Think of Australian sport and your mind might naturally turn to the games at which Australians have historically dominated the world, such as Aussie Rules Football, cricket, tennis and rugby. But a recent survey by the Australian Sports Commission has revealed that from a participation perspective it is a different story.
More than 1.1 million Australians play soccer, making it the most popular participation sport in the country. Golf was second at 740,000 while Aussie Rules and cricket were in third and seventh places respectively.
But it is not just in backyards and playing fields that soccer is winning hearts and minds. Gamers hunched over their consoles, PCs and mobile devices are also adopting soccer over other sporting themes. Here are some of the games that have been trending with Australian players in 2023.
FC 24 a winner Down Under
The FIFA series of games finally coming to an end after its incredible 30-year run was arguably the biggest news story in the gaming world in 2023. Among the general gloom and conviction that life would never be the same again in most of the world, Aussie audiences picked up the new FC 24 with more enthusiasm than they had ever shown for FIFA. Official figures are yet to be released, but it looks set to be Australia’s best-selling sports game for the fourth quarter of 2023 and among the top five games across all genres.
To all intents and purposes, FC 24 is essentially FIFA 23 rebranded. There are a few tech upgrades, most noticeably on the pitch, where players exhibit more fluid movements and natural motions than was evident in previous versions. FC 24 also brings back crowd-pleasing features like Career Mode and Manager Mode, and the Ultimate Team format now includes women’s teams. It’s mostly, however, an exercise in reassuring fans that it is business as usual despite the rebrand. Aussie fans are certainly convinced.
Football Star combines soccer and gambling
Microgaming is one of the stalwarts among casino game providers, and it is fair to say its developers understand what Australian audiences like. Introducing a sporting theme to a traditional slot game, or pokie, was always going to be a successful combination. Football Star is the most popular in a series of sports themed slots that are all much-loved among Aussie audiences. The title is available at the majority of online casino sites, so players have the freedom to be choosy and seek out the best deposit bonuses to really maximize their chances of a win. It is available at mobile casinos as well as desktop casino platforms.
The 5×3 reel game has 243 possible ways to win. It is simple to play – just decide how much to wager and spin the reels. There are also some fun bonus features including Striking Wild, where a striker randomly appears and fires a shot at goal, making the whole center reel wild. A collapsing reels bonus involves winning symbols disappearing from the reels, allowing others to fall into their places. This also helps you to boost your winnings significantly. For those interested in the technical side, Football Star has a very reasonable 96.5 percent payout percentage.
Football Manager is a variation on a well-worn theme
As soccer has grown in popularity Down Under, fans have become interested in more than just trying to hit the back of the net. Football Manager is a more cerebral game in which players manage a team, including signing players and overseeing training, to rise to the top.
The first version of this game came out more than 40 years ago and was only of niche interest. Today, it is another matter. When Football Manager 2024 was released in November, there was a pre-Christmas rush on sales in Australia like never before. Further evidence that soccer is now part of the sporting fabric Down Under.
