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The Best Sports Game Franchises of All Time

Sports gaming is big business and sales of titles produce a significant proportion of the industry’s entire revenue. Reports suggest that around $12 Billion USD is paid by players for games and equipment each year.

Sport is perfect for this sector. The thrills of the field, court or ice can be easily transferred to the small screen. Of course, it takes great skill and brilliant imagination on behalf of the software developers to recreate those sports as closely as possible.

Some producers tackle the task much better than others and here are some of the best sports game franchises of all time.

FIFA

Lovers of soccer have a host of choices but FIFA is at the top of most lists. This is the most lifelike in terms of the stunning graphics and the tactics involved bring it as close as possible to playing in the real world.

FIFA is another winning title from EA Sports which was first released way back in 1993. Even at that point in its evolution, sales were steady and it quickly became the most popular soccer game around.

As it prepares to rebrand to EA Sports FC from 2023, reports show that the current edition sold around eight million copies in its first month. It’s the biggest seller in the franchise, but those figures will keep on growing.

NBA 2K

Basketball is also well represented in the gaming industry, but NBA 2K is the first choice for many. Once again, the key to its success lies in its realism and it replicates all the thrills and drama of being on court.

While there is a serious element to this game, the story modes help to maintain the entertainment value. Some may feel that NBA 2K is in need of an upgrade, but it is so close to the real world of the National Basketball Association.

The ratings system used by the developers ranks the best teams and it is constantly being updated. The method is similar to that used by sportsbooks which determine the favourites and the underdogs in the sports betting markets.

Anyone logging on to play NBA 2K can therefore do so in the knowledge that shock results are kept to a minimum and unrealistic gameplay is ruled out.

Madden NFL

Madden is to the NFL what NBA 2K is to basketball. While detractors say that they may not be perfect, the sales figures tell us that they’re doing just fine. Originally named John Madden Football, the franchise has been entertaining fans since its first release way back in 1988.

The legendary coach and broadcaster John Madden is still featured and this is a perfect title to honour his memory. Once again, there is a true sense of realism with exceptional graphics and a ratings system that grades the teams.

Part of Madden NFL’s wide appeal is the fact that it lets players build their ultimate fantasy team. It’s a winning feature that helped the game reach 130 million sales by 2018.

WWE 2K

Professional wrestling is part sport, part show business. We are drawn to certain fighters and it’s as much about their storylines as the action in the ring. It’s pure theatre and that’s why WWE transfers perfectly to videogaming.

WWE 2K is widely believed to be the best game in this sector and it’s certainly one of the best selling sports titles around. All of the biggest battles can be recreated here and the Smackdown vs Raw series is among the most popular.

The 2022 edition of WWE 2K has ironed out one or two glitches and the realistic gameplay has returned to a grateful audience.

MLB: The Show

The best baseball game for many continues to add tweaks to its gameplay. The 2022 edition has changes to hitting and pitching and it also introduced new commentators for in-play observations.

One of the reasons for MLB: The Show’s enduring appeal lies in its franchise mode. Coaching, owning and management games have always enjoyed strong sales but, with this option, you can play and run a franchise at the same time.

Having been first released in 2014, it’s one of the newer franchises on this list, but The Show has stood out enough to dominate the baseball genre.

PGA Tour

Golf divides opinion: A sport that takes around 16 hours over four days to complete, doesn’t necessarily transfer seamlessly to the world of videogaming. For those that are happy to embrace golf’s complexities, the PGA Tour series is the best of its kind.

First released in 1990, it comes packed with stats and options to modify and boost your game. If golf is your thing, it makes sense to back a franchise that has been the first choice for most gamers across more than thirty years.