Sports Video Games: Pushing Realism Beyond Reality?

The extreme popularity of sports video games just shows the desire of sports fans to take part in the action rather than just being mere spectators of the sports they love. The games provide a deeper sense of involvement that cannot be achieved while watching or playing the game. Where else can fans act out their sports fantasies without being ridiculed? Where else can they put their strategies to good use without the heavy consequences of failure? Face it, real life does not offer enough opportunities to satisfy all those deep-seated desires. That’s why fans turn to sports video games. No wonder, six of the 10 top game titles of 2005 are sports-related.

Games companies have long capitalized on these desires and they continue on without any signs of slowing down. Competition has become more fierce with licensing deals happening left and right. But what have all these deals achieved over the years? Game realism.

The extreme popularity of sports video games just shows the desire of sports fans to take part in the action rather than just being mere spectators of the sports they love. The games provide a deeper sense of involvement that cannot be achieved while watching or playing the game. Where else can fans act out their sports fantasies without being ridiculed? Where else can they put their strategies to good use without the heavy consequences of failure? Face it, real life does not offer enough opportunities to satisfy all those deep-seated desires. That’s why fans turn to sports video games. No wonder, six of the 10 top game titles of 2005 are sports-related.

Games companies have long capitalized on these desires and they continue on without any signs of slowing down. Competition has become more fierce with licensing deals happening left and right. But what have all these deals achieved over the years? Game realism.

EA Sports has revolutionized the sports video game genre when it released Madden Football in the 1990s, the era of 16-bit systems. Madden FootballÂ’s head-to-head two player game became a major hit with the football-loving fans and EA Sports didnÂ’t waste time securing rights to produce games based on official leagues. Other sports titles began hitting retail shops – NHLPA Hockey, NCAA Football, Andretti Racing, NASCAR Racing (later called NASCAR Thunder), and Knockout Kings. More popular leagues also joined in the fray – FIFA, NHL, NBA Live and Madden NFL.

Barely recovering from the onslaught of sports titles, gamers are then introduced to the 32 and 64-bit systems and 3D graphics cards on the PC. This has brought on added realism to the games, much to the delight of sports-worshipping fans. And just when gamers thought realism can’t go any further, EA Sports began its deals with other prominent sports organizations – NFL, AFL and ESPN. When that proved to be profitable, other game developers like 2k Sports and Ubisoft have thrown in the gauntlet to challenge EA Sports, and consequently getting a slice of the $1.2 billion sports video game market.

Beyond soaring profits, the deals have helped create games that start to look and act like the real games. The NBA Live series made some dreams come true when Shaquille OÂ’Neal, Tim Duncan, Kevin Garnett, Vince Carter, Lebron James and Dwayne Wade appeared in the current- and next-generation consoles. WhatÂ’s more, familiar voices of Marv Albert and Steve Kerr have graced NBA LiveÂ’s in-game commentaries. Put them all together and you get the ultimate NBA experience in video games.

Each time a new sports game is introduced, fans are promised more realistic gameplay and more immersive experience. Developers have gone to great lengths to add even more realism to the games, and cashing in on it in the process. You have to ask how? Just look at the in-game ads that have found their way to Major League Baseball 2K6.

Gamers who are looking to manage sports teams are given games of their own. Football Manager is just one of the many titles they can get their hands on. That too gives a level of realism through the actual statistics of real players that gamers can use to jumpstart their virtual careers.

And how about racing games fans? Surely, game developers wouldnÂ’t just let them lose out on the realism factor. Two words for you pal, Gran Turismo (GT). The appeal of GT lies largely to its very detailed simulation of driving and racing. Add to that the chance to virtually drive cars that only the filthy rich can afford – Subaru Impreza WRX, Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution, Aston Martin, Nissan Skyline, and other Japanese and European cars that were once unheard of in US territories.

Fans that are into extreme sports have Tony HawkÂ’s Underground and Tony HawkÂ’s Downhill Jam to test their skateboarding skills, or try out that famous 900-degree turn without breaking any bones. HawkÂ’s involvement in the game development has helped add realism to the game.

No doubt, sports video games have stretched realism into levels that no other games have achieved. This realism factor has wowed gamers and sports fans worldwide, and will continue to do so when the PS3 and Nintendo Revolution are finally released. Competition has driven game companies to create games that blur the line between fantasy and reality. But how much further can realism in sports video gaming go? Apart from game fixing and steroid-use in sports, what will developers think of next?