GAMERS DECIDE - 2k Games

Sports Games Make Up Less than 7% of Steam Products

Matthewp1 — Sat, 10 Jun 2017 23:00:00 +0000

Sports Games Don’t Seem to Appeal to PC Gamers

Whenever a commercial plays with people hanging out and playing video games, you either se e one of two things; they’re either playing a multiplayer FPS, usually Call of Duty or some generic knockoff, or they’re heavily invested in some sports related video game. Sports Games, as a genre, have a great level of visibility in mainstream culture, and while there’s occasionally a major release for consoles, they seem conspicuously absent for PC gaming outlets.

In fact, games that have a Sports tag on the Steam Store make up less than 7% of the total products available for sale. From the outside looking in, this seems a little shocking. Is there a reason for this seeming lack of interest in sports game from the PC community, or is the genre simply dead?

Are PC Gamers Not Interested?

NBA 2k17, the only sports game in the top 3 bestsellers list in the Sports section of the Steam Store.

The Top Sellers list for the Sports section shows that the current bestseller is the racing game Rocket League, followed by the newest installment of the fighting game franchise Tekken because this is a different genre on its own, with NBA 2K17 dragging behind in third. While this might be splitting hairs, NBA 2K17 is the only one that is strictly a sports game.

Racing and Fighting games make up a large portion of that small 7%, making the number of literal sports games even smaller. When you factor out these subgenres, are you left with things like Madden, NBA, and FIFA the only things left?

Not quite...

What Exactly are “Sports” Games?

Does this count as a sport?

Sports Games also appears to hold a very loose definition, allowing a wide variety of games into its section that people probably wouldn’t consider “sports” in the strictest sense. Scrolling through the newest releases brings up titles like Dolphin Up, Duck Life: Space, Glider Island, and, I wish this was a joke, Running Sausage. This further complicates things, and makes one wonder whether or not some of these games are being improperly tagged.

Sports Games Culture May Just be Better Suited for Consoles

Consoles are more convenient for hanging out than PCs, at least physically.

The honest fact is that the way consoles function might just make them better for the kind of people sports games attract. Multiplayer is a large part of it, and, while you can certainly connect with people through the internet to play online, the split screen and co-op gaming consoles offer are better for people who like to hangout in person. The PC Master Race may have hardware options and the freedom to customize their machine, but combined with a couch, consoles still offer a great option for groups that just want to chill and play some Madden together.

Saying the Sports game genre is dead is without a doubt an overly dramatic statement, but Steam does tend to speak for the voice of the PC Gaming Community. Whether or not the legitimate sports genre and the PC Gaming Community will continue to distance themselves from each other is a question only time will answer.

Source Pages:

Best Selling Sports Games of Steam

Steam Database

3 Reasons Why eSports is Taking the World by Storm

E-Sports Gamers Can Now Apply for a Sports Scholarship with the University of Utah

Top 10 Most Played Video Game Genres in 2015

Rocket League

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Sports games make up only a small percentage of steam games, and we take a look at the reasons why

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President of 2K Games Christoph Hartmann Mysteriously Steps Down

Kat_Haas — Sat, 27 May 2017 14:52:13 +0000

Former president of 2K Games Christoph Hartmann has stepped down. Here's what we know.

After more than a decade leading the popular game publisher, 2K Games president Christoph Hartmann has stepped down. Hartmann’s departure was confirmed in a statement by communications boss Alan Lewis for Take-Two Interactive, 2K’s parent company. David Ismailer has stepped in to fill Hartmann’s shoes, but the statement confirms that this change “will have no impact on 2K’s current pipeline of titles in development.”

The statement is as follows:

“We can confirm that there has been a management change at the leadership level of 2K. For more than a decade, Christoph Hartmann has helped 2K to become an industry leader and we are grateful for his contributions and wish him well on his future endeavors. This change in leadership will have no impact on 2K’s current pipeline of titles in development, and we look forward to this new chapter in the history of our label.”

