Summary
It’s no secret thatEAhas had a hand in developing and publishing some of the most recognizable video game series that have ever been created. Whether it’s their catalog of games tied to EA Sports, or popular standalone seriessuch asBattlefield, they’ve become incredibly well-known due to their affiliation with so many hit titles, resulting in them amassing a wide catalog of franchises over the many years they’ve been in the industry.
EA has also been known to place a big emphasis on consistency with their franchises, ensuring a new game is always right around the corner for fans to enjoy. As a result, it means they have quite a few series that contain a staggering number of titles.
Medal of Honormade its debut in 1999 as somewhat of a passion project by none other than Steven Spielberg, who became inspired to make a game set in World War 2 after directing the smash-hit movie,Saving Private Ryan. Though the original received positive reviews from critics, it was with the release ofMedal of Honor: Undergroundthe year after that the series really took off and started to amass a huge fanbase.
Since then, there have been a plethora ofMedal of Honorgames released for different systems, including the Xbox, PlayStation, Wii, and even the Game Boy. Similar to EA’sBattlefieldseries,Medal of Honorprovides a gritty and grounded view of warthrough its compelling story modes, which often allow players to take part in some of the most well-known conflicts in human history. As the series has gone on, it’s started to move away from its historical roots and become more of a modern shooter, probably in an attempt to keep up with its main competitor,Call of Duty.
ThoughNBA 2Kis widely considered to be the biggest basketball sports game around today, back during the late 90s and early 2000s, this spot was occupied by EA’s very ownNBA Live. In fact, the first game in the series,NBA Live 95for the SNES, would set out the basic gameplay format that all basketball games would mimic going forward, including the isometric court camera angle and the T-meter, which is used for free throws.
Following the success of the first game, EA would go on to release a newNBA Liveevery year for the latest systems at the time. Because the core gameplay was already in place, it meant the developers could place most of their focus onupgrading the visual presentation of the games, while also introducing new modes to provide as much replay value as possible. Even though there hasn’t been a newNBA Livegame since 2019, it still ranks as one of EA’s longest-running series to date, which shows just how dedicated they were to making it popular among fans of the sport.
EA’sF1series of gamesstarted strong, but after only five mainline games and a handful of spin-offs, the series ground to a halt and saw no new releases for quite a while. Thankfully, Formula 1 fans were treated to a brand-new game just a few years later withF1 2009, which would revive the series' tradition of releasing a new title every year.
The core high-octane gameplay of theF1games is always as thrilling and immersive as ever, but there are always a few extra vehicles, tracks, and modes for players to jump into with each new entry. Some of the games have been a mixed bag in terms of overall quality, but newer installments are being looked at a lot more fondly by fans due to their rock-solid gameplay and outstanding visuals, which are some of the best in the industry.
A big reason why theNeed For Speedseries includes such a vast array of games is simply because it doesn’t take itself too seriously. What this means is that the developers don’t need to spend years trying to make the game look and feel as realistic as possible, since most people come toNeed for Speedfor the fun and fast-paced gameplay above all else. This has allowed the games to get pretty creative and over the top in how they play, something which arguably started withNeed for Speed: Underground, whichplaced more emphasis on street races in an urban settingas opposed to sports cars on a traditional track.
Every game in the series therefore feels unique due to its mechanics and systems. Whether it’sNeed for Speed: Hot Pursuitwhich features a cops and robbers gameplay system, orNeed for Speed: Carbonwhich prioritizes thrilling high-speed races over everything else, needless to say, racing fans have a lot to enjoy with this hugely popular series.
TheNHLseries is one of the very first games that was ever published under the EA Sports name, making its debut back in 1991, and having a new entry every year since. The first game may have been a little rough around the edges, but by the timeNHL 95was released, it was clear a lot more time and effort was being put into providing players with as much content as possible to keep them engaged. The ability to sign, trade, and release players, which first appeared inNHL 95, has become a staple of the series, along with new modes like Tournaments, which made their debut inNHL 2000.
To avoid the games becoming stale or predictable, there have been some rather big overhauls to the core gameplay of theNHLgames in recent years.NHL 24, for example, attempts to make matches more immersive by implementing an exhaust engine for players and a goalie fatigue system, which has been met with mixed reception among longtime fans.
Unlike some of EA’s other sports series which took a little while before they became popular,Madden’s very first game hit the ground running and is now considered iconic by those who have played it. In fact, it would become such a classic that EA even decided to remake the cover for the special edition ofMadden NFL 23, which just goes to show how beloved it is among fans. It therefore must have been a hard task trying to maintain this level of hype for future games, but somehow, EA managed to pull this off, resulting in one of the most popular and commercially successful video game franchises ever.
Everyone knows that a new mainline entry in the series is released each year, but there are even a few niche spin-off games fans can try out too. These includeMadden NFL Footballfor the 3DS, which provides a way to playNFLon the go, along withMadden NFL Mobile, which primarily revolves around the Madden Ultimate Team mode.
At this point, it seems as thoughtheFIFA/EA Sports FCserieswill keep going until the end of time, but considering how incredibly popular the online scene is, this definitely wouldn’t be a bad thing for the fans. Compared to EA’s other sports games,FIFAis arguably the one that has changed the least, with the core gameplay being more or less identical in each entry. As a result, the biggest differences tend to be the game’s deeper mechanics, along with its visuals, which always look incredible. The series also spawned the popularFIFA Streetspin-off series, which allows players to get a bit more creative during matches by using parkour to run across walls and perform cool tricks to pull off the perfect shot.
The introduction of the Ultimate Team mode inFIFA 09added even more replay value to the games by allowing players to create their own team of superstars which they could then take online to duke it out with other players. This mode has been a big draw for many soccer fans, but the plethora of other online modes, including Drafts and the co-op Pro Clubs, have also contributed to the series' impressive longevity.
