The voting for various categories in the Pastapadre Community Awards continues with Best Franchise Mode. This category has been one of the more interesting ones over the years, with Madden coming out on top from 2011-13 and NBA 2K snapping its streak in 2014.

Now Open for Voting: Best Gameplay – Best Presentation – Best Post-Release Support –Best Career Mode – Best Team-Building Mode – Best Online Play – Best Franchise Mode

NBA 2K16 once again offers up two complete Franchise mode experiences with MyGM and MyLeague. New features within them this year included “MyLeague Online” allowing for up to 30 team owners to be connected in a single franchise, team relocation/creation, Summer League, and updated NBA Draft presentation.

Madden lost last year, due in part to the detrimental additions of Confidence and Game Plan. Those stuck around and were joined by the awful Drive Goals which won’t help its cause this time around. Still the most enriching and consistent Online Franchise found in the genre, there were several positive additions like the ability for the commissioner to assign wins, open practice, and streamlined player scouting.

While The Show has not necessarily been known for having an outstanding Franchise mode, there were some big additions this year that pushed it towards the top. Save migration allowed for continuation from MLB 14, and new features included ownership expectations, performance based progression, and licensed equipment and sponsors. The biggest move though was with Online Franchise, which took a month before it worked, but has functioned properly ever since.

The voting for various categories in the Pastapadre Community Awards continues with Best Online Play. This category has been dominated by EA Sports, with NCAA Football winning one year and Madden NFL winning all the rest. It’s not just about online feature sets but the reliability of the servers and general performance when connected to opponents.

Now Open for Voting: Best Gameplay – Best Presentation – Best Post-Release Support – Best Career Mode – Best Team-Building Mode – Best Online Play

Madden NFL 16 will attempt to make it five straight victories for the franchise. Online has generally be reliable and lag-free, and there are multiple ways to play online including Online Franchise, Ultimate Team, standard head-to-head, and now the new Draft Champions mode which has proven to be popular.

NHL 16 gets the next nomination by reintroducing EA Sports Hockey League with a new design that removes the upgrading of players in favor of a “class system” which has generally been well received and positions the series for a future in eSports.

NBA 2K16 could snap the EA run as the series has finally delivered on fairly reliable servers and lag-free games. The feature set is deep offering up standard games with a new ranked ladder system, the return of MyTeam and MyPark, the introduction of MyLeague Online which worked from day one, and the 2K Pro-Am which took three weeks before a patch got it working.

The voting for various categories in the Pastapadre Community Awards continues with Best Team-Building Mode. This is a new category for the awards, one necessitated as development priorities have shifted to offering deep and distinctive revenue-generating modes in practically every sports game that are supported for the entirety of the year.

Now Open for Voting: Best Gameplay – Best Presentation – Best Post-Release Support – Best Career Mode – Best Team-Building Mode

EA Sports is the originator of the team-building modes, with Madden NFL 16 and FIFA 16 offering refined Ultimate Team experiences which have now incorporated new ways to play through ties with Draft Champions in the former and FUT Draft which is built right into FIFA’s mode. Challenging those two stalwarts for recognition is MLB 15: The Show which greatly streamlined Diamond Dynasty helping it appeal to far more people than it had in the past, while adding in new elements like legends and licensed equipment.