What if your fantasy basketball team could have a squad that included all-time greats like Michael Jordan, Larry Bird, Oscar Robertson? What if you could be GM, coach, and the owner of your fantasy team? These are the features of a new fantasy game released by San Francisco-based Imagine Sports, the focus being fantasy-based simulation games. According to the press release:

Total Hoops’ customer/owners can draft and manage a team through a complete 82-game, 7-week season of play against other team owners. They may draft players from anytime in basketball history, including those from the NBA, as well as the American Basketball Association (ABA, 1967 - 1976), and the Basketball Association of American (BAA, 1946 - 1949). Unlike traditional fantasy sports games, Total Hoops does not include most current players because the simulation engine is based on complete career statistics to ensure the most accurate game experience possible.

The idea of simulation in sports and now fantasy sports is not too new a concept, but it will become more interesting to watch as technology and consumer preferences for virtual/sim games appear to be converging. Consumers want as realistic an experience to express their fanaticism for sport and this appears a good move in that direction.