EA Boss Not Happy With Madden Sales....

[tooldude79]

Quote: Originally Posted by Jump

Agreed. I guarantee that 95% of Madden buyers regard it as a quality title.

no offense, but i guarantee that you have no idea what the actual percentage is...neither do I

[metallidevils]

The fact that the devs aim to please this message board and others like it is the big problem. They somehow get convinced that the meat of the game should remain the same, while spending the entire year tweaking numbers and adding in cutscenes.

They're not going to get sales back up until they start adding some gameplay gimmicks that will appeal to most people, and then some of the gimmicks will actually be good enough to keep in. But catering to this message board leads to absolutely no innovation.

I can't even remember any differences between mlb the show 08 and 09, except some slight tweaking and added cutscenes. It's not just madden.

[DubTrey1]

Quote: Originally Posted by metallidevils

The fact that the devs aim to please this message board and others like it is the big problem. They somehow get convinced that the meat of the game should remain the same, while spending the entire year tweaking numbers and adding in cutscenes. They're not going to get sales back up until they start adding some gameplay gimmicks that will appeal to most people, and then some of the gimmicks will actually be good enough to keep in. But catering to this message board leads to absolutely no innovation. I can't even remember any differences between mlb the show 08 and 09, except some slight tweaking and added cutscenes. It's not just madden.

I have to respectfully disagree with your post - I disagree because of one title - NFL2k5. What exactly was gimmicky about that game? Tons swear by it and still hold it in high regard. Furthermore, what exactly would you consider the recent hiistory of the next gen Madden as "gimmick" and not a gimmick? I think making the game "accessible" to a large audience makes more sense for EA (and all game developers in general) and is the key in moving Madden forward. I as many on this site will tell you - Madden def. does not need any gimmicks. I look at it like this: EA is looking to emulate real NFL football as seen on Sundays - late rival league, the XFL looked to throw all sorts of gimmicks into the game of football and looked how it failed...miserably.

Ultimately when it's said and done - I think Madden will eventually gain a stronger base after this years title...issues not withstanding. The latest title is the best in the franchise and appears to be on track to only expand on a solid foundation in the years to come.

[crob8822]

I read some of the replies to this thread and noticed that some of the posters are hoping that Madden sales will continue to decline so that the NFL will resind the exclusive License agreement and that the 2K series will come back.

Well first thing is first, I agree that there are issues with this game and ea does test their product but with any project, time runs out. There was a program just before the shipping of Madden 07 released showing the process, the testers play the game and write down the glitches that they discover and turn them into QA to be reviewed and then sent to the programmers, once the issue is handled then the tester receives a reply stating that the issue has been fixed and is crossed off.
As the shipping date approches some of the QA issues are not taken care of because of the time that is needed to get program downloaded to a master disc.

With everything that has come up with this years game there is just not enough time too address all of the issues, so that is why the add a patch, this game is shipped every year and too many people look forward to it.
As far as 2K series I would like to see it come back, but here is the problem
John Madden himself is so respected and recognized around the league.
NFL players speak highly about the game and they do get great reviews every year.
John Madden is now a special spokemen and has the commissioners ear.

The NFL gave madden exclusive rights because of the man himself, ea pays the nfl players association and the league itself to use it's likeness.

Madden football was recognized for years 2K football could not compete due to the name and respect the nfl has to it's favorite coach and color analyst.

The game may stink in some people opinion and there are some who think this game is awesome and are not aware of some of the issues that we see that make the game unplayable.

We can talk about 2k nfl football until we are blue in the face, but it is not in production and will not be in the forseeable future.

Only a change of heart from the NFL itself will change anything.

Madden football represents the NFL wether we like it or not period.

[DerkontheOS]

Quote: Originally Posted by splff3000

All sales are not down. Look at Batman AA, it's selling like hot cakes. I think you're right though about people being more picky. I think the differences from year to year in Madden are not great enough to warrant a purchase every year from a casual fan. Thus you have a dip in sales.

So if casual fans stop buying them the hardcore gamer, how wants a better franchise, will be the majority of the sales?

[kingzfan2000]

Quote: Originally Posted by SemperVictoria

Yep--It's become a yearly ritual. Funny thing is, smart people seem to fall for the hype every year. I seriously don’t get it.

Yep. Back in the day on the ps2 come July and August I couldnt wait for the next Madden to come out. One year (I think it was 04 or 05) I called out of work and waited outside Gamestop from like 5pm and was the first in line for the midnight release (crazy I know). I used to be crazy about madden. Ever since its hit the next gen consoles its always some last minute hype that convinces me at the last minute to give the game a shot. Back in the day I didnt need to be convinced because the game was actually good. Now every year I am like screw madden and like the week before it releases I get caught up in the hype of this finally being the year Madden turns the corner. Well I got burnt once again but I can guarantee that next year if everyone and there mother isnt raving about how great Madden 11 is and how all the issues have finally been fixed, Im definitely not buying it.

[Crimsontide27]

Lol at all the economists in this thread. Maddens sales have declined year after year since 2005.

If they had increasing sales from 2005-2009 and then somehow in 2010 post a loss in sales that would be one thing, but its not that way.

I guess November marks the economy booming due to Modern Warfare sales eh?

People are tired of Madden, plain and simple. Each year its the same game with 1 or 2 extra gimmiks and even more broken mechanics that need to be fixed. Each year things are added, and things that people liked are mysteriously taken away.

Whenever a solid title is released by any company, it will sell well...economy excuses dont apply.

[d'ultimate]

I looked up the numbers and found that Madden 2005 sold 5.8 million units and has decreased every year to 3.6 million last year. It has currently sold almost 2.3 million units so far this year so unless it sells another 1.3 mil from this point on, which I think is unlikely, this might be another yoy decline.

Even it gets to 3 million units sold this year it will be an almost 52% decline in sales from the time of the license purchase. I don't think the current recession is an explanation for that.

It seems a great many of you believe that Madden 06-09 quality was not great. Yet, some of this same group seem to think its a stretch to believe that its due to the that trend of poor quality that the game sales continue to decline and its the recession instead? Do you guys believe that this years game is that much better that, had there not been a recession, the gamers that have left it were suddenly gonna return? Isn't it far more plausible that gamers CONTINUE to be less and less enthused about Madden?