The Yearly Release Cycle is Just Fine

Feature Article

Submitted on: 01/10/2011 by Chris Sanner

I have consistently argued that the yearly release cycle was more a hindrance to sports games than a help. But I think my stance has changed a bit after 2010.

What we ended up with this year were several very well made games that received some big improvements in just one year. We also saw some titles rest on their laurels a bit (MLB 10: The Show comes to mind).

But the argument for sports games releasing every other year (or longer) does not hold up as well as I originally thought for a variety of reasons.

First, the model is just not all that profitable. Despite any of my best efforts, I can't come up with a solution where publishers make more money taking a year off. Video games are first and foremost a business, and for innovation and quality to occur, there has to be a steady flow of cash. You don't get that with anything less than yearly sports games.

Second, more time does not guarantee quality. You can perhaps get a few more features in, but how many sports games developed for longer than a year are truly innovative and bug free? Gran Turismo was in development for five years and did not quite cut the mustard in that regard.

Third, I feel the yearly release cycle allows sports games to achieve quality levels they would not otherwise achieve simply because developers are able to learn from their mistakes and turn around to make better games the next year. How many times have we seen better games as a result of the yearly release cycle feedback we have come to expect?

Now don't get me wrong, I don't think the current system is without its faults -- as there are a few things I would love to see change. Bigger budgets for Q and A, and post-release patching would be my big wishes. I also think sports games should explore the idea of having a running theme each year as well.

However, unless you are completely re-doing your series (like an NBA Elite) or developing a truly epic game in scope (Gran Turismo 5) then there is hardly any reason for the current crop of sports games to take much more than a year to develop. If you have the development talent, good leadership and good funding, then one year is enough to produce a big time sports game.

Consumers who have a problem with the yearly cycle should consider and explore taking years off from a series. I actually do this right now, outside of briefly playing some titles to explore new features for the site. Many complain about the lack of year-to-year progress in titles such as Madden, but if you play Madden NFL 11 compared to Madden NFL 08 you will find two completely different games.

In the end, we would just be replacing one flawed system with another -- there would be a whole new set of problems by lengthening development cycles. So I'm all for keeping release cycles the same, let's just make sure the effort is more like NBA 2K11 across the board.

Member Comments

# 1 Dazraz @ 01/10/11 01:50 PM

Excellent point regarding Gran Turismo 5. Proof that time is not always the answer. It's about using what development time exists wisely.
I personally like the yearly release cycle. It's nice to have a fresh game for the new season whatever the sport. 2K showed exactly what is possible in 12 months. Unfortunately the yearly cycle is often brought into question due to the frequency in which developers use the yearly turnarounds as an excuse for the lack of innovation/quality in their titles.
Unless technology changes to a level where games can be substantially upgraded & updated via a simple download a yearly release remains the way to go for the top tier titles.

# 2 statum71 @ 01/10/11 04:34 PM

Good point about GT5.

Another example: Even with two years to work with.......I'm willing to bet NBA Elite 12 won't improve enough to even contend with THIS year's NBA 2K. Never mind competing with 2K12.

# 3 BlackRome @ 01/10/11 04:49 PM

After the patches this was the best Madden released on the next gen systems.

Wish I could say the same for NBA2k11. Online the series has gotten worse and worse since 2k8. The game just moves to slow online if you can get a game. It's almost impossible to play on the ball defense due to the delay. All I see is people switching, getting a bump then switching to another player.

If they won't upgrade their servers they need to take a year off and get their online code corrected. They have been running the same code for the last 3 years. Which sucks.

I haven't seen anything about a new patch being released. Looks like they are done trying to fix everything
that is broke. Since I only play online NBA2k11 is just collecting dust.

# 4 BlackRome @ 01/10/11 04:51 PM

"Unranked Online Game Divergence Workaround
The team has found the root cause to the network drops in unranked online matches post patch. The settings file in the hard drive will need to be deleted. Upon loading the game, a new settings file will be created. You must keep your settings at default anytime you play an unranked match. Once inside a game, you can change any settings you wish. However, you cannot change any settings and have them applied to the file.

This only pertains to unranked/player matches, including lobby matches. Ranked games are not affected, and you can use your own settings file for such matches. I would suggest creating a settings file for both ranked/unranked if you consistently play between the two. It's quite possible that both players will need to have the default settings file. 2K is working hard to find a fix for this as soon as possible as they understand the limited ability to inform all online players of this workaround."

This is unacceptable. Maybe they do need a year off to fix the game.

# 5 rockchisler @ 01/10/11 07:00 PM

I believe bringing people in (That play the game) can help early in development not 2 months before to see the game will be very beneficial simmers and cheesers.

# 6 phant030 @ 01/10/11 09:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by statum71


	Good point about GT5. Another example: Even with two years to work with.......I'm willing to bet NBA Elite 12 won't improve enough to even contend with THIS year's NBA 2K. Never mind competing with 2K12.

if they used this year to build on Live 10, Elite would have been able to compete. 2k11 should thank Live 10 b/c it plays a lot like it and 'borrows' a lot from its gameplay.

