All of the nominees for the Game Awards 2024 were revealed today, and it's safe to say the nominees for the Sports/Racing category shocked many fans.
While 2K and EA Sports dominating the nominee's list is nothing new, the games that were selected for the category were surprising, to say the least, and shocking to be honest.
So let's find out all the Game Awards 2024 Sports/Racing nominees, and why some choices are appalling.
Game Awards 2024 Sports/Racing Nominees
The Game Awards 2024 Sports/Racing nominees have been revealed, and they are EA F1 24, EA FC 25, NBA 2K25, TopSpin 2K25, and WWE 2K24.
This list demonstrates the monopoly that both EA Sports and 2K have over the sports video games industry, which alone is already cause for concern, as every industry is better when there is competition.
However, what is really concerning is the fact that EA FC 25, which is considered by many as the worst game of the EA FC and FIFA franchise, is among the nominees when EA Sports College Football 25 isn't.
EA Sports College Football 25 is arguably the best American football game of the last decade. It's not a perfect game, but it brought the feeling of college football back to our screens and delivered a fun and immersive experience.
As for FC 25, it couldn't be more of the opposite, as the gameplay is awful, the "new features" have proven to have little to no impact on the game, and it's hard to find an EA FC or FIFA game that feels so unenjoyable to play.
It would be a huge surprise if either WWE 2K24 or TopSpin 2K25 didn't take home the trophy. While these games aren't incredible, they are certainly better than the remaining nominees.
The Sports Video Games Industry Needs a Shake-Up
As mentioned above, the fact that all of the Game Awards 2024 Sports/Racing nominees are from either 2K or EA Sports should be cause for concern for fans.
Exclusive licensing agreements have killed the competition in the sports games industry. Allowing companies to have a monopoly on certain sports is never a good idea, as even if the quality of the product is subpar, they are the only choice consumers have.
EA Sports has Madden, NHL, College Football, FC, and F1. 2K has NBA and WWE. In most of these sports, especially in US Sports, none of the companies have a competitor. That's because they have an exclusive licensing agreement with the entity that holds all the rights for that sport, such as the NFL.
We desperately need open licensing back for US Sports, as the market produced much better games when that was the case. As for football games, such as EA FC, we need a viable alternative, since PES hasn't been one for almost a decade now.
The Sports video games industry needs a shake-up, an injection of new energy, or a new player that comes in and revolutionizes it. Unfortunately, that seems to be just a pipe dream, for now.
What are your opinions on the Game Awards 2024 Sports/Racing nominees? Do you also think the Sports Video Games Industry needs a huge change?
Let us know in the comments below!
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