But why?

There was no reason given for Hartmann’s departure, but 20 years is a long time to spend in the business and everyone deserves a bit of rest now and then.

2K’s recently published titles include Sid Meier’s Civilization VI, XCOM 2, WWE 2K17 and Mafia III. The company has confirmed that the next entry in its long-running basketball franchise NBA 2K18 will be coming to the Nintendo Switch later this year. 2K also announced that 16 NBA teams are backing the city-based league for the game.

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Former president Christoph Hartmann

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Mafia III

aswin_rajeev25 — Sat, 02 Jan 2016 09:46:09 +0000

Vietnam war veteran and orphan, Lincoln Clay, returns to New Orleans only to be attacked by the Italian Mob who tries to kill him. After joining with a few allies, he creates the Black Mob and seeks to take revenge on those who tried to kill him.

The game has a lot of new features like an interrogation system and a more refined hand to hand combat system. It also features a cover mode, but it encourages more gunplay than stealth. The players can take over locations run by the Italian Mob and control it.

Year Released:

2016

Genre:

Action

Adventure

Platform:

PC-Games

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Core i5-660 3.33GHz or Athlon X4 730
GeForce GTX 960 2GB
Radeon R9 280
8 GB RAM
Win 7 64
DX 11
35 GB

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6.7/10

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Developer:

Hangar 13

2K Czech

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5.00

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Underworld

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2K Games: A List of the 10 Best 2K Games To Play in 2015 and 2016

MichaelLogarta — Mon, 27 Jul 2015 15:44:56 +0000

2K Games has published some of the best games we know; here are ten of them!

Developer, distributor, and publisher of video games, 2K Games is home to titles widely considered to be the best of their respective genres. And they boast games for several of the most popular genres known to the gaming world. First-person shooter? Turn-based strategy? Sports simulation? You name it, they’ve got it.

Here then, is A List of the 10 Best 2K Games To Play in 2015 and 2016. We’ve focused on the most recent games, and included a few that have yet to be released but have all the signs of becoming massive hits. So let’s begin with game number…

10. Battleborn

Blizzard isn’t the only developer with a first-person MOBA in the works; Gearbox Software, creator of the Borderlands franchise, is behind the eagerly anticipated Battleborn, due for a late 2015 or early 2016 release.

Cartoon violence

So why are we excited about Battleborn? Check out those beautiful, eye-catching colors, and that charming, cartoony art style. And this being Gearbox, we can expect stellar shooting – not to mention addictive MOBA elements such as leveling up, interactive battlegrounds, and a roster of eclectic heroes to kick butt with.

Battleborn is a science fiction fantasy hybrid. Its story involves different species fleeing to the planet Solus, where they form factions and fight the Varelsi – the monsters responsible for destroying entire star systems in the universe. Sounds great to us!

That wacky art style...

New look, good old fasioned shootin'!

9. Evolve

Evolve is a first-person shooter with a twist; four players assume the role of Hunters, who have to kill a single alien Monster. The Monster, controlled by another player, has to either kill all the Hunters, or accomplish a secondary goal, such as wrecking a human base so that it becomes a pile of steaming rubble.

That epic 'stache

There are four Hunter classes: assault, support, medic, and trapper. Similarly, there are four Monster types: Behemoth, Wraith, Kraken, and Goliath. While Hunters come with a variety of unique abilities, the Monster can evolve by murdering punier creatures.

It’s innovative and tactically deep, making it one of the best 2K games.

Say good night, freak!

"That tickles!"

8. The Darkness II

Enjoy your first-person shooters soaked in blood and entrails? The Darkness II will turn your stomach as one of the goriest first-person shooters around.

You are Don Jackie Estacado, head of the Franchetti crime family. You also happen to be in possession of the Darkness, a sinister, supernatural force giving you incredible powers.