Ppl only want two year cycles on a game they like and feel has been unsatisfactory for a few years. IMO gameplay wise, NBA 2k11 and MLB: The Show has really been more of the same over the past few years. But since they are believed to be the cream of the crop...most users won't say they need a 2 yr cycle.

If a person wants a two year cycle, skip a year.....guess what? most cant. So they 'really' don't want it, they just talk about it like they do. After two years, what if you don't like it? you will have to wait 4 years to get a game you MIGHT like...whereas on they yearly cycled you will have the opportunity to like multiple titles.

Also, ppl attention span w/ games are so short. They are constantly trading in games after a few months. You mean they would wait 6 or so months of not playing a game to update it? We don't even know what the addition of players (faces), animation, and miscellaneous code support will entail...Companies will hv to purchase the next patch to support the DLC, Have developers work on all functions of the DLC and patch...possibly patch the patch...get players in for scans....get new arenas/courts/jerseys in via DLC and patched support...users will need to download all of this (no telling the size and time)..all this while working on the 2yr version at the same time. Worth it?...might as well put out a new product.

So, there's no guarantee you will like it. No guarantee it will be bug free (never happening). No guarantee the features you are 'waiting on" will be added. No guarantee the Company will recoup 2x the profit they are forfeiting. Teams to work on the old game and new game, restructuring of the workforce, etc....IMO, i dont think it's worth it...especially when the results aren't close to being guaranteed or even favorable.

# 7 alexgamez122 @ 01/11/11 01:29 AM

I think Fight Night would be more appropriate, since they seem to be going with the two year approach. Although not much changes in boxing, having a Call of Duty setup would be cool; Sports games don't sell well enough to fund that operation.

# 8 Joey @ 01/11/11 09:23 AM

"We also saw some titles rest on their laurels a bit (MLB 10: The Show comes to mind)."

Really? Maybe something didn't get in that you thought should, but out of all games you could have mentioned I can't believe you would say that The Show rested on its laurels. One thing that makes the series stand out is the fact that they listen to the consumer AND THEN try to incorporate what people want into the game. In most cases if it's not in there in a particular year, it's not because they've been sitting on their hands. It's because either A) There are other items of higher priority. or B) They don't have it perfected enough to incorporate at that time.

While others may be inclined to go ahead and place a halfway done feature into the game, SCEA has never done so - and I applaud them for that.

I'll end this by pasting '10's new features. Maybe you have different ideas of what "resting on their laurels" means, but last year was a pretty solid "new feature" set if you ask me.

MLB 10 The Show NEW Features:

�HR Derby � The Home Run Derby and MLB All-Star Futures Game are now available during the All-Star break in our season modes and as a stand-alone experience.

�Catcher Calling the Game � Call pitches and play as the field general, just like Joe Mauer.

�Online Gameplay Improved � This year the online gameplay experience has been vastly improved and will detect and respond better to adverse network conditions along with reduced bandwidth to help the speed and flow of online gameplay.

�User Controlled Pick-Offs � Surprise a base runner with a quick move or lull him to sleep with our new pick-off mechanism.

�Custom Music, Fan Yells, and Chants � Assign music or a recording to an entire team, edit tracks to assign batter walk-up music, or record your own voice and assign it to play for the team or player during the situation of your choice.

�Movie Maker � Select up to ten replays to add to a single movie and do all the editing for your own highlight reel.

�New Stadiums � Five new Minor League stadiums as well as classic parks including Forbes Field, Crosley Field, Polo Grounds, Shibe Park, Sportsman Park, and Griffith Stadium.

�New Fielding/Pitching Training Modes and Practice Drills � New pitching and fielding training sessions will be part of our Road to The Show training suite.

�Road to The Show Version 4.0 � New option settings (Game Watch and Game Completion) allow users to set how much of the game they wish to view, our mistake tracking system and new Green Light system reward and penalize good play, and our new stat tracking system keeps stats for your player�s career versus every pitcher or batter faced during the current season that can be accessed at any time.

�Full Online Season Leagues � Fully functional online season leagues, save and display MLB Player stats, track player energy, allow for trades/injuries, and offer 40-man roster functionality.

�Weekly Live Roster � An updated live roster will be available every week throughout the entire season.

�Online Game History � View every game you�ve ever played online, complete with opponents, box scores, and game logs.

�1-30 Player Season Modes � Control one or all 30 teams right from the start of your franchise or season.

�New Camera System � The most realistic camera system available will make you double take and make sure you�re not watching a live MLB telecast.

�Real-Time Presentations � More than 1,250 new gameplay animations, more than 1,000 new presentation animations, and more than 400 personalized pitcher and batter animations.

