Should Madden Fans Be Worried About the Ex-Tiburon Gang's Departure? - RaychelSnr's Blog

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Should Madden Fans Be Worried About the Ex-Tiburon Gang's Departure? Stuck

Posted on April 13, 2011 at 11:28 AM.

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"Nothing happens in a vacuum."

Let's recap the news of the past several days. First we learn that some members of EA's Tiburon Studio are leaving. Then we find out that those members happen to be Ian Cummings and several other "big" names (yet to be confirmed) within the studio. Then we find out that Madden's release date will be pushed back for the first time ever to late August.

It's hard to not see where the connections in all of these news stories comes from -- it doesn't take our boy Shawn Spencer down at Psych to put all of this together to see what's going on.

Let's dissect this backwards.

It's apparent the Madden delay is because several senior members of the game's development team tendered their resignations in the middle of its cycle -- with a smaller bit that the NFL probably won't be having a season so no pressure to get it out on time. That's going to be awfully damaging to a lot of processes and plans for what is EA Sports' North American flagship title. You don't just have a shakeup like this and the effects not be felt -- sure it'll be downplayed, these things always are. But when companies do something they've never done before after a big chunk of their leadership on a product leaves -- that's not a sign things are kosher.

I don't have many sources within Tiburon -- and definitely none of them are part of the group leaving -- but they would tend to back this up. It's not a sign Madden is going to be terrible --- but it is a sign that some ideas might have to be scaled back this year just to get the team back on a solid foundation.

Now onto the other issue, why does someone leave their job?

No one ever leaves a job they absolutely love for another job unless it's for a huge raise. That's possibly the reason why the 'Ex-Tiburon Gang' is leaving, and we can't discount that.

What has many Madden fans worried is that the reason these guys are leaving is more along the lines of a creative vision dispute and general unhappiness with the work environment at Tiburon. This would tend to suggest a more sim product was pursued, which marketing types and suits didn't like because it might not have as much mass appeal. I can't say that's for sure what we've got going on as well here either.

Most likely the Ex-Tiburon gang is leaving because of a combination of factors. Perhaps they were leaving for a little better money and benefits, perhaps they were somewhat unhappy, perhaps they weren't allowed to creatively express themselves as much as they could and the promise is they can at a new place. All of these are valid reasons for jumping ship, so it's definitely unfair to pin it on any one thing -- there could be a number of factors for a number of different guys even.

So the million dollar question is does this affect Madden's development?

I'd say yes, but probably not in a completely immediate fashion this year. The delay is a big deal, and you might see a few ideas toned down -- but the overall direction of the product will not be known until we see which guys step up and fill the void. If Madden suffers in quality, it will no doubt be linked back to the disarray the creative team was in during these weeks for better or worse.

For now we will have to watch and wait, but my gut tells me we'll look back on this week as a watershed moment one way or the other.

Comments

# 1 jjsmitty34 @ Apr 13

It's never a good thing when you have to start over, I'm hoping they promote Josh L to head man..

# 2 khaliib @ Apr 13

Well, if you've ever had to oversee any type of rollout as a Project Manager, you would know this question is an easy YES.

If one of your leads drops the ball, your whole plan goes into chaos mode. So when several folks on a Project walk away Mid-Developement, you can try and sugar-coat it all you want, but the final outcome will be affected drastically.

# 3 LucianoJJ @ Apr 13

This could be a chance for a new engine for Madden 13 and NCAA FB 13. Could the ones who are leaving be focused on creating higher quality sports games for tablets and mobile devices?

# 4 bestout51683 @ Apr 13

I am so glad to hear this. Maybe they are moving to 2k, the lawsuit goes thorugh and EA loses their exclusive licensing and we see a better football game made. Have been disappointed in Madded for 3 years now and I am sure it wasn't Ian Cummings' fault.

# 5 the_EDJ @ Apr 13

In my opinion, Madden is too big of a franchise to suffer much of a fallout. The product is already set for the most part. At this point, it can't regress, just stay the same.

