Is this the year Madden dies? - bmj2k7's Blog

bmj2k7's Blog

Is this the year Madden dies?

Posted on May 20, 2013 at 06:31 PM.

(8)

Madden this generation has never sold all that well or had reviews that made you want to buy it, especially compared to the other sports series. Madden never impresses with its sales, (to the consumer) but will always sell to game stores bc of its name. With no other NFL football competition until 2K comes back, who knows when that will be. And no competition during the summer months and fall until usually November.

But this year they don't just have competition, they have some of the best competition they probably ever had near there release of a new Madden.

This year they have to deal with The Last of Us in June, a potential game of the year, Skyrim Legendary Edition in June, as always NCAA in July. But one week before the release of Madden, is Saints Row IV and Splinter Cell Blacklist. Plus after release, 3 weeks later they have to deal with the potential game of the year Grand Theft Auto V. Two weeks after that, they have NBA 2K to deal with, then the usual COD and BF4, plus AC IV, Batman A Origins, a new WWE 2K, and Watch Dogs.

The Last of Us probably will sell 3 million almost immediately, people who put off Skyrim until now, so that will sell pretty well probably. Those 2 games have a chance to significantly kill off the few sales Madden gets from not having any competition.

But with Splinter Cell and Saints Row IV both should sell a couple million each, after The Last of Us, and Skyrim. The sales Madden gets from people having nothing to play over the summer, will all but be gone bc the summer is stacked with games this year. Not many people are able to buy a game a month or even every couple months, so then will people really put Madden, notorious for being bad, over several potential game of the year nominees like the games I listed above. Who would choose Madden over GTA V, or The last of Us, Splinter Cell or even Saints Row IV.

Madden has to bring its A game, or this year, the one year deals they keep signing with the NFL just to keep making a NFL game will end. With poor sales numbers before, and poor reviews with no competition. This finally could be the year, where M25 sells so poorly with game stores taking the vast amount of there pre-orders being those major titles, some may even choose not to but any Madden at all, which happens more every year now after being stuck with copies that just wont sell. Dont be surprised this year, is the year that Madden has to put up or shut up before next gen we have competition again, with 2K still trying to get back the NFL license, and every year the NFL listens more, and more compared to then not even talking to 2K.

Heres to hoping we see competition and more than 1 NFL game on the next gen of consoles, even if it is too late for this generation!

Comments

# 1 HozAndMoose @ May 21

People dont buy madden because they have nothing else to play. They buy madden becasue the love football and there is no alternative. All those games you mentioned are strictly single player. Aside from that piece of **** CoD. And CoD has came out every year since 05. Last of Us will be beaten in a week if that. Same for Splinter Cell and Saints Row. Plus with the owner mode. Improved engine. Madden "looks" to be the best its been for a while.

# 2 T-Moar @ May 21

I originally thought this was going to be about John Madden dying, and I was all ready to call you a terrible human being.
That being said, the Madden franchise isn't going to die any time soon. They have a dedicated core of gamers that will buy Madden every year regardless of improvements just for the roster update so that they have something to do during football season. A substantial portion of these people aren't even gamers outside of the yearly Madden purchase. Until this market disappears, Madden is going to be just fine.

# 3 bmj2k7 @ May 21

@HozAndMoose Sorry but your wrong about most the games i listed have multiplayer. Last of Us has a lot to do with weapon crafting and online, Saints Row has online coop, multiplayer unconfirmed, WWE always has multiplayer, BF is known for multiplayer, COD actually are going to a more BF3 type feel with there improvements this year (probably will still suck though) Splinter Cell has multiplayer, AC IV has multiplayer, Batman might (who really knows?) Skyrim is the only one which doesn't have some type of multiplayer. And even if you can beat those games in a week, most people can't afford a full price game a month, or even every 6 months. If they buy one of these games, and get more value its hard to afford a below average football game after you already bought 1 game within a month or two.

# 4 bmj2k7 @ May 21

@T-Moar That is very true and very sad, but most people buy Madden because 2 reasons, its the only NFL game, and there's nothing that usually comes out during the summer all the way until october. This year is a must different story, there are several game of the year type games coming out with a month or two. Most people can't afford to buy multiple games a year, and if they do are they really going to choose Madden over say GTA V????? That would be stupid even for people who just buy Madden no matter what. M13 is the 1st game to just about match the sales of M10, every year since Madden sales drop ten to twenty percent each year by a greater percent. And I didn't mean to put die, I meant to say will this be the year there sales are so bad they kill off the 1 year deals with EA and make them have competition again. Madden sales drop every single year of late.

# 5 keshunleon @ May 21

@HozAndMoose, I'm a big football fan but never was a Madden fan. I go back to Madden 95, there has always been so many issues and mechanics I never liked about the game. I would like the NFL to get ride of that license so we can see others produce a football game. I guarantee EA Sports production would definitely decrease with competition.

# 6 tril @ May 22

Personally, I believe that Madden 25 will sell. Anniversary games always sell well.
AS a 2k proponent, even I have to admit that the Madden development team is finding its stride. Madden 13 was solid, and the improvements were noticeable. Madden 13 was a few tweaks away from being a truly solid game.
Ive always been hesitant to buy Madden, but this year will be different. I wont be hesitant and will purchase this during the first week of release. Madden 13 showed me enough, which has allowed me to put some faith in the title.

sales will be higher this year.

# 7 BlackRome @ May 22

Madden always sell. You 2k5 fiends are a minority. I will always say the game is the most overrated sports game in history. I owned a Dreamcast. Loved my DC over the PS. But when it came to sports games we played NBA2k over NFL2k5. It really wasn't that great.

We put it through the test. I have been running sports leagues since the C64 and 4th and inches. I've run leagues since the original Madden. I've played in professional leagues.

Seriously. Madden if you don't only throw screen passes and crossing routes has been a great game for a few years. If you really know how to read a defense it's a rally great game. Since most people only look to one side of the field or limit themselves to two reads. Your not playing the entire game.

You seem to be one of those 2k5 was the holy grail guys praying and praying for Madden's down fall.

Let it go.

I have no loyalty to a system or gaming company. I want to play the best game. Period.

I've also run NBA 2k leagues since the first game came out.
While the rest of you have been saying the game is great I haven't played a great 2k game since 08. When you actually could make a move in real time.

The game still moves on a delay online. That problem didn't appear until 10. Yet everyone keeps saying how great and realistic the game is when your not moving in real time.

For 2k to move slower than Madden should tell you your not really playing the simulation you think you are.

But I digress.

keshunleon: Madden 95 was horrible. The best Madden of the 90's was 93. It kind of went down hill after that on the Genesis. The Ps versions were never that great. When that happened we went to Madden on the N64. It was a great game. Ran a few leagues on that version. That's when NBA Live was taking over on the PS. Up till 99 Live was a beast. Then NBA 2k took over.