Covid-19 in sports games?

[Nero Cain]

Will this be a thing? I started thinking about this the other day when watching baseball.

Like you've got your apocalyptic games and such that already deal with epidemics and virus but will we see COVID represented in sports games such as Madden and the like?

[Ythan]

I don't think so but I think it's a fun idea so ego.

[Andycyca]

I don't need to look at Steam's new releases to know there's already covid themed games. It is possible some of those fall in the sports category.

If you ask me, I liked the idea of "esports" replacing traditional sports at the beginning of the quarantine (e.g. that "MLB The Show" tournament some actual MLB players did)

[AGar]

Please no.

[Nero Cain]

y not?

[Andycyca]

will we see COVID represented in sports games such as Madden and the like?

I've been mulling about this for the past few days.

First of all, the "well, technically..." answer: I don't believe it will ever be represented in any official sports games, Madden or the like. I also don't believe that it would be referred to as COVID, specifically.

But of course that's not the question. And (I'm 99%sure) you don't mean a meme-y game that uses COVID for its own ake.

What kind of sports game could integrate COVID as a true in-game mechanic (other than Blaseball of course)? My guess is that it would have to be some kind of manager-style game (

Out Of The Park

comes to mind). What kind of mechanic would it be?

Any game that would go for including it beyond its meme-y aspect would include either:

1. The plague's impact at individual level, and/or
   
2. The plague's impact at interpersonal/societal level

If you ask me, the 2nd one is a lot more interesting to integrate in a game---mostly because at the individual level it would be essentially indistinguishable from a player sitting out due to regular injuries.

What kind of sports game would integrate that? My guess is still zero or very few. If it's a legitimate game mechanic it is by definition taking away from the sports core of the game (not that the AAA industry is against integrating extraneous bullshit to pad out games)

[Nero Cain]

In one of the NCAA games, they had-like a player would randomly not meet acidemic eligibility and could play that week. Ofc it was panned and dropped but I could see EA/Disney doing something like a player gets COVID and has to sit until cleared or something as simple as just mentioning it by have shots of the sidelines/bench with coaches wearing masks. Do players even have t wear masks b/c I don't think I've seen any wear one in the game.

[Andycyca]

I could see EA/Disney doing something like a player gets COVID and has to sit until cleared

You really could see it? Actual question, though. In my opinion, major brands (Disney, sports leagues, etc) would never want to associate anything about them with COVID. In any case, as I said, they could integrate a COVID-like illness/factor to the games, but if I'm correct, it wouldn't be named COVID or be otherwise strongly associated with it. And if it's not named as such and it's not that associated with COVID, it would be practically indistinguishable from other illnesses. But that hinges on my opinion that they don't want to talk about it, ever.

(and yes, MLB players aren't wearing masks on the dugout which is weird to me)

[PokerFace]

Please no.

I agree. I play video games to escape real life so I don't want covid in my video games

[Nexus]

Football Manager 2021 is going to have it in, and whilst their argument is "it's a simulation so we're keeping it as true to real life", I can't be doing with that shit so I probably won't be buying it.

[Faraday]

It's only kind of in, to be fair. Like your players don't actually get it or anything. Just means finances are reduced. Fans are still at games and all. The match engine is fun by the way, seems like actually fairly realistic and players don't seem stupid idiots all the time.