04.02.2025 - Video games have long been a treasure trove of real-life information for sports. From detailed player stats and realistic simulations to strategic gameplay and immersive experiences, video games offer a unique blend of entertainment and education. For example, sports simulation games like FIFA, Madden NFL, and NBA 2K have become incredibly popular, providing players with in-depth knowledge of the rules, strategies, and intricacies of various sports.
If you take, for example, the long-running FIFA soccer series (now called EA Sports), the statistics applied to each player are a source of interest. Such is their meticulous attention to detail that you can even use them outside of gaming for stuff like fantasy sports.
Of course, these metrics can also be a bone of contention. You’ll get social media arguments over why Messi’s shooting accuracy is better than Ronaldo’s, for instance. Clearly, it is never going to be totally perfect. Yet, the amount of work that goes into it is impressive. Technology can help, for sure. For example, EA College Football 25 used AI to build the metrics of many of the players for the game.
However, there is an almost insurmountable task in capturing what we would call the unquantifiable elements of real-life sports. What we mean by that is stuff that does not show up in statistics. For example, you might talk about a player being clutch, having the ability to score at specific crucial moments.
The Chiefs have defied the statistics
To give you an example, let’s consider the favorites in the Super Bowl odds, the Kansas City Chiefs. The Chiefs’ star quarterback, Patrick Mahomes, has had an interesting season. His numbers are down on average, with statistics like passing touchdowns during the regular season at their lowest for years. Yet, Mahomes and the Chiefs kept winning all season and are on the verge of making history at Super Bowl LIX.
The question is – how do you build Mahomes’ metrics into a game? You might argue that he has declined this season – certainly, some of his numbers say that – yet he had a 15-1 record for the Chiefs during the regular season, which is historically good for any quarterback and the best-ever for Mahomes in a Chiefs uniform.
The point, as such, is that Mahomes and, arguably, most of his teammates have been ‘clutch’ all season, coming up with scoring plays or defensive interceptions at key moments. Other players – Josh Allen & Lamar Jackson – have had better seasons statistically, but when it came to the crunch, Mahomes found a way to win again and again. That’s a conundrum for those creating games like Madden 26.
AI can help find unseen metrics
There are, of course, data platforms that provide advanced metrics beyond what you would see in a game report. Platforms like NGS (Next Generation Statistics), which partners with the NFL to collect advanced metrics. These platforms have started incorporating AI into their calculations, giving more insight than ever before. Again, it’s never going to be perfect because there is always that human element of sports, but it gets closer to answering the question of why a player like Mahomes can come up with a scoring play at the exact moment that it matters.
For gamers, catching that unquantifiable element is not the most pressing matter. They simply want the game to feel realistic and play well. Yet, the behind-the-scenes work on player metrics is a modern marvel. Players with that extra-special quality must factor in stuff that does not show up in basic statistics. Mahomes, this year, is one example, but there have been many others. Sometimes, you have to ‘code clutch’ into your video game.
