The Influence of Football-Themed Games on Online Entertainment

From in-depth and realistic management simulations to thrilling and imaginative slots to Mario-themed shoot-offs from Nintendo, football fans of all stripes have a genre (and subgenre) built just for them.

The success of football video games comes as no surprise. Long before video gaming became the cornerstone of the entertainment industry, football was already the world’s most popular sport. As far back as the arcade era, early game developers were leaning on this fact to sell their latest hits. Let’s dive in and explore just how deeply the roots between football and gaming go.

The Way-Back Machine: Superstar Releases

As early as 1983, arcade gamers were playing titles like Exciting Soccer. Around the same time, Tomohiro Nishikado, creator of Space Invaders, released Soccer. Though neither lasted long in the arcade world, they paved the way for later releases in the 80s and 90s. During this era, most games focused on association football and world legends.

A few of the more notable releases from this time period include Sean Dundee’s World Club Football, Ally McCoist Director of Football, and, a retro favorite, Peter Shilton’s Handball Maradona.

Armchair Managers: The Ultimate Fan Experience

If you’ve been heavy into the football management game scene, you may already know that football managers actually predate the arcade craze. The very first Football Manager iteration came back in 1982 and was a text-only rudimentary PC game. But it took off shortly after thanks to the popularity of football management sims.

In fact, these were some of the first football video games to diversify quickly. From 1982’s Football Manager’s first release to 1990’s Football Manager World Cup Edition, it’s impressive to note how quickly these sims evolved, especially considering their usage of real-world data.

Football Hybrids

Some of the most popular games in the world are mashups that use some kind of element of football games. By far, the most notable selection is Rocket League. The game is listed as a ‘vehicular soccer video game’. In case you’ve somehow missed this eSport title, it’s essentially a football game played with high-powered and combat-ready vehicles.

Today, Rocket League Esports, one of the most competitive Rocket League competitions, has a prize pool of $1 million. But not all football hybrid games are so high-profile. Some of the more memorable crossovers include the aforementioned Mario Strikers, a 2005 release that combines the world of Mario (and its characters) and professional football.

The ePremier League & eAthletes

By far one of the coolest intersections between football and gaming is the ePremier League. This competition kicked off in 2019, making it one of the first officially sponsored eSports simulation leagues from any traditional sports organization. Its unique format allows any gamer to try out and qualify for the league.

Players are able to actually represent their real-life club, which means it’s a way for football fans to actually engage as fans and compete to put their club at the top of the eLeague. Last year, Leeds United won the ePremier League thanks to players Ollelito and Tom Stoke.

Mini-Games for the Win

Not all football games have to be over-the-top or highly competitive. Like we mentioned at the top of the article, even football-themed casino slots are popular. Top developers like NetEnt and Playtech have released hits like Football: Champions Cup and Football Carnival, respectively. As the world’s most popular type of casino game, it only makes sense to build on the world’s most beloved sport.

Aside from slots, other popular minigames include mobile titles. Though you can find simulations and management games galore for mobile, some of the more unique games include Flick Kick Football Legends and Pocket League Story 2. The latter is almost a life simulation, as it takes players on a narrative-focused journey about the world of association and international football.