PC Gaming For Football Fans
Earlier this summer, in the true doldrums of the football offseason, we took a look at some of the best things to do when there’s no season to keep track of. Among them we touched on the idea of playing football video games, and particularly Madden NFL. This has been the preeminent franchise in football gaming for decades now, and it’s absolutely one of the best options for fans during the offseason. Nothing makes you feel quite so much like you’re in the thick of NFL action like the latest installments in the Madden series.
That said, for gamers who prefer PCs, NFL offseason gaming isn’t all about Madden. In fact, we recently learned that EA Sports even has plans to stick to “last-gen” games for PC beginning with Madden NFL 22. That basically means new features are going to be exclusive to consoles from that point onward.
Nevertheless, PC gamers have a lot of fun options when it comes to NFL offseason gaming! So for anyone who might fall into this category, we thought we’d offer some general tips.
Optimize Your Equipment
Before we even get to games, we’ll note that equipment makes a pretty big difference in PC gaming. While it’s true that most games in this category can be played with almost any computer or controller setup, modern PC gaming equipment has become awfully impressive. There are high-powered desktop computers, gorgeous monitors, laptops optimized for gaming, and various keyboard and mouse options from which you can always find comfortable choices. Investing a little bit in this kind of equipment will enhance your PC gaming experience no matter what you’re playing, and will typically ensure that games perform as well as they possibly can.
Pull Up a Chair
Branching off of the idea of PC gaming equipment, we’ll also quickly note that a gaming chair has become a very worthwhile investment. These accessories have become quite common among PC gamers in particular, and the good ones are worth every penny. Particularly if you plan on setting yourself up to play full-length games or otherwise enjoy lengthy NFL gaming sessions, you’ll love having a cozy gaming chair at your desk.
Don’t Forsake Madden
EA Sports’ Madden franchise isn’t just the leader in football gaming. It comes across more or less like a monopoly in the space. By comparison, soccer gamers are used to the FIFA franchise being dominant, but many play PES games as well. And in baseball, the MLB: The Show series has become the leader, but R.B.I. Baseball has its followers as well. Madden has no such counterpart. So, while it may be the case that EA Sports is prioritizing console games, we’d stress that Madden will still be available on PCs, and will still be the most comprehensive NFL gaming experience in any given year. You may miss out on a few new features now and then, but the vast, core gameplay will still be spectacular, and it will still be your most immersive offseason option.
Do Seek Out New Titles
With all of the above said, Madden isn’t the only fun NFL game out there. It’s just the dominant option among what we might refer to as mainstream console/PC titles. But one of the main advantages of PC gaming in the first place is that it gives you access to stores and platforms that are absolutely packed with unique gaming options you won’t always find on consoles. Accordingly, there are some great PC football games aside from Madden. Mutant Football League, for instance, takes the basic game of football, replaces players with monsters, and embraces a sort of arcade brawling style of gameplay. NFL Street and NFL Blitz titles are available via PC as well. And football fans may even be able to enjoy new college football games in the near future. In short, there are a lot of fun options to sort through.
Remember Retro Options
Our final tip is to remember the retro! Before Madden became so dominant there was a little more variety in NFL-related games, and a lot of them still make for great old-school gaming fun. And as with some of the alternative titles mentioned in the previous section, these games are sometimes more available to PC players than those who use consoles. Retro titles like Sunday Rivals, Axis Football, Tecmo Super Bowl, and even Retro Bowl are all accessible through various online platforms. And while they are of course lacking the graphics and sophistication of Madden games, they’re all incredibly charming to play, and can certainly help to eat up some of those offseason hours.
All in all, we think PC football gaming is a great option for NFL fans who miss the sport. With the right equipment and access to a few favorite games you’ll be in for endless hours of fun.
