Music Titles Score Over Sports Sims

[DangerousDaze]

Music titles are now officially more popular than sports simulations according to market researchers Odyssey (http://www.odysseylp.com/) via (bear with me) Venture Beat (http://venturebeat.com/2008/10/20/music-video-games-overtake-sports-and-game-console-growth/) and UK retail magazine MCV (http://www.mcvuk.com/news/32091/Music-overtakes-sport-in-game-genre-battle).

This could very well be a win-win for the jaded consumer, made cynical through years of underwhelming and lack-lustre Madden/FIFA [delete as applicable] releases. But can the new status quo be sustained? Is the music genre already showing signs of becoming stale? Can it resonate long enough to force innovation in the sports sector or will they both become as tired and derivative as each other? Does Electronic Arts care which of its titles rules the roost?

[SilentScreams]

The way sports sims have been for the last few years I'm not surprised.
I haven't truly enjoyed one since Pro Evolution Soccer 6.
With that said, the new FIFA is miles better than any FIFA ever made, and is even better than Pro Evo this year, so maybe it's the start of a turnaround in quality.

As for music games, I've never played one.
I was interested in Rock Band, but the way they price gouged us in the UK stopped me buying it.
I have a friend who is buying Rock Band 2 though, so I guess that'll be my first.

[Kelegacy]

I'm sick of music games, really. Each new release/sequel seems like more of the same. The difference between Guitar Hero 1,2, or 3? Different songs. I guess that's like roster updates in sports games. Both are not worth another purchase after the initial game for me. I won't update yearly unless it's a totally new game. And to me these aren't.

[opsin]

Yea, I really wish the whole bemani thing would at least settle down already. I just don't understand why everyone loves them so much. I kind of fall into the 'why don't you just play guitar' camp, but it's worst when as a non player of bemani games you're told so regularly that they're the new big thing, and that everything else doesn't matter anymore.

[Haemorrhage]

I would disagree. I would say music games have become more stagnant. Rock Band 2 and Guitar Hero 3 had only minor improvement over the previous iteration and felt mostly like glorified song DLC packs.

However, EA Sport NHL 09 for example, made leaps and bounds in the sports gaming this past year. With improvements to its intuitive control scheme, its deep new single player Be a Pro Mode, and its amazing 6 vs 6 online leagues, it is arguable the best sports game ever made.