They should probably just run away

Those powers include controlling enormous worm-like monstrosities that strike at enemies, sinking their teeth into heads, necks, and whatever looks particularly scrumptious to them. And while they’re busy tearing your foes into bloody chunks, you can pump their bodies with lead using your two pistols. Talk about overkill!

One of the best 2K games, if you enjoy your first-person shooters with huge helpings of horror.

Your gun doesn't impress her

Not the best way to go

7. Sid Meier's Civilization: Beyond Earth – Rising Tide

We already know how awesome Civilization: Beyond Earth is. But come autumn 2015, we’ll be losing even more sleep with the game’s first expansion pack, Rising Tide.

So what’s new in Rising Tide? Firstly, the game introduces new factions. These were the guys left behind when the first expedition departed from our doomed planet to find a new world to inhabit. They felt a tad sore for having to stay on Earth while their forerunners got to have all that interstellar fun, so they too left for the new planet. And now they want a piece of the pie, and they’re not about to play nice.

It's time to sail the seas!

Aside from a slew of new options, systems, and units, you can also now colonize the seas by building floating settlements. Additionally, there are the new world types, including a chaotic one replete with volcanoes, and one blanketed with ice and snow.

Say goodbye to your social life!

Vast, alien landscapes await

A whole lot of squid

6. NBA 2K16

2K games is known for publishing some of the best sports simulation games, including those in the long-running NBA 2K series.

NBA 2K15 is a clear favorite among fans and critics, with its authentic feel, in-game models so lifelike you’d think you were watching your favorite basketball stars in an actual match, a MyCareer Mode, and even a coaching system that provides real-time feedback.

Dunking in style

Come late 2015, though, we’ll have NBA 2K16. A fan of Shaquille O’Neal and Kobe Bryant of the 2000-2001 Los Angeles Lakers? How about the 2007-2008 Bolton Celtics’ Ray Allen, Kevin Garnett, and Paul Pierce? In NBA 2K16, you’ll be able to play classic teams culled from the sport’s illustrious history.

We’re confident NBA 2K16 will be just as good, if not better than its predecessors.

Don't underestimate him just 'coz he's wearing glasses

Sign language

5. BioShock 2

Mixing storytelling, a grim yet beautiful world, pulse-pounding action, and genuine frights, BioShock and its sequel, BioShock 2, are modern first-person shooter classics.

BioShock 2 strands you once more in the beautifully decadent underwater city of Rapture. This time, you play as one of the series’ iconic mascots – a Big Daddy.

A house of freaks

Yes, you’re a powerhouse on two legs with a giant drill for one hand… what’s not to love? Plasmids and tonics give you special powers, such as the ability to fling bad guys about like rag dolls, and summon a swarm of bees to encourage your foes to do their best Nicholas Cage “Not the Beeeeeeeees!!!” impression.

You’ve also got Little Sisters to save or murder (you cold-hearted monster!), and a mystery to solve involving young girls being kidnapped and brought to Rapture. You’ve got your work cut out for you, you big lumbering freak, you!

If bullets won't stop her, maybe lightning from his hands will

Burn for me, baby!

4. Borderlands 2

With a bazillion guns to collect and even more bodies to drop in the most violent yet hilarious ways possible, Borderlands 2 revels in the absurd.

Set on Pandora, Borderlands 2 tells the tale of Vault Hunters who must end the rule of the cruel, narcissistic tyrant, Handsome Jack.

That meat shield won't stop a badass like Maya

Borderlands 2 is a first-person shooter RPG, with each of the six classes (the Siren, Commando, Assassin, Gunzerker, Mechromancer, and Psycho) boasting unique, upgradeable skills. It also gives you an overwhelming amount of loot to collect and enhance, from guns and grenades to costumes.

Aside from the stellar gunplay, the comedy will have you in stitches – which we mostly owe to one of the most memorable villains ever created, Handsome Jack.

One of the best 2k games in existence!

That's one way to take that aircraft down!

