Sports-themed video games are more popular than ever. Thanks to ever-improving visual and audio technologies, sports video games are becoming more immersive and authentic, transporting you into the heat of competition. The sports gaming industry is flourishing thanks to the sheer amount of high quality titles in the marketplace. With highly realistic games celebrating most major league and international sports, it’s no surprise that 2023 is set to be another exciting year for sports game releases.
Madden NFL 24
EA Sports’ Madden NFL franchise is almost certain to return with another annual instalment in August, although some NFL fans would probably rather accept a year off if it meant the game returning in 2024 with some ground-breaking enhancements. Madden NFL 23 received a lukewarm reception at best, with many labelling it a glorified roster update of its predecessor, Madden NFL 22.
EA has really got to pull out all the stops with NFL 24. The company has already had to offer a discount for the new release to a string of Madden NFL 23 players who lost franchise mode games that were saved in the cloud. Fortunately for EA, Madden NFL won’t have to compete with EA Sports’ College Football later this year, despite hopes that the new NCAAF game would be released this summer. EA Sports had never publicly declared a release date but, after intense speculation, confirmed plans for a summer 2024 release. This suggests their team is working hard on a major refresh for NFL 24.
NHL 24
EA Sports’ NHL 23 dropped in October 2022 and received strong critical acclaim. IGN gave it an 8/10 rating. The 32nd instalment of the NHL video game franchise included new in-game features like the “Last Chance Puck Movement” and the option to create your own custom leagues to play through a unique franchise career.
In the real world, the 22-23 NHL season is approaching its conclusion. The latest odds suggest it’s almost a two-horse race for this year’s Stanley Cup. The Boston Bruins (+450) and Carolina Hurricanes (+650) have much shorter odds than any other team at DraftKings Sportsbook. Formerly a dedicated daily fantasy sports operator, this brand has evolved into all things sports betting, achieving highly recommended status with OddsChecker, which compares the leading US-licensed sportsbooks for promotions, betting markets and site safety.
The cover athlete of NHL 24 will once again be of huge interest to fans. With the Bruins and Hurricanes pushing hard this season, don’t be surprised to see the likes of David Pastrnak and Martin Necas considered. In NHL 23, EA Sports opted for not one but two cover athletes. Canadian women’s national team star Sarah Nurse joined Anaheim Ducks ace Trevor Zegras on the front, becoming the first female to appear on the cover of this game.
EA Sports FC
Having ended its iconic association with FIFA, EA Sports has taken the decision to go it alone and develop its own soccer video title – EA Sports FC. The game is expected to be released in September to coincide with the start of the new 2023-24 soccer season in Europe.
There is precious little concrete information on what’s likely to be included in the inaugural EA Sports FC. However, when teasing the new release, EA Sports used the words “Join The Club”, leaving many to ponder whether they company will be moving towards a subscription-based gaming model.
EA Sports is working hard to maintain the immersion that made FIFA so special. The company has secured a licensing arrangement with Spain’s top league, La Liga, and hopes abound that it will be able to secure similar deals with the English Premier League, the German Bundesliga, the French Ligue 1 and the Italian Serie A.
It will also be fascinating to see how FIFA’s very own version of FIFA 24 will come together. With EA Sports FC and FIFA 24 in direct competition, one thing is for sure. This is likely to be an exciting era for soccer gamers.
