The holiday season is sneaking up around the corner, and sports gamers are suddenly lost in a bliss of interesting new titles to pick from. Every cover is screaming for your money, but let’s be honest, who has the time (or money) to grab ‘em all? The 2025 lineup is stacked for sure, but today, we’ll be taking a deeper dive into which titles deserve your hard-earned money the most.
NBA 2K26
It’s no surprise that NBA 2K26 is crushing the sales charts. After being the best-selling title for August and 2nd for September, it’s still going strong. If you’re into the NBA and basketball in general, it offers the most immersive experience there is.
MyCAREER gives you the option to carve out a legacy of your own, and The City is still the best place to hoop online. Let’s not forget the ProPLAY technology that brings every crossover and stepack, making it feel like the real deal. NBA 2K26 has a $70 price tag on it, but with all the improvements and polish, it really feels worth it.
Madden NFL 26
Madden NFL 26 launched with a hefty price tag of $70, but by early November, it had been dropped to $40. That’s a deal hard to pass up for American football fans. Franchise mode brought actual improvements this year, and the on-field gameplay runs smoother than ever.
While Ultimate Team still demands real grind with some balancing issues to check for, NFL 26 still offers a great deal for fans who want updated rosters plus a much better Franchise experience. Even if you’re new to football games, the mid-priced tag of $40 makes it a no-brainer to jump into this holiday season.
MLB The Show 25
While MLB The Show 25 didn’t break into the top 20 on sales charts this year, it still managed to become the franchise’s second-best-selling game ever, falling just behind The Show 21. The Road To The Show got a serious revamp, and Diamond Dynasty lets you craft your ultimate dream lineup. Let’s not forget the built-in crossplay support. So, if you’re a fan of the baseball niche, The Show 25 remains the top pick with a price tag of $70.
EA Sports FC 26
EA FC 26 rolled in late September and right out of the gate, claimed the top 7 ranking spot on almost every platform. Sixteen years in a row, the FIFA/FC franchise simply owns launch-month sales. That’s not luck, that’s loyalty.
However, what really stands out this time is the new gameplay presets: Competitive and Authentic. Competitive mode is quick and arcade-y, built for the Ultimate Team grind. Authentic, on the other hand, gives a proper football experience. Matches look and play like they should, and if you’re tired of the same old FIFA formula, Authentic mode crafts a realistic simulation-play. Additionally, the reworked player models and all the latest transfers make the upgrade feel worthwhile.
FC 26 can be purchased for $70, and while it’s a solid pick for any football fan, it’s still rough around the edges. Yeah, it’s the only dominant option when it comes to the most authentic football experience, but we can’t shy away from its weaker spots.
The PC version is a mess with input delays and choppy gameplay. Consoles, on the other hand, are a bit better, but EA pushed this thing to launch knowing it had its problems. Keep that in mind before you spend any money, and check out this evaluation guide for an informed decision.
F1 2025
F1 2025 needs to be on your radar if you’re into racing games, especially sim-racing games. It’s honestly the best Formula 1 experience we’ve had since F1 2020, and that says something. F1 2024 was a misstep, and most people ignored it, but F1 25 actually listened to what fans wanted.
MyTEAM Career Mode finally got the overhaul it needed, and now you’re really managing a team instead of just flying through race after race. AI is much more responsive, and drivers mix up their strategies and pit at the right moments. The story is in no way groundbreaking, but it does add some drama, and it’s fun.
My only real gripe is EA’s obsession with pointless cosmetic stuff like emotes and outfits, instead of giving us classic cars that fans have begged for forever. The driving physics are also a major point of criticism, but if you are playing on a controller, it’s not really noticeable.
Still, if you’re a Formula 1 enthusiast or just want a polished, satisfying racing sim, F1 2025 is worth the price of $70. If you ask me, it’s the comeback EA needed after last year’s flop, and they probably know that too.
