Games are commonly viewed as a form of escapism, and so for many players, realism is not always a necessary element. That is especially the case with players of genres like MMO, but the same can’t be said about sports-themed games.

Realism is a valued attribute of this genre, and perhaps that’s because there’s no better feeling than walking through the tunnels of a stadium and seeing a glimpse of the pitch for the first time. Either way, sports fans hold these games to high standards, honing in on graphics and detail. In this article, we will explore several games across different platforms to evaluate the accuracy of their depictions.

Online Casino Games

For years, sports-themed casino games have long been popular in the gambling industry, even more so after the sector moved online and introduced online games like football slots. However, despite their popularity, developing these types of casino games remains tricky. The loyalty of sports gamers is extreme, which means game designers are extra cautious during development when it comes to stadium and fan/player depictions. There have been some standouts, such as the Gold Cup Slot on casino 888, which is regarded as one of the standout slots in this industry, and it makes sense why. Platforms like casino 888 offer many accurately designed football games like Football Glory and Football Roulette; the Gold Cup Slot game is another addition.

Fans feel the stadium's electric atmosphere in the game as goals are scored on a well-designed pitch, and the roar of the crowd explodes through a player's speakers. Previously, many football games, including big-budget video games like FIFA, have received criticism for poor pitch texture, but we cannot say that about the pitch in the Gold Cup Slot game. It is bright, realistic and could give Tottenham Hotspur’s stadium a run for its money.

© Hufton+Crow

Big-Budget Video Games

When you think of sports games, especially football, big-budget franchises like FIFA or Football Manager by Sports Interactive often come to mind. That is justifiable, as the FIFA series has produced some of the most realistic interpretations of the beautiful game over the years. The stadiums in FIFA 22 are some of the best examples of virtual stadia, with the 29th instalment in the series boasting 100 fully licensed stadiums from over a dozen countries (14).

In part, FIFA 22 stands out because the Ultimate Team offers stadium customisation features. For instance, players can change the Yellow Wall to different colours at Borussia Dortmund's Signal Iduna Park stadium in Germany. However, even without exercising those options, FIFA 22 is popular because it boasts well-designed stadium graphics. The game's depiction of Wembley Stadium in the United Kingdom offers players a smooth, clean playing surface, with the only knock a shadow near one of the penalty areas during daytime games, but to the game's credit, this is an accurate characteristic of the real-life stadium. FIFA 22 also captures the in-game atmosphere very well. When playing a match with Liverpool at Anfield, for example, the crowd audibly sing the club's anthem, You'll Never Walk Alone, adding to the immersion.

Atatürk Olimpiyat Stadi is one of the more popular stadiums in the game, first introduced for FIFA 2020 and built for the 2008 Turkish Olympic Games. Two steel roofs enclose the pitch, adding a futuristic touch to the ground, and the stadium looks clean, crisp, and modern. This modernism reflects the changing times in football, especially in the United Kingdom, where outdated stadiums are undergoing development schemes to match the standards of new and sleek technologically advanced stadiums. For instance, as described by the architectural firm Populous, Championship team Fulham FC is redesigning Craven Cottage and has plans to include a rooftop pool and a boutique hotel around the stadium.

© James Attree

That said, even though big-budget sports games have dominated the market for years, they have struggled as of late. Over the past couple of years, there has been an obvious transition of focus to improve facial capture technology and camera angles in the latest instalments of games like FIFA and even Pro Evolution Soccer, which recently changed its name to eFootball. However, these improvements have been slow to come, and now in addition to odd facial graphics in games like eFootball 22, fans of FIFA 22 are also calling out developers for shoddy pitch graphics with drabber colours.

To efficiently gather as much feedback as possible, we have created a Gameplay Survey that anyone can complete. There are a lot of questions and it may take around 10 minutes to complete, but with your feedback we will focus on the improvements that matter most to the players.

— eFootball (@play_eFootball) October 26, 2021

Online Simulator Games

If the development of Tottenham Hotspur stadium proved anything, it is that, regardless of club rivalry, football fans know how to appreciate a good stadium. This reality extends to the sports gaming community; this could be why the customisation feature in the FIFA 22 Ultimate Team is so popular. After all, who doesn't want to play in an iconic stadium like Wembley and fill the 90,000-seat arena with your own colours? Still, the idea of giving players control over the design of stadiums has been around longer than FIFA has offered it. A great example is online simulator games like Stadium Renovator. This game lets players buy and renovate abandoned stadiums by cleaning them up, replacing the turf, and preparing it for league competitions. Football is as much about the game and the players as it is about the atmosphere; online simulator games like Stadium Renovator hone in on this while big-budget video games have turned their attention to things like improved facial capture technology.

Sports fans are passionate, and that passion often extends from real life into the gaming industry. Accurate depictions are not always sought after or valued in other gaming genres or forms of entertainment, but when it comes to sports games like football slots or video games, no one wants to see a pitch with drabber colours or their favourite player with mangled features. Big-budget games like FIFA and eFootball are correct to focus on facial capture technology, yet, the recent criticism surrounding these games should indicate to these franchises that while important, pitch quality and depiction remain a priority, something online games like casino slots and simulation games seem to understand.