Why do Gamers Still Accept Yearly Sports Sequels?

[Dylflon]

NHL games tend to revamp gameplay year to year. Like this year's new physics engine!

I don't mind new games each year since NHL is mostly all I play.

[TheSlyMoogle]

Because people buy them. That's why they're still made, and that's why they still sell. People buy them because the majority of people that play sports games generally only play sports games. I would say they make up for 70% of the sports game players and buyers.

Not to say they don't play other games, but still.

[Typhoid]

The reason it worked in the 90's was that a lot of the teams [for generally every sport] were either moving cities, or new cities were getting teams. Not to mention there was no DLC then.

As for now - people want the updated rosters, and updated everything. The goal of a sports game is to give the best possible immersion into the game itself, while still being fun.

I view each sports game that's ever been released as a better version of the previous. Each one has been improved upon every single year, aside from 'just having new rosters'.

It's like "Why do they release the same cars every year?" Partly because they can because people always want whats new, and partly because they're aiming to make it better.

As for EA's NHL, there is a total revamp of the engine itself, as for new teams, and new modes. That can't be accomplished with DLC alone.

But I will point out that they do release roster updates as DLC. So the draw to buy new sports games isn't solely for new rosters.

[gekko]

Originally Posted by Typhoid

But I will point out that they do release roster updates as DLC. So the draw to buy new sports games isn't solely for new rosters.

Roster updates stop at some point long before the other game is released. FIFA 11 comes out next month, but FIFA 10 hasn't updated rosters in many months, so they are completely out of date for the current MLS season and didn't match the world cup squads either (because they released the World Cup game).