

IPL is the richest and biggest cricket league in whole wide world, it has become a well-established brand after more than a decade long journey since its inception in 2008, the powers that be have done everything they could to promote and further increase the popularity of their golden goose but quite bafflingly during all that time there's not been a single video game based upon it.



Video games are an integral part of today's pop culture & home entertainment. Almost all the popular sports leagues (MLB, NHL, NBA, NFL etc) have their annual title releases, it is surprising that a $6.7 billion league hasn't even thought of tapping into that territory yet. Yes the cricket gaming community isn't as big and piracy is a big issue but the success of Don Bradman/Ashes games has shown a significant surge, the landscape is much different than it was a decade ago.

Regarding the piracy, it has always been an issue which has plagued the gaming scene ever since day one. The restrictions like lack of updates and online gameplay in pirated versions combined with more people owning gaming consoles in subcontinent along with services like Steam starting out there has had a positive effect on the business of games.

Besides, you never know unless you test the waters and it's high time for that. A wealthy brand like IPL can easily afford to do that with just a minuscule part of their vast financial resources, it would be like using a grain of salt out of a whole ocean full of it.

Cricket world has changed a lot, the influx of money in it due to commercial elements and a large viewerbase is an auspicious omen to go ahead with this venture, if it's a failure there won't be much to lose but if it's a success, it'll do wonders for the IPL and the game of cricket itself as games are considered a fantastic medium to bring new fans to the sport.

By not benefitting from this lucrative investment opportunity, it is costing the league organizers more than it'll if they decide to invest.



Who should make it?

EA used to make cricket games in past and their last game Cricket 07 is still popular among masses, however they've gained a reputation of being a company with never-ending greed, so other than the disapproval of fans, it's highly unlikely they would get onboard unless mountains of cash are promised, so they are not an option.

EA's ouster leaves us with Codemasters and BigAnt Studios, the only two other developers/publishers with cricket gaming experience. Codemasters have the honour of making the most beloved cricket game ever (Brian Lara/Shane Warne Cricket 99), which has a very special place in hearts of cricket lovers and the successful later entries in the series. While BigAnt Studios pride themselves on their gloabbly acclaimed games Don Bradman 14 & 17/Ashes/Cricket 19.

While BigAnt Studios' efforts are definitely worth commendation as they've done a spectacular job but they are a small studio with limited resources, which is noticeable in their developed projects, their cricket gaming experience (6 years) in comparison with Codemasters' (15 years) is also lacking. It would be unwise to give them an assignment of the scale with which only a studio as big and experienced like Codemasters can do justice.

Codemasters are also a subsidiary of Reliance Entertainment Pvt Ltd, India (owned by Mumbai Indians' owners) which makes this a perfect match. During their gaming days, Codemasters were known for being innovative and always way ahead of their time, from the revolutionary action cam to usage of hawkeye, official bats, balls and kitbags to online gaming, changes in pitch as the play progress and realistic broadcast style gameplay, they were the first ones to incorporate advanced elements in their titles and to think out of the box.

There is no better contender at the moment to develop and publish an IPL game other than Codemasters. An IPL video game for PC and consoles has to be made as beside being the utmost desire of fans, it is an opportunity too valuable to let slip away.