McMadden - ManiacMatt1782's Blog

ManiacMatt1782's Blog

McMadden

Posted on February 16, 2011 at 09:10 AM.

(3)

I don't care how good a deal this is for EA or the NFL. I really don't. I am the consumer. I am looking to spend my money on products of high quality. Right now, I am in search of an up to date, high quality football game that bares the NFL teams and players. Right now, that isn't possible. The madden franchise isn't horrible. It's kinda like a McDonalds cheeseburger. It isn't going to wow you. It is going to give you all the things you are familiar with. But to claim it's high quality, you would be lying to yourself. Meanwhile, there is an unknown grille across the street. But you are hungry, and that place is a total mystery. So you like others before you don't take a chance on the grille, and go for the tried and true.

Why after so many years ago seeing dynamic o-line play in another sports franchise that used make NFL games do it, do we still not see it in madden? The answer is the McDonalds effect. Madden hasn't been the only football game released since 2005, but it is the only NFL game. 2k tried to get back into the fray in 2007, but released an unlicensed game with players the majority of it's demographic we're too young to see play. Because this wasn't NFL, the absolutely beautiful gameplay engine of this game went unnoticed. Kinda like that grille, which had an absolutely amazing burger that you were too scared to try.

With the renewal of the exclusive license, the story of the ignored grille with amazing food that sits across from McDonald's will continue. No NFL means that any other game coming out will only get limited looks due to not seeing the players you see on Sunday. The only way to change this is to stop making the exclusive feasible in EA's budget. If you want a quality game and not just an "OK" game, then vote with your wallet. Don't buy Madden 12. Make EA improve their product. Or just settle for McDonald's. But if you settle, don't come crying on the forums that it's the same old McMadden, because if you read this, you knew it would be this way. Enjoy your 60 dollar cheeseburger, and if you want online franchise without a cap with that we can add it for just $9.99.

Comments

# 1 malachijohn666 @ Feb 17

Nice analogy. I think that all exclusive licenses, like monopolies, suck for us, the consumer. They are great for the companies that own them. People will keep buying Madden because they want football. As long as there is only one, of what ever quality, EA has no incentive to improve.

The reason that MLB 2k is improving is that they have competition in the Show. Backbreaker was too small, it couldn't really compete with Madden.

I fear that if Madden 12 comes out, and lets say for the sake of argument it is the exact same as 11. It doesn't matter how mad the fans get, EA will still make money.

In fact I think things are going to get worse for us, the gaming public, when the full spectrum of the micro-transaction business model completely takes over. Then you will need to pay more than 60 bucks if you want the quality.

# 2 ManiacMatt1782 @ Feb 17

Thank you for the comment. I agree with you. But ultimately we consumers do have the final say. If a very large number of us don't crack, and buy it anyway. We can put a nice dent in sales figures and make it economically unfeasible to continue to purchase the exclusive license from the NFL. Or at the very least make EA fix the game for next release. Either way, we the consumer wins. We get a choice, or EA improves their game.