6. Were #1! (of 1)
Sports games have always been bereft of any abundance of actual competition. At any given time players were lucky if they had three options to choose from in any given sport. Then EA bought the exclusive rights to the NFL and the Players Association in general. That meant that they had cornered the market on football games that featured the real players and teams, something that had become a necessary component if a sports game had any hope of success. The timing of this move was extremely suspicious as 2K Games had thrown their hats into the ring and were steadily gaining ground on the undisputed (see unchallenged) grand champ of NFL games. Instead of improving their game to compete EA took the easy way out and simply bought their victory (something the Federal Trade Commission didnt seem overwhelmingly interested in waking the sleeping giant over) in a back room deal. This, of course, didnt stop EA from screaming to the rafters that their game was #1. Never mind the idea that real players and teams seem like a vital component to simulate the NFL, but hey. 2K actually released a game called All-Pro Football 2K8 that by all accounts was pretty awesome, featuring retired NFL legends who were no longer under the Collective Bargaining Agreement of the Players Association and NFL. However no one really cared, because it featured retired NFL Legends who were no longer under the CBA. But dont think that 2K is the victim in this, on the other side of things 2Ks NBA title had been engaging in the most one-sided video game battle in history, spending a better part of a decade wiping the floor with EAs NBA Live franchise, it wasnt even close. Compared to the 2K series, EA had let a team of exceptionally stupid, comatose monkeys develop their NBA franchise. EA threw in the towel in 2010, after NBA Live 10 induced projectile vomiting. However, for the next two years 2K would proudly place an official looking seal on the cover that they had the #1 Rated #1 Selling game that year, upon closer inspection the seal actually says 2K Sports Seal of Approval, seriously. While its awesome they approve of their own game, they fail to point out that they are #1 in a field of 1. Thats like telling your only child hes the favorite, compared to a fork, the dog, and dads favorite bowling ball.
Shock Value: Did you miss the part where I mentioned that the Federal Trade Commission should take interest in this issue? A stink was raised, EA lost exclusive rights to the NCAA and AFL (Arena Football League, dont worry no one here in America cares about the AFL or Jon Bon Jovi, who does in fact care about the AFL) but retained its stranglehold on the only contract that mattered. Despite the NCAA being available to any developer, none have stepped up to make a game. Both companies lied to their fans in one form or another, resulting in hurting the people that support them.