From Play Action Football to MVP Baseball 2005: A journalist’s exploration of the emotional impact of sports video games

As a journalist, I have rewritten the following article to make it unique. Here is my version:

For over two decades, I have been captivated by professional sports and their digital representations in video games. From NES Play Action Football to Forza Horizon 5, I have experienced a range of emotions through my favorite titles. As a child, I would spend hours playing Madden 95 and NFL Quarterback Club 98, meticulously recording statistics on lined notebook paper to compare with real-life NFL records. One particularly memorable New Year’s Eve was spent engrossed in NFL Blitz 2000 for eight straight hours alongside friends.

Sports video games hold a special place in people’s hearts, evoking memories of iconic titles like NBA Jam and Rocket League. To better understand this emotional connection, I created an online form for readers to share their thoughts about their all-time favorite sports video game. Our promise to keep their contact information secure within the New York Times newsroom drives our commitment to protecting our readers’ privacy.