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From reading threads in the Madden forum, it appears that it's impossible to entice a player to stay after they have retired. I'm fairly certain this was a feature in ESPN NFL 2K5 nearly half a decade ago, yet it's not in Madden 10.
Wait. Hold that thought.
There it is. It's in the Madden Store! And it only cost a $1. Awesome!
Or is it?
Sure, I can pay the $1 and have the ability to keep my player, and potentially break one of the NFL records in the game. That would be great! But the question is, why should I have to pay extra for something that should be a core feature of the game?
Why is EA Sports charging customers extra $$$ for a core feature?
This is a very good question. With all of the negative sentiment that continues to this day 5 years from the signing of the NFL exclusive licensing deal, and the backlash after EA and the NFLPA cheated retired NFL players out of money for using their likeness in a game, you would think that EA Sports would do everything in it's power to do one thing - Put the Customer First.
Yet instead, Madden 10 delivered a game with popup Ads that EA Sports is unwilling to remove citing contracts as an excuse. It seems that EA Sports is willing to let customers, who paid their hard earned money for Madden 10, endure the annoyance of the overlay / popup Ads in Madden. While at the same time EA Sports is unwilling to endure the annoyance of reworking their advertising contracts so they can deliver a better experience for their customers.
This type of behavior bodes ill on two fronts. First, the company continues to convey an utter lack of respect for it's customer base by using the overlay Ads or charging for what should be a core feature of the game. Second, it shows that even after the customer expresses their frustration, that EA is unwilling to respond once they have the customer's $$$ in hand.
How can a company expect to increase sales while angering it's customers?
How many times does EA Sports have to make the same mistake? How many years must sales slide before it recognizes the one simple rule that all businesses must adhere, even ones with a monopoly control of a sports genre such as EA Sports. The Customer Comes First! Until EA Sports adopts this as their mantra, and actually adheres to it, gamers are going to continue to be frustrated not only by the game, but by the actions (or lack of action) of the company itself.
# 18
IceNHL @ Dec 2
Ok well agree to disagree I guess.
And by the way, I'm not thrilled with having to pay extra for things. But you asked the question of where this is coming from. I answered: it's the consumers who stood on rooftops asking for DLC content that mattered. FPS games led the way, and shareholders and Sony and MS applied pressure to publishers to offer this type of additional content. Consumers are obviously buying it (evidenced by how there is more of this and not less over the years) so sorry if i will not join in and blame EA for doing something that is prevalent industry-wide.
Fact of the matter is that EA doesnt hide what is offered on the $60 disc. It is then your choice to decide if the value of what is offered is worth $60. If it isnt, dont buy it and you wont have to worry about little DLC issues.
And by the way, I'm not thrilled with having to pay extra for things. But you asked the question of where this is coming from. I answered: it's the consumers who stood on rooftops asking for DLC content that mattered. FPS games led the way, and shareholders and Sony and MS applied pressure to publishers to offer this type of additional content. Consumers are obviously buying it (evidenced by how there is more of this and not less over the years) so sorry if i will not join in and blame EA for doing something that is prevalent industry-wide.
Fact of the matter is that EA doesnt hide what is offered on the $60 disc. It is then your choice to decide if the value of what is offered is worth $60. If it isnt, dont buy it and you wont have to worry about little DLC issues.
# 19
Valdarez @ Dec 2
Sure consumers want DLC, but they want content that's 'in addition' to the existing game, not for game makers such as EA Sports to keep features from the game and only make them available for purchase separately. The fact that customers want more of a game they enjoy isn't justification for a poor business practice. A company should be in the business of satisfying customers, not taking advantage of them (as they have the with poup Ads / core features costing extra $$$), and due to the unique position EA by holding the exclusive licensing deal, they have a high morale bar to hold themselves too.
The thing is, when you take care of your customer, and truly put the customer first, then good things are going to follow. When you take opportunity after opportunity to take advantage of the customer, then eventually that customer is going to turn away from you.
EA Sports already has a lot of resentment built up over the exclusive licensing deal, then the NFLPA fiasco. The popup Ads and selling core features where both aimed at increasing revenue due to lagging sales. Instead of trying to make more from less (squeezing their remaining customer) they should have focused on increasing sales by providing more for less (not less for more). Alternatively they could have identified other revenue streams that have provide no additional cost to their customers for basis functionality or impediment to playability. I can identify two clear revenue streams they have yet to tap, and one of them is extremely lucrative.
This is what happens when you have a company & product managers who are focused on $$$ instead of focused on the customer. Focus on the customer first, and $$$ second and the money will always be there. EA Sports has yet to learn this lesson and with Peter Moore at the helm I don't see it changing any time soon.
The thing is, when you take care of your customer, and truly put the customer first, then good things are going to follow. When you take opportunity after opportunity to take advantage of the customer, then eventually that customer is going to turn away from you.
EA Sports already has a lot of resentment built up over the exclusive licensing deal, then the NFLPA fiasco. The popup Ads and selling core features where both aimed at increasing revenue due to lagging sales. Instead of trying to make more from less (squeezing their remaining customer) they should have focused on increasing sales by providing more for less (not less for more). Alternatively they could have identified other revenue streams that have provide no additional cost to their customers for basis functionality or impediment to playability. I can identify two clear revenue streams they have yet to tap, and one of them is extremely lucrative.
This is what happens when you have a company & product managers who are focused on $$$ instead of focused on the customer. Focus on the customer first, and $$$ second and the money will always be there. EA Sports has yet to learn this lesson and with Peter Moore at the helm I don't see it changing any time soon.
# 20
stlstudios189 @ Dec 2
Extra Jerseys, stadiums etc.... should cost $$ features that add to dynasty mode should be part of dynasty
# 21
bkrich83 @ Mar 27
While I agree with the sentiment. You shouldn't bring 2k5 into this particular conversation. As great as that game was, it's franchise mode was flat out broken.
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Continue supporting EA's behavior in this manner and soon you won't be able to play the game without dropping another $20 for a little piece here, and a little piece there.
The ability to entice a player back is definitely authentic and should be part of the core game. It's already been part of another game so the argument of it being a 'perk' is weakened. Realize that the ability to entice a player back and actually being able to entice the player back are two different things. The ability to entice them back should be part of the game, whether the player is actually enticed back is something altogether different.