If you’re a fan of sports-based video games like I am, you know there are very few viable options in the current market.
Madden NFL and NBA 2K dominate the space despite minor quality bumps year-to-year and increasingly suffocating microtransaction economies. You get them anyway because nothing else compares in quality, and the lack of competition fails to force those franchises to make big strides in improvement. Another major gaming franchise and built-in fanbase could pose a threat to the big dogs, however. Enter Fortnite.
Fortnite is known for collaborating with major IPs, especially in the sports world. Both NFL and NBA jersey skins have been available for purchase at some point. Heck, even LeBron James and Patrick Mahomes got their own skins (neither are in my locker, FYI – Boston Celtics fan here). But there is a special opportunity to do something for us fans looking for another way to spend hundreds of hours on sports video games. A new game mode that combines what Fortnite has to offer with the current sports formula.
After gaining a worldwide fanbase through its battle royale offerings, Fortnite has been transformed into a sandbox with almost unlimited possibilities. In Chapter 5, Fortnite introduced three new major game modes that would become permanent fixtures: LEGO, Festival, and Rocket Racing. Each mode is unique in its visual aesthetic and gameplay design, a grand showcase of how varied the Fortnite experience can be. And yet, my progress and in-game items that I purchased are seamlessly available no matter which mode I choose to play. That’s an idea the current sports game industry actively works against.
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A Fortnite sports mode is technically and competitively viable, and it’s been in the works for a while. For context, Fortnite had previously developed a basketball minigame mode, though it never came out despite the NBA crossover in 2022. Not only is the mode on their mind, but it also seems to be the next step for Fortnite. However, it seems that for it to be released, it can’t be a limited-time deal as Fortnite is currently interested in introducing complete experiences, and a sports mode comparable to Madden NFL and NBA 2K would have to be that.
Basketball and football don’t have to be the only sports included, either. Soccer is a viable option that has precedence – several famous international players, including Neymar, have their skins in Fortnite already. It’s all about delivering a complete experience that truly gives us players the ability to move outside the confinements of the current marketplace. Epic Games has the means to do so with Fortnite, which lays the perfect foundation for a new era of sports video games. A bit ironic that Fortnite, of all titles, can be considered a positive new direction when its V-Bucks economy has faced much scrutiny, but compared to its competitors, there is a real opportunity to change the monopolistic sports game landscape for good.
Of course, an important question can be reasonably posed. Wouldn’t Fortnite releasing a sports game mode be another case of Epic Games enveloping a popular genre and destroying its competitors (Fall Guys, Rocket League)? There is a reasonable case against putting everything you play under one umbrella. However, considering the questionable microtransactions practices of 2K and Madden, bringing a high-quality, free-to-play sports game to the fold would surely cause a positive disruption in the space. Even if it doesn’t upend those two titles entirely, having an option that does not force me to pay a premium every year for minimal upgrades and encourages cross-progression is difficult to argue against.
I mean, just imagine playing as Jonesy and crossing up Mancake for a mid-range jumper buzzer-beater in a Fortnite basketball mode. The possibilities are endless. In all seriousness, it is a no-brainer for not only Fortnite to head in this direction but for massive change in the sports games community in general. For those like me who are tired of the yearly slop, a spark would be welcomed. More often than not, competition breeds improvement, and if we players want to see these major companies improve their already popular games, a new legitimate option must arise.
