores to buy shyt for video game characters

 

[Address_Unknown]

A lot of this has already been mentioned but for me it's the combo of:

Playing against the computer is awful, no matter what house rules, sliders, or difficulty you use.
​

People be clowning folk for losing their shyt at games like 2k24, but for me, a guy, who plays 12 minutes, full games, no sim or skipping, you can purposefully see the CPU lowering the IQ of your teammates in real time while the other team punishes you, and ONLY YOU for the mistakes made....by the same teammates the CPU is tasked to control.
Every 2K has a glaring discrepency that becomes apparent if you play it long enough and 2k24's has to be the fact that your teammates REFUSES to utitlize a perfectly set screen, in which you immobilize the defender he's running from and creates a lane for them to run forward and layup/dunk. I play a 6'10 PF with a Brolic inside defender/scorerer build so my Screens are 'brick wall' badge plus'd, meaning the defender, if he's too weak either gets knocked down, held back for a potent second or two, or has trouble fighting over me.
What does my teammate do?
He waits dilligently until the defender comes back to guard him and then WAITS for me to set another fukking Pick.
Meanwhile, on defence, I see a screen being set and I got the lesser of two evils to choose from. I can either watch my teammate get immobilized while the enemy ball handler sprints to the basket for an easy dunk/layup, or I can initiate the double team by picking up the sprinting ball handler only to have NO ONE rotate and cover my previous defence task, they kick it out to him and he has an open 3.
Everytime. I've never seen the opposite team's players balk at open lanes like my teammates do...EVERYTIME...because the CPU is designed to penalize you rather than make you make mistakes by exploiting your tendencies.
Unfair CPUS been a thing since the Arcade days to keep players pumping coins in quarters, but to see this shyt purposefully tarnish your 60-70 dollar experience unapologetically is just...wild, man.​

 

[IsThatBrothaMouzone?]

They do good numbers regardless, there isn't much motivation for those making it if the numbers are great. Only competition can get them to work but unfortunately most sports games don't have real competitors in their field

It's the licensing.

Lots of studios can create a solid sports game, but the cost of obtaining the licensing, likenesses etc., is wild.

Bigger issue is that sports games, especially the top dogs like Madden, NBA 2K and FIFA......you are modeling real athletes, coaches and stadiums. Creating something out of your own brain is a lot different than trying to mimic something that's actually real. Constant comparisons between how players actually move in real life versus the game version.

In some ways it's more difficult than creating a Souls boss or a dragon in Skyrim because you can get as creative as you want with a fantasy character. Tough to do with real people unless you're making NFL Blitz.

Then you add constant roster movement and rules changes.....

Ideally, if a new console came out...you'd make one Madden for launch and then another deeper into the console life to take full advantage of the hardware. Rosters, rules, uniforms etc., would be updated annually but you're not making a new game every year. Problem is that this formula is so easy for 2k and EA that they may not want to do the work needed to overhaul the games. Just keep stacking code on top of code instead of rebuilding from the ground up.

Crazy part is with my plan, they could charge you for updating the rules/rosters/coaches etc. You can choose to play Madden 25 in its original form for years or....pay for annual updates each summer if you want the latest and greatest bells & whistles.

 

[Hersh]

People be clowning folk for losing their shyt at games like 2k24, but for me, a guy, who plays 12 minutes, full games, no sim or skipping, you can purposefully see the CPU lowering the IQ of your teammates in real time while the other team punishes you, and ONLY YOU for the mistakes made....by the same teammates the CPU is tasked to control.
Every 2K has a glaring discrepency that becomes apparent if you play it long enough and 2k24's has to be the fact that your teammates REFUSES to utitlize a perfectly set screen, in which you immobilize the defender he's running from and creates a lane for them to run forward and layup/dunk. I play a 6'10 PF with a Brolic inside defender/scorerer build so my Screens are 'brick wall' badge plus'd, meaning the defender, if he's too weak either gets knocked down, held back for a potent second or two, or has trouble fighting over me.
What does my teammate do?
He waits dilligently until the defender comes back to guard him and then WAITS for me to set another fukking Pick.
Meanwhile, on defence, I see a screen being set and I got the lesser of two evils to choose from. I can either watch my teammate get immobilized while the enemy ball handler sprints to the basket for an easy dunk/layup, or I can initiate the double team by picking up the sprinting ball handler only to have NO ONE rotate and cover my previous defence task, they kick it out to him and he has an open 3.
Everytime. I've never seen the opposite team's players balk at open lanes like my teammates do...EVERYTIME...because the CPU is designed to penalize you rather than make you make mistakes by exploiting your tendencies.
Unfair CPUS been a thing since the Arcade days to keep players pumping coins in quarters, but to see this shyt purposefully tarnish your 60-70 dollar experience unapologetically is just...wild, man.​

ruberband ai

 

[Th3G3ntleman]

Sports games have gone full mobile game

 

[Brandsdale]

2k had the worst fukkin mechanics. Hate that game