The 2012 Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3), an annual
conference on the state of affairs for computer and video games, is wrapping up
today in Los Angeles. While E3 is mostly known for showcasing major leaps in
graphics technology, inventive forms of gameplay, and completely new gaming
consoles, it also comes with its fair share of pretty standard announcements. This includes almost every sports game franchise showing up with details and
information about its latest upcoming iteration.
For example, at this year’s E3, the folks from EA Sports
announced the latest addition to Madden NFL 13:
a different physics engine – basically: the computerized system that accounts
for player collisions. Former versions of the Madden NFL franchise also, of
course, had physics engines, but the engine for Madden NFL 13 is new and improved.
Sports video games are the perfect background and filler for
an annual conference like E3 because they also operate on yearly expectations;
a new version of Madden NFL and NBA 2K and Tiger Woods PGA Golf and any other
successful gaming franchise will appear in stores every year, usually around the same
time. The question that the games’ producers don’t want asked is: Should they?
Certainly, there are yearly improvements in video game
technologies, and sports video games benefit from these like any other game
franchise might. But it’s unlikely that every single year should see an improvement
so amazing that it requires a completely new version of the game.
In the past, sports games that are tied to real-life sports
(i.e. the NFL or MLB) had a better rationale for a yearly release schedule,
since things like rookies, trades, and player improvements could only appear in
the game through new physical software. But internet-capable gaming devices
have eliminated that need, as rosters are now updated daily – rather than
yearly – through downloadable content.
In fact, that was the sort of monumental innovation that
deserved an announcement at a major event like E3. But the minor tweaks
and adjustments that many sports game franchises make to their physical
products from year to year probably don’t need the fanfare – and they may not
need completely new product releases either.
--Brett Sherrick
--Brett Sherrick
1 comment:
Yes, there are now some Sports video games that release these day like NBA2k12, UFC figher Ultimate Boxing and Soccer.
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