NBA 2K,Madden, andFIFA(nowEA Sports FC) are among the best-selling games in any given year, across all platforms and virtually every demographic. The relentless success of these titles has hardly been slowed by even the most poignant criticisms and controversies. Companies likeTake-Two have even been suedby players unhappy with the state of such sports games, but this has done little to oppose the cold, hard sales numbers of these ubiquitous titles.
But things might not be this way forever. The indie scene has seen an explosion of sports games in the past decade, with darlings likeRocket Leagueproving that alternatives to the likes of2KandMaddencan exist, and with rabid demand for them.Rocket League, a game that combines the arcade driving ofMario Kartwith the ruleset of soccer, is a wild and chaotic game that is hard to master and even harder to forget, standing out amidst a sea of homogenous mainstream sports titles.Rocket Leagueisn’t the only creative indie sports game on the market, and with countless other small studios looking to land a hit in the competitive gaming space, traditional sports games could be facing some stiff competition.
Traditional Sports Games Could Be Usurped by Rocket League-Style Indies
AAA Sports Titles Have a Lot of Problems
Franchises likeNBA 2Kcatch tons of flakwith each release, and oftentimes for good reason.2K,Madden, andFIFAare all infamous for recycling content across each full-priced release, with many considering the $70 price tag far too steep for what each new entry actually offers. New sports games from Take-Two and EA can often feel like more of the same, but since these companies will shut down servers after a game has been out for a few years, those playing the games for their online components are compelled to buy the newest release, even if the product itself is effectively no different.
Indie Sports Games Are Rife With Potential
Rocket Leagueis a good example of a successful, creative indie sports game, but it’s far from the only one. Other great, unique indie sports games include:
The above examples are all wildly different in several ways, but they share a core similarity: they are all pursuant to a strong creative vision. A game likeGolf Storymight not have Tiger Woods as a playable character, but it does allow players to explore a semi-fantasy world and tee-off virtually anywhere, all while experiencing a bitterly hilarious, satirical story. None of these games are beholden to tradition, shareholder expectations, or any other such special interests that would encourage controversial inclusions like in-game ads, microtransactions, or an unjustifiable yearly release schedule.
More than anything, though, these games represent incredible potential for their corner of the indie scene. Right now, it feels like franchises likeNBA 2Kcan get away with microtransactions, lack of innovation, and generally lower than acceptable quality simply because there are no other real alternatives. Big companies have an iron grip on the sports genre, but talented indie devs with a strong vision, commitment to creativity, and more to lose, could be loosening it.
Rocket League
WHERE TO PLAY
Rocket League is a high-powered hybrid of arcade-style soccer and vehicular mayhem with easy-to-understand controls and fluid, physics-driven competition. Rocket League includes casual and competitive Online Matches, a fully-featured offline Season Mode, special “Mutators” that let you change the rules entirely, hockey and basketball-inspired Extra Modes, and more than 500 trillion possible cosmetic customization combinations.Winner or nominee of more than 150 “Game of the Year” awards, Rocket League is one of the most critically-acclaimed sports games of all time. Boasting a community of more than 57 million players, Rocket League features ongoing free and paid updates, including new DLCs, content packs, features, modes and arenas.
