Video game releases in the late summer and early fall annually create one of the best times for esports and casual gaming. There’s a little something for everyone, including sports gamers and those who enjoy shooters.
Some video games even have a competitive circuit and, like NFL odds, draw their own wagers and fantasy leagues. That isn’t exclusive to sports titles either, as there are competitive leagues for shooters and more.
The beauty of Xbox video games, computer games, PlayStation, and handhelds is that they are growing in popularity. It’s not just amongst kids and teenagers, but adults who grew up gaming are sticking with it as they grow older and mature.
Contents
Gaming is growing
There is data that supports that gaming is growing. With technology emerging, the graphics are becoming clearer, the processing speeds are faster to load into games, and it is becoming more and more skill-based, driving competitive gamers – not necessarily the ones who are professional – to spend more and more time playing titles.
It’s a trend similar to sports betting. Both have been around for a long time, but with the legalization of sports betting in many states, it’s easier to get and act on Vegas NFL odds and more.
It’s the same with gaming. From the first consoles that featured Pong – not the popular party game with beer – to the Sega Genesis, Gamecube, Wii, Xbox, and PlayStation variations, gaming is emerging as a top option for entertainment.
While athletes are chasing free college education for playing football, basketball, and other sports, gamers are getting their opportunities as more universities build out their own gaming arenas with teams playing multiple titles.
They are a tad slow to the draw, with the boom of professional gaming, which holds events in sizable arenas to accommodate fans with multi-screen displays. It creates an engaging environment, much like a football game. But the Call of Duty League also streams live on YouTube. Other titles like Rocket League have been featured on television.
Then broadcasting via Twitch, YouTube and Facebook has become ever-popular, allowing the common person who is just creatively creating content to play video games for a living.
Here are some of the top titles this fall.
Madden NFL 23
The franchise produced by Electronic Arts has frustrated a lot of fans of the title with its gameplay engine. However, this year is reportedly better among the passionate gamers who have stuck with the professional American football game.
There is no denying how solid the graphics are and in-depth the gameplay is, with the opportunity to throw different types of passes, move skill players in different ways and lay down big hits. The popular Ultimate Team mode also allows for microtransactions to create a competitive game mode without needing to play a franchise – whether online or offline.
Some places even use the game simulations to determine their NFL lines, or at least their predictions for each week.
NBA 2K23
The annual basketball title developed by Visual Concepts and produced by Take-Two Interactive has had similar drawbacks over the past six years. However, the game has bounced back from its downfall to produce more acceptable gameplay.
The ability to max out created players and use them online in a park setting is one of the most popular modes. It allows user to create lookalikes or their own goofy-looking players and make them as competitive as the top pros available in association and other offline modes.
They similarly have an online MyTeam mode, which allows gamers to earn specific cards from various points in players’ careers to build the best team possible.
Call of Duty Modern Warfare II
This isn’t a straight re-release of an old game. Modern Warfare II is a slight change in gameplay from past Call of Duty titles and will certainly highlight some of the older, popular maps that adult gamers will remember from the original WWII release.
It will be packaged with the free-to-play Warzone 2, which is expected to release a few weeks later in November. The new battle royale style game will feature a new map and lotting system and be a mix of Blackout and Warzone.