All of the nominees for the Game Awards 2024 were revealed today, and it's safe to say the Sports/Racing category nominees shocked many fans.
While 2K and EA Sports dominate the nominees' list, it is nothing new; the games selected for the category, however, were surprising, to say the least.
So, let's examine all the Game Awards 2024 Sports/Racing nominees and explain why some choices are appalling.
Game Awards 2024 Sports/Racing Nominees
The Game Awards 2024 Sports/Racing nominees have been revealed: EA F1 24, EA FC 25, NBA 2K25, TopSpin 2K25, and WWE 2K24.
This list demonstrates the monopoly that EA Sports and 2K have over the sports video games industry, which alone is already cause for concern, as every industry is better when competition exists.
However, what is really concerning is that EA FC 25, considered by many to be the worst game in the EA FC and FIFA franchises, is among the nominees, while 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 perfect, but it brings the feeling of college football back to our screens and delivers 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 massive 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, fans should be concerned that all of the Game Awards 2024 Sports/Racing nominees are from 2K or EA Sports.
Exclusive licensing agreements have killed competition in the sports games industry. Allowing companies to monopolize certain sports is never a good idea, as even if the quality of the product is subpar, it is 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 available for almost a decade now.
The Sports video games industry needs a shake-up, an injection of new energy, or a new player who can revolutionize it. Unfortunately, that seems to be 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!