Final Set of 2017 PCA Winners

After collecting a total vote number in excess of 37,000 the 2017 Pastapadre Community Awards have now come to their conclusion. The results of the final four categories are revealed today. Check out the first set of winners here and the second set of winners here. Now on to the PCA presentations for Best Sports Game, Best New/Non-Yearly Game, Best Racing Game, and Best New Feature. 

Best Sports Game: MLB The Show 17 (32%)

The results in the voting for Best Sports Game of 2017 reflected the year that was, with no one game truly standing out from the pack as all faced issues or deficiencies which were difficult to overlook. MLB The Show has gone back-to-back now with the PCA for Best Sports Game but this year didn’t even manage to claim a third of the vote.

While The Show is often at a disadvantage come year-end awards given that it releases in early spring, that same time passing allows allowing for memories of its problems to fade. The severe struggles with the servers aside, MLB The Show 17 offered the most authentic and satisfying gameplay, presentation improvements, the favorite team-building mode of recent years, and the exciting arrival of Ken Griffey Jr.

For a second straight year Madden finished as the runner-up. Outside of the well-received “Longshot” story mode enthusiasm towards the Madden NFL 18 didn’t seem to match that of Madden 17. It’s still a second place finish however so some of that sentiment may have been misplaced. The 27% for Madden 18 is down from last year’s 31% but well up from the years prior.

The dramatic slide in support for NBA 2K continues. While 2K17 had some frustrating elements and was seen by many as a disappointment, 2K18 incited anger over the influence that microtransactions have had over the game’s design. It’s the series lowest reviewed game in a decade and consumers followed suit with heavy backlash. Only 16% of the vote went to NBA 2K18. That means the series has fallen 31% from where it was two years ago when it won Best Sports Game of 2015.

The two quality soccer games filled the final spots in the voting with FIFA 18 (15%) and Pro Evolution Soccer 2018 (10%).

Best New/Non-Yearly Sports Game: The Golf Club 2 (47%)

The Golf Club won this category back in 2014 and now its sequel has come through is similar shining fashion. NBA Playgrounds (35%) made a valiant effort but The Golf Club 2 was a better all-around game that got all its fundamentals right and built on what the original did well. Golf Story was able to manage 18% despite being limited to Nintendo Switch and entering the market without any fanfare late in the year.

Best Racing Game: F1 2017 (39%)

F1 2017 gets to add the PCA for Best Racing Game to the same award presented to it by the Press Row Podcast. 2017 was very competitive for racing games with a number of excellent products. F1 had a big hill to climb given that Formula 1 tends only to be followed in certain regions of the world while others like Forza Motorsport 7 (34%) and DiRT 4 (27%) can stretch interest to just about anywhere.

Best New Feature: NHL Threes (46%)

2017 lacked some of the innovation of past years in sports gaming. The pool of candidates for Best New Feature was undoubtedly weaker than usual but NHL Threes was able to gain the most support from the community. Threes arcade mode was almost substantial enough that it could have stood on its own, bringing added accessibility and appeal to NHL 18. The three play styles in Madden NFL 18 (Simulation, Arcade, Competitive) performed well in the voting also with 40% – probably more due to the concept which could prove itself valuable in all sports games than its execution. MUT Squads finished with the remaining 14%.