Why do Gamers Still Accept Yearly Sports Sequels?

[BreakABone]

Originally Posted by 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.

You JUST said it!
Literally 2 sentence before you said they pretty much only play sports games.

Originally Posted by TheGame

From my understanding, most sports games have a 2 year development cycle too.So even though Madden 2011 just came out, it's highly likely that they're starting work on 2013.

I'm not buying Madden this year though, my interest in football games has almost completly died. The NBA 2k games are much more fun. And this thread has gotten me a bit hyped about NHL too lol

How does that work? I was almost certain that the same team worked on every version of the game. Like doesn't EA Tiberon or whatever do Madden?

And to further my point I guess, in the other thread Gearbox just announced new DLC for Borderlands almost a year after the game came out. This will be the 4th DLC pack released for the game, and if memory serves me correct, each was $10 bucks. So for a huge fan of Borderlands, GearBox was able to obtain an additional $40 bucks after the initial 60 dollar purchase.

And they really didn't have to create a whole new game for it. LEt they've added new modes, increased the max level, new enemies, new weapons, new vehicles.

And somehow sports games can't update a roster, add new rules and stuff via DLC. And be on an every other year pattern?

[Typhoid]

Babsy, personally I think releasing a new [sports] game every year that has new modes, teams, players, jerseys, various free online modes, leagues etc, for 60 dollars 1 time, is a lot better than releasing a stream of DLC for 50-60 dollars for expansion, multiple times.

Look at WoW, for example. It was released 4 [or so, I don't know - I don't play it] years ago. It sold for [let's say] 65 dollars [on average, new].

It has 3 expansions which have new areas, and raise the level cap. This is all they offer. No new modes, no new graphics, no new engine. Just a higher level cap, and a new map. Each expansion [let's say] sells for about 60 dollars [new].

So you've now spent over 200 dollars on the game alone, that initially cost you 60 dollars. On top of that you have the monthly fee [being that it's an RPG]. Now, this game [in respects] is a very dated game. It's almost 5 years old. In video game terms, that's a long time.

When thinking of it that way, I am 100% okay with paying 60 dollars every year for a brand new NHL game, while getting free roster updates, new physics engine, 60+ new teams, new modes, and free online experience with my friends [mostly because of PS3, I suppose].

[Vampyr]

No new modes, no new graphics

Neither one of those are true, btw.

The graphics have been updated. New modes have been added (arena, battle grounds, etc), and other new things like new classes and quests.

[Professor S]

I stopped playing Madden after they removed Create a Play.

[TheGame]

One big thing to remember, as a difference between sports games and your average game.. is that sports games represent reality, while other games with large updates represent a fantasy world that has no demand to "keep up" with reality.

I'm sure there are contracting issues when it comes to having a sports game that just updates to a new year too. There's been a ton of lawsuits filed for sports games as-is, I think buying the rights to a season that dosn't exist yet would just add to the problem.

I am pretty much in Typhoid's boat of being fine with yearly releases. Most sports games are more then the "same engine with new faces and voice overs" year to year... You should rent a few years worth of a sports game and get used to them to see the difference.

Now for college sports I'm ALL for it, since the games all seem to be so rushed, and there is no worthwhile updates to the rosters and announcers to make a new year mean anything. The games seem to suck more in general with college because they don't sell as well, so no company is willing to take the time to get it right. I cannot wait for 2k to get college hoops back.

[gekko]

Originally Posted by BreakABone

How does that work? I was almost certain that the same team worked on every version of the game. Like doesn't EA Tiberon or whatever do Madden?

Developer != team. It's quite common to have multiple teams per studio.