The Link Between Football and Video Games

People tend to divide football fans and gamers into two separate camps, but in the majority of cases, that’s not necessary. The people who are supporting their team on television each week are the same ones keeping up to date with the latest video game releases.

And that should come as no surprise, since football and video games have long had a connection. While the emergence of video games may have initially posed an existential threat to the popularity of football, today they coincide — and in many cases, support one another.

Football Video Games

The sporting world has always been a source of inspiration for video game developers. Pong, the first mainstream video game from back in 1972, was based on tennis. It was in 1980 that football got its first playable digital incarnation when International Soccer was released for the Atari. Since then, it’s been full steam ahead for football-based games, with Pro Evolution Soccer and the FIFA game series proving to be two of the most popular franchises of all time.

Today, the popularity of football means there’s a whole host of games that don’t try to replicate the physical game at all. Football-based slot games have become increasingly widespread in the online casino sector, with titles such as Ronaldinho Spins and Goal Strike Rising being particularly popular, while fans can also get a taste of what it’s like to be in the dugout by playing the Football Manager series.

Famous Sponsorship Deals

Most people know of the way FIFA supported the video game industry by licensing players, clubs, and stadium names to EA for the FIFA video game franchise. And there are plenty of examples of video games supporting football clubs in much the same way, too. In the past, you could have found the shirts of Lazio, Auxerre, Sampdoria, and Lyon adorned with big names from the video game industry. Most recently, there have been official deals between PlayStation and Real Madrid, who have joined forces to promote the Madrid club’s eSports team.

Into the Future

Most people who love playing football video games also love playing the sport in real life. The line between real life and video games may be on the cusp of being blurred with the emergence of 3D technology. While there’s still some way to go, there’s hope that players will one day be able to virtually compete for their favourite teams in a 3D dual. That’ll certainly make many people’s dreams come true!!