When people think about sports games these days, there are only a select few that dominate most of the market. For example, Madden Football is one of the biggest, with EA Games pretty much running every other football title out of bounds.
For non-American Football, also called soccer, there are at least a few choices including the FIFA series, which is also owned by EA Games, and the PES Evolution Series, which is owned by Konami. There are also a handful of other, less well-known titles that people still enjoy playing.
However, all of those games have a fairly common format where you take on the role of players. Yes, in some of them you can call plays (depending on the game) but for the most part players take over whoever has the ball, and then use their skills to outmaneuver other human players or their computer opponents to advance the ball or even to try and score.
Those types of first-person player-centered games are amazingly popular, and there are even entire eSports teams and competitions set up to support them. Thousands of people even bet on the outcome of those eSports games, probably almost as much as the same games in real life. Most of the best gambling sites like Mexico casino support and encourage that rich betting culture.
But there is another type of sports game that used to be quite popular, and which is making a comeback, the so-called Management Simulator. Although maybe not as exciting as other sports games, they are still loved by quite a few players. Most of the time, players take on the role of team manager, recruiting players, being responsible for their training, dealing with injuries and even negotiating salaries. In the view of a good team manager, the games are won or lost in a lot of ways from the back office where the real “business” of sports takes place.
And while many of those sports management titles are growing in followers, they remain behind in terms of overall recognition. That might be changing, as well-known management simulation GOAL! The Club Manager got a nomination for Sports Games at Gamescom 2022. This is a category that has been won by the likes of Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater and Riders Republic in the past, so having a management simulator take the crown this year would be a real eye-opener.
Needless to say, the developers are pretty excited about the nomination.
“We are honored that the international jury has nominated Anstoss 2022 for the gamescom Award in the ‘Sports’ category”, says Matthias Wünsche, CEO Toplitz Productions. “2tainment’s project is exemplary for our credo ‘Games with Heart and Soul’, among other things due to its closeness to the community. We are pleased that this passion, which is enormously important for all our games, can also be felt in the reboot of the glorious sports management franchise!”
Stefan Weyl, CEO 2tainment GmbH, adds: “We are very proud to have received affirmation of our chosen path with this nomination. We look forward to continuing to work so intensively with the community and Toplitz to live up to the high expectations fans have of the game.”
The patient fans won’t have to wait too much longer for the stadiums to open, the season to start and the hunt for goals, points and championships to begin: GOAL! The Club Manager will start in Early Access on October 13, 2022.
At the same time, 2tainment and Toplitz will publish a roadmap informing about the features and contents that will be integrated into GOAL! in the following weeks and months on the way to version 1.0. These include, among other things, the possibility to try yourself as a national coach in time for the World Cup as well as the eagerly awaited online mode.
About GOAL! The Club Manager:
Get ready for classic management gameplay, adapted to the increased demands on coaches and managers as well as the developments of modern football. GOAL! offers depth and realism and confronts you with the complexity of being a manager without getting lost in micromanagement and spreadsheets. You are the coach, the manager, sports director and club CEO in one. You take care of the team, tactics, lineup, transfer market, club grounds, finances and much more. Create your dream team – if you can afford it!
GOAL! is designed not only to reflect the modern demands of an all around club boss, but also to cater to the gamer’s needs. GOAL! respects the time you have at your disposal: Whether you want to enjoy your gaming experience in depth, optimizing every aspect of your team down to the smallest detail or prefer to play a whole season in one afternoon – GOAL! is the flexible football manager that caters towards your preferences.
Additionally, you will enjoy the tongue-in-cheek humor, taking a poke at the sometimes all-too-serious affair that is today’s football, making GOAL! The Club Manager a worthwhile alternative to more time-consuming manager games. Regardless of this, a career with an in-depth skill system, finances, sponsoring, squad management, contract negotiations and extensive statistics give GOAL! everything managers need to dive in, including stadium environment and expansion, transfer market, scouting and youth work. You could even become the head coach of your favorite national team. Are you ready to lead your squad to victory?