The local wildlife is pleased to meet you

3. XCOM 2

XCOM: Enemy Unknown is considered one of the best 2k games for good reason: not only is blasting alien invaders into tiny, gooey bits a heck of a lot of fun, the game’s strategy elements is also intoxicating.

XCOM’s addicting brand of tactical turn-based gameplay returns in the sequel, XCOM 2, which will be released late 2015. Set 20 years after the events of the first game, it pits humanity’s remaining defenders against the aliens who have conquered Earth.

Lookin' snazzy in that armor

Like its predecessor, XCOM 2 is squad-based. You’ll have to equip your soldiers with the right weapons and armor, then send them out to capture aliens. Winning means using every tool at your disposal effectively, exploiting the environment, and the smart positioning of your soldiers on the battlefield.

And when not exchanging laser gunfire with malevolent extraterrestrials, XCOM 2 has a new mobile base called Avenger, where you’ll be researching technology to give you the upper hand in battle.

We can’t wait to turn alien scum to dust in XCOM 2!

I think he could use a sandwich or two

I'm betting that sword isn't just for show

2. Sid Meier’s Civilization V

You can’t call yourself a true PC gamer unless you’ve spent at least one sleepless night playing a Civilization game.

In Civilization V, you’re given a randomly generated world to explore and exploit, an empire to build, and enemies to exterminate. Starting at the dawn of time, you grow your territory by conquering neighboring cities or founding new ones. And as the centuries progress, you’ll find that there are many alliances to be made, technologies to research, cultural marvels to build, and, of course, wars to be waged.

Going where no man has gone before!

You can bring prosperity to your people by nuking everyone else and forcing the entire world to bend the knee to you. Alternatively, you can be the first to show off your technological superiority by launching a vessel into orbit. You can also achieve the impossible and unite the world in peace, or win the cultural victory by impressing everybody with your vast collection of priceless paintings.

Trust us, you’ll be chanting “just one more turn” until the wee hours of the morning with Civilization V. Sounds like one of the best 2K games, to us!

Historical dignitaries await to shake your hand... or stab you in the back

Tank army

1. BioShock Infinite

When we think of the best 2K games, one title often pops into mind: BioShock Infinite.

Booker DeWitt, eager to escape his debts, agrees to kidnap Elizabeth from the floating city, Columbia. But it isn’t long before the two are dragged into a rebellion threatening to destroy Columbia, and worse.

Sky's the limit

The President

Infinite combines first-person shooter goodness with RPG elements. Upgradable Vigors grant Booker amazing abilities, such as frying enemies with lightning and summoning murderous crows to peck them to death. Elizabeth, on the other hand, can open Tears in reality, allowing you to reach into another dimension to grab items and interact with environmental features. Together, they are a force to be reckoned with.

It’s not all fun and games, though. Infinite also touches on significant social issues, many of which still affect our world today. So the game’s as intelligent as it is a joy to play.

BioShock Infinite is, hands down, one of the best 2k games – and a favorite here at Gamers Decide!

She needs a hug

Sending them flying

Well, those are the best 2k games for ya! Want to add anything to this list? Leave a comment below and tell us what other 2k games deserve a place in the top 10!

And when you’re done with that, check out these other articles!

See, there are several reasons why 2K Games titles are so popular. One is because they’ve got great stories, as you can see in the article 10 PC Games with the Best Storylines. Not to mention some of them have got really challenging boss fights, which you can read about in the 10 Video Game Bosses Who Slaughtered Millions of Noobs Worldwide.

In the first-person shooter department, 2K Games absolutely delivers, as we discussed in the 10 Best First-Person Shooter Games To Play in 2015.

But it’s not all about shooting things that move between the eyes for 2K Games… they’ve also got strategy games that’ll actually make you smarter, which you can check out in the 10 Strategy Games That Make You Smarter. One of those games is good it inspired a ton of similar brainy games, as the article Top 10 Games Like Civilization. If You Like Civilization, You'll Love These Games discusses.

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2K goodness!

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