NFL football goes virtual in the league’s first officially licensed football game, slated for release this fall. The NFL, along with StatusPRO Inc. and the NFL Players Association, brings us NFL Pro Era, the first virtual game that puts you in the shoes (and helmet) of NFL quarterbacks Lamar Jackson. The game will debut on Meta Quest and Playstation VR.
Jackson worked with StatusPRO to bring the authentic NFL feel to fans and players. In NFL Pro Era, the player plays the role of an NFL QB and simulates many real-world on-field scenarios like Jackson and others. You’ll go to the team hall, the dressing room, and even experience various sights and sounds around the stadium.
“As we think of that experience, immerse yourself for the first time ever as a professional athlete and see it in a way you’ve never seen before,” StatusPRO Co-Founder said Troy Jones. “It’s the future and we see it as the new era of gaming and the next step in the way people will consume sports.”
In NFL Pro Era, fans no longer have to live on behalf of NFL players. This game lets you feel what it’s like to be an NFL QB, whether it’s the crowd roaring after a touchdown or their cheering after a bone-crushing sack. Call the game, go to the offensive line, read the pre-snap and post-snap defense, then decide which target you want to hit. NFL Pro Era puts the player inside the player’s mind and body.
I’m sure most people are wondering how this game will compete with other soccer games, especially Madden. It feels like it’s going to be a different experience than Madden overall. In NFL Pro Era, you only play from the QB’s perspective. When you make a downfield pass, look at it from the same angle as a pro QB. As a player, you don’t hop around and control what the running backs and wide receivers are doing. You are the man under middle or in the shotgun and you name the game as such.
While NFL Pro Era offers the player some similar features to other soccer games, the focus of this game is to put the fans in the driver’s seat and focus solely on the field. So unlike Madden, you don’t act as a coach, CEO, or owner. Apparently you won’t be in any other position besides QB.
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Controlling just one position and one aspect of the game might get old fast for some, but at first this seems like a fun experience for many who have never been on a soccer field. It’s hard to compare this game to Madden because this game has such a long, rich history and has monopolized soccer video games for almost two decades. If StatusPRO Inc. refrains from competing directly with Madden, then this gaming experience could certainly prevail.
To anyone who remembers the Michael Vick Experience commercial (above), there is a feeling that the finished product of this game should be similar to this one. Since Jackson is sort of a throwback to Vick, we might throw in a little bit of that Vick roller coaster ride. Other aspects I would hopefully see in the final product are the ability to control a defensive player, maybe a middle linebacker, or security. Special teams are another part of the game that I think a lot of people would like to experience from a player’s perspective. Imagine running back a 90 yard punt return for a TD to win the game.
The overall idea of NFL Pro Era is great, but I’m hoping that by the fall release, StatusPro will have made a few changes to the game or added a few more real-life aspects to this gaming experience. I don’t expect this game to threaten Madden sales, but NFL Pro Era could undoubtedly carve out its own niche if they play it right.
