Sports-Themed Games: Where the Beautiful Game Meets Gaming

Since the intersection of soccer and video games, this has become a thrilling joint venture for fans, who’ve discovered a virtual way that they could relish “The Beautiful Game”. While soccer-themed games have transformed over the years from pixelated forms to hyper real-life simulations, each representing an element of the sport with the inclusion of the same, the amalgamation of the passion while bringing out the different games as a combination of two combines the feeling of love within both the sport and technology. 

Let’s break them down in this top created by LuckyGambler.

Early Beginnings: The 1970s and 1980s

In the 1970s the first soccer games started using early consoles but were simple. In the early days of soccer, it was little more than a picture of us playing the game. Among the first was NASL Soccer (1979), with its top-down view of the game. It wasn’t realistic at all but it set the basis for the next soccer games. There were, of course, many imitations of Pong, including a couple that found their way into home consoles.

Between 1980 and 1990 the technology for gaming improved such that more complex representations of soccer could be achieved. If the graphics are still rudimentary by today’s standards, games like International Soccer, on the Commodore 64, even made their way into living rooms and into the hands of fans. 

The 1990s: The Rise of FIFA and PES

The 1990s marked a turning point for soccer video games with the launch of two major franchises: FIFA and its EA Sports counter in the form of EA Sports’ FIFA, and Konami’s Pro Evolution Soccer (PES). FIFA International Soccer appeared in 1993 and brought the first realistic player models, licensed leagues, and sidewarning. It paved a new way for sports games with its authenticity.

Unlike Pro Evolution Soccer (1995), this one went a different way, sporting realistic ball physics, delicate movements from the players, and a depth of tactical play. FIFA was spreading among the population while PES had a more fanatic following because it’s a more complicated game to play.

The 2000s: Technological Advancements and Realism

Survival and the popularization of soccer games into the 2000s greatly benefited from gaming technology. Indeed, in the case of the FIFA series, it began to at least look and feel like it was the real thing. In FIFA 2001 motion capture was introduced to make player movements more fluid and realistic. A combination of full-motion video cut scenes combined with dynamic weather effects, all of which are accompanied by immersive commentary provided a realistic edge for the gameplay. This realism was greatly enhanced by the use of the PlayStation 2 and Xbox consoles to provide the power for the enhanced graphics available.

Like PES, it continued to refine its game engine and had the best-feeling soccer game around at the time. But with more licenses and a wider audience, FIFA had grown to such a size that the still dedicated PES fan base had to be maintained.

The 2010s: Diversification and Mobile Gaming

Mobile gaming experienced a rise in the 2010s, with 2017 being the year accompanied by some new developments. Reaching a much broader audience, FIFA Mobile (now EA Sports FC™ Mobile) made it possible for fans who otherwise would have never suited up to play this way. There were fresh layers of excitement to the genre with the bite-sized, fast-paced matches and card-based team-building mechanics of the game.

Not only was Rocket League (2015) a traditional soccer game, it combined soccer with vehicular acrobatics. The players had cars and they kicked a giant ball around a stadium. It was fun, chaotic soccer. It was an instant hit, opening the door for how a soccer-themed game could be.

The 2020s: New Frontiers and Innovations

Everything’s changed in soccer games by the 2020s. This year, EA Sports cut ties with the international governing body for soccer, officially ending its 30-year-long partnership after rebranding its FIFA franchise to EA Sports FC. This shift has not prevented EA Sports FC 25 (September 2024) from sports an upgraded tactical mode alongside HyperMotionV technology that has more lifelike player movements. 

But some top clubs such as AC Milan and Inter Milan have been absent from EA Sports FC 25, having agreed exclusive deals to be represented by rival eFootball only. But the game remains a thick bundle of licensed teams and exciting modes.

Conclusion

Sport games have, like the rest of the gaming world, evolved from kinks of early pixelated ones to hyperrealistic hardcore simulations. This is just the beginning though, as the genre continues to innovate, expect soccer-themed games to keep pushing the boundaries of VR, AI, and player experience. But whichever way you want to play, there’s a soccer-themed video game out there for you to enjoy, forever; a real-life match, or even managing the best possible team in the world.