At worst, it's an incremental increase in game quality. At best, new leads have fresh ideas to invigorate the franchise.

The risk, those new ideas don't hold with the consumer, but that won't affect us until Madden 13.

# 6 statum71 @ Apr 13

The tell-all will be if Madden gets much better or much worse within the next fews years.

Then we'll really see who was holding the series back....these guys or EA.

# 7 jyoung @ Apr 13

Something has really gone sour behind the scenes with Madden this gen.

I think it started when EA decided to rush out Madden 06. Wouldn't surprise me if the development team was against this, and the suits pushed Madden 06 out anyway.

They got off on the wrong foot with Madden 06 and never really recovered until Madden 10, which was the first legitimately good version this generation.

Then you can just see the huge conflict in creative direction when they followed up Madden 10's "Everything you See on Sundays" with
three casual friendly features -- "Gameflow" and "Ultimate Team" and "Online Team Play" -- in Madden 11.

# 8 blocknose @ Apr 13

welcome back madden blitz

# 9 shadthedad @ Apr 13

I remember reading an article where the CEO of Activision praised Ian Cummings and his team and said they were extremely talented. He then followed by saying EA is a horrible company to work for, because their work environment doesn't promote creativity as a developer. Does anyone else remember this comment.....

# 10 turftickler @ Apr 13

@shathead, makes complete sense to me. I always tried to look at both sides of Ian Cummings presence at EA Sports. His leaving proves that EA Sport's does not care about the true simulation types. They have confused hardcore football video gamers with casual gamers. When a company does that, it's all over and the fat lady will sing until her man comes back home.

So, my question to all of you Maddenites here is, "What else does it take for you all to see that the Madden NFL games we have been playing for the past 6 years now are far from where they could be.

Hmmm, @shathead, again, Activision wants to take over 2k Sports, Ian Cummings and a few of his best developer brethren has left EA Sports, Madden NFL 12 is pushed back until late August.

I don't for see Madden NFL 12 doing well at all this year. Actually, I see it doing way worse. It's not the size of the bank roll that counts, but what you do with the bank roll for society.

# 11 turftickler @ Apr 13

What's up, J-Ski. You are correct on NHL and FIFA, but Madden NFL games are EA's cash cow. They will protect their baby at all cost. The NFL has the biggest backing for them and they also owe the NFL a large sum of money still.

I stand corrected on activision going after take-two, which is 2k Sport's publisher. Also, if Ian and his small gang are as good as I believe they truly are and as Peter Moore said they were, then I could fully understand why Activision wants them. Activision is a giant company as well, but they allow their developers to show their creativity. I have great, not good feeling that we will see something big next year from activision in the football arena.

Also, as a member of TSS, I will assure you that our efforts toward bringing another simulation style NFL football game to fruition will not go without reward.

# 12 jWILL253 @ Apr 13

Idk if I can put any stock into Activision's CEO's comments. I mean, he IS the CEO of a publisher that singlehandedly destroyed Infinity Ward...

# 13 Dazraz @ Apr 13

Whatever the real reasons are for the sudden departures, one thing's for sure. EA have a ready made excuse for why Madden 12 isn't that good.

# 14 turftickler @ Apr 13

@J-Ski, that surely was a huge oversight on EA's part when the bought the NFL license. I knew, as well as many other simulation minded football gamers, that EA Sports would some day reap the rewards of what they have sown with the Madden NFL series. They just didn't figure it would go down the way it has in the past couple years. First NBA Elite 11, now Madden NFL 12 may be dropped as well. As an NFL fan, I want what's best for veterans and newcomers to pro football video games.

# 15 unfriendlyghst @ Apr 13

@Dazraz, you said it. I can't believe that last year it was about 2 weeks before Madden 11 was released that we started hearing "just wait until next year" , and now we are 2 weeks away from the first real Madden 12 info and its "just wait till the new dev team has a couple of years under their belts". Give me a break. I wish I was in a coma for "next gen"

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