EA Boss Not Happy With Madden Sales....

[Flamehead]

I for one don't believe EA is evil, but I do believe they are severely incompetent in their QA process--if they even have one. That, and they're incredibly obsessed with everything online, so much so to the detriment of many other things.

They bought some time with the "we're a new team, we're interacting with you" etc., but how long will that last? Are they who we think they are? Time will tell.

Sales? Maybe. But I do think people are just plain increasingly tired of the bugs, questionable priorities, etc., and the "but we're a new team" thing is only going to last so long.

[Flamehead]

Quote: Originally Posted by Step2001

That's what people want for offline

You just lost the developers right there. Not their priority man. What are you gonna do?

*shrugs*

[GTheorenHobbes]

Quote: Originally Posted by roadman

Also, as it was pointed out to me yesterday, even though Madden might be declining in sales on a yearly basis, Madden still is a profit for EA. This article states that EA games need 1.1 million in sales to break even. http://games.venturebeat.com/2009/08...e-engineering/

C'mon, Roadman...That article does not say that EA needs to sell 1.1 million copies of Madden to break even. Here's what it says:

"EA now typically spends two or three times as much on marketing and advertising as it does on developing a game. That’s because advertising is critical to getting a game in the top ten rankings. If you have a $10 million game, don’t be surprised if the the TV advertising costs drive the ad budget to $30 million. If a $60 game yields revenue of $35 for EA, then (according to my math) the company has to sell 1.1 million copies just to break even.

I don't have the numbers for what EA paid for the exclusive NFL and ESPN licenses, but I'm confident that it costs EA FAR MORE than $10 million to make Madden, as opposed to a typical game that may cost $10 million to develop. In fact, I'd venture to guess that EA pays FAR MORE than $10 million just for the cost of the exclusive license alone. I'd also venture to guess that EA pays FAR MORE than average for the marketing cost for Madden as well.

If I'm right, then using this guy's numbers, it takes FAR MORE than 1.1 million copies of Madden sold for EA to make a profit.

And if I had to guess...I'd say Madden is more of a loss leader than a money maker for EA, given it's declining sales over the last 5 years. EA overpaid for the exclusives to put their competition out of business. They thought their sales would go up but they've actually declined for 5 straight years now. When they used to sell 5 million copies across all of the consoles 5 years ago, and don't come close to that now, there is no one who can convince me that Madden is some huge profit maker for EA these days.

[roadman]

Quote: Originally Posted by GTheorenHobbes

C'mon, Roadman...That article does not say that EA needs to sell 1.1 million copies of Madden to break even. Here's what it says: "EA now typically spends two or three times as much on marketing and advertising as it does on developing a game. That’s because advertising is critical to getting a game in the top ten rankings. If you have a $10 million game, don’t be surprised if the the TV advertising costs drive the ad budget to $30 million. If a $60 game yields revenue of $35 for EA, then (according to my math) the company has to sell 1.1 million copies just to break even. I don't have the numbers for what EA paid for the exclusive NFL and ESPN licenses, but I'm confident that it costs EA FAR MORE than $10 million to make Madden, as opposed to a typical game that may cost $10 million to develop. In fact, I'd venture to guess that EA pays FAR MORE than $10 million just for the cost of the exclusive license alone. I'd also venture to guess that EA pays FAR MORE than average for the marketing cost for Madden as well. If I'm right, then using this guy's numbers, it takes FAR MORE than 1.1 million copies of Madden sold for EA to make a profit. And if I had to guess...I'd say Madden is more of a loss leader than a money maker for EA, given it's declining sales over the last 5 years. EA overpaid for the exclusives to put their competition out of business. They thought their sales would go up but they've actually declined for 5 straight years now. When they used to sell 5 million copies across all of the consoles 5 years ago, and don't come close to that now, there is no one who can convince me that Madden is some huge profit maker for EA these days.

I wasn't factoring in the licenses. Also, I didn't say Madden(maybe implied), but I did say EA games.

Again, I was told yesterday, that Ian stated last year that Madden is a profit maker for EA. I guess Ian won't be able to convince you, either.

We all know that they've had declining sales, but if Madden is a profit maker, that means they are a declining profit maker.

[GTheorenHobbes]

Quote: Originally Posted by roadman

I wasn't factoring in the license. Again, I was told yesterday, that Ian stated last year that Madden is a profit maker for EA. I guess Ian won't be able to convince you, either. We all know that they've had declining sales, but if Madden is a profit maker, that means they are a declining profit maker.

Sorry, Roadman...don't mean to pick with you. But who told you that Ian said that?

It only stands to reason...if EA used to sell 5 million copies across the board, without having to pay for the very expensive exclusive licenses, and they're selling, let's say, 1 million fewer copies across the board these days, while having to pay for the licenses, then I'd say it's very much a declining profit maker, if it even makes a profit at all.

[grunt]

Quote: Originally Posted by Valdarez

Well, I hope EA doesn't let sales dictate their direction of the game. This year was the best step forward for Madden in a long, long time. The game's not there yet, but even a blind man can see that Ian and crew are making strides towards a more realistic game of football. Lets hope they stay the course.

You are just another Madden fan ohhh my bad you ran a apf2k8 site. I see more 2k fans feeling this game than others. The more I play this game the more I like this game. I am not a franchise/cpu gamer but online franchise gamer. I like the direction of this development team but it is time for a new engine.

[roadman]

Quote: Originally Posted by GTheorenHobbes

Sorry, Roadman...don't mean to pick with you. But who told you that Ian said that? It only stands to reason...if EA used to sell 5 million copies across the board, without having to pay for the very expensive exclusive licenses, and they're selling, let's say, 1 million fewer copies across the board these days, while having to pay for the licenses, then I'd say it's very much a declining profit maker, if it even makes a profit at all.

I'm not just going to run out and name drop, not my style. I will give a hint that the thread has been closed and it was towards the end of the thread.

The person was very emphatic they remembered Ian stating that.

[boom.h]

NPD Madden 10 Sales August 2009:

MADDEN NFL 10 360 ELECTRONIC ARTS Aug-09 928,000
MADDEN NFL 10 PS3 ELECTRONIC ARTS Aug-09 665,000

NPD Madden 09 Sales August 2008:

360 MADDEN NFL 09 ELECTRONIC ARTS Aug-08 1.0mm
PS3 MADDEN NFL 09 ELECTRONIC ARTS Aug-08 643K

EA deserves this. They've been terrible with the Madden series this Gen.