�Stadium Realism and Experience � Details, details, details! MLB 10 The Show offers daytime transitional lighting, shows all players on field in real-time (including players in the dugout and bullpen), and offers improved stadium ambiance with HR/splash counters, fireworks, steam,
noisemakers, towels, thunder sticks, working digital and analog clocks, crowd reaching over the rails, and crowd detail, such as interaction with vendors and placing K signs

# 9 1WEiRDguy @ 01/11/11 09:57 AM

NBA/NFL games dont need a two year release cycle, but maybe alternating teams similiar to the COD franchise imo...

but a game like UFC does NOT need a yearly release...period

# 10 tabulaRasa @ 01/11/11 11:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by phant030


	if they used this year to build on Live 10, Elite would have been able to compete. 2k11 should thank Live 10 b/c it plays a lot like it and 'borrows' a lot from its gameplay. Ppl only want two year cycles on a game they like and feel has been unsatisfactory for a few years. IMO gameplay wise, NBA 2k11 and MLB: The Show has really been more of the same over the past few years. But since they are believed to be the cream of the crop...most users won't say they need a 2 yr cycle. If a person wants a two year cycle, skip a year.....guess what? most cant. So they 'really' don't want it, they just talk about it like they do. After two years, what if you don't like it? you will have to wait 4 years to get a game you MIGHT like...whereas on they yearly cycled you will have the opportunity to like multiple titles. Also, ppl attention span w/ games are so short. They are constantly trading in games after a few months. You mean they would wait 6 or so months of not playing a game to update it? We don't even know what the addition of players (faces), animation, and miscellaneous code support will entail...Companies will hv to purchase the next patch to support the DLC, Have developers work on all functions of the DLC and patch...possibly patch the patch...get players in for scans....get new arenas/courts/jerseys in via DLC and patched support...users will need to download all of this (no telling the size and time)..all this while working on the 2yr version at the same time. Worth it?...might as well put out a new product. So, there's no guarantee you will like it. No guarantee it will be bug free (never happening). No guarantee the features you are 'waiting on" will be added. No guarantee the Company will recoup 2x the profit they are forfeiting. Teams to work on the old game and new game, restructuring of the workforce, etc....IMO, i dont think it's worth it...especially when the results aren't close to being guaranteed or even favorable.

Oh really? I always thought EA was the ones who stole from NBA2K. And last time I checked Wang used to work at 2K, and is now back at 2K. So I wonder where EA got their ideas, besides the innovation they borrowed from 2K before that. The 2K guy Wang , even saw EA go in the wrong design direction and left for 2K again. Another thing showing EAs agenda.

# 11 Critical Kills @ 01/11/11 12:01 PM

A 2 year cycle would simply raise expectations to the point people would be like "We waited two years for this???" and would accomplish nothing. The one year cycle is just fine.

# 12 boxboy99 @ 01/11/11 05:51 PM

I was all about two year development cycles until recently. I am just getting into computer programming in an accelorated program. One of our topics so far was the software development lifecycle. Any projects the go over one year have a much greater risk of cancellation. There are too many issues that can pop up on long projects that make them risky. New techology, cost, etc. Pretty basic stuff but I seen enough of a glimse to change my opinon.

# 13 stlstudios189 @ 01/13/11 09:41 PM

the bi yearly cycle will only work on fight night, ufc, and wwe games with a roster update etc..

# 14 ridemooses @ 01/14/11 10:47 PM

I'm a little disappointed you never considered a subscription-type game that uses would buy into for a base price and then pay money monthly or yearly for updates. To me this only makes sense as Madden 10 is still pretty much the same basis as Madden 11 just with upgrades so that begs the question, why can't we received these upgrades without having to buy an entirely new game. The companies could potentially make more money by charging a subscription as well as save money on shipping and packaging costs.

A standard disk would suffice to start and then updates could be made the same way they are now through patches. If a user does not want to subscribe anymore they would still have the disk and the latest patch but could not receive anymore updates.

For me this is the next generation option for sports gamers who faithfully purchase the game each year hoping for improvements, through subscription gaming users can request updates and changes more quickly and directly making the game more straightforward: if the users aren't subscribing, the game isn't worth buying in the first place.

# 15 Cardot @ 01/15/11 11:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ridemooses


	I'm a little disappointed you never considered a subscription-type game that uses would buy into for a base price and then pay money monthly or yearly for updates. To me this only makes sense as Madden 10 is still pretty much the same basis as Madden 11 just with upgrades so that begs the question, why can't we received these upgrades without having to buy an entirely new game. The companies could potentially make more money by charging a subscription as well as save money on shipping and packaging costs.

It is an interesting idea, but how much is is the annual subscription? Presumably less than $60?...but then the developers are losing money (I don't think the savings from shipping and packaging are going to cover it.)

A monthly subcription is a tricky subject as well. If I don't subscribe for 6 months, can I subscribe for one month and get all the updates from the prior six monhts, and then drop my subscription after one month?....wait another 6 months and do the same?

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