Weak Madden Sales Signaling Trouble for Game Industry

[Saijahn]

I agree with seemingly everyone else, it's not a weakening industry, it's just a stale game. It's the exact same game as last year, but franchise mode is worse, and locomotion is cool but not worth $65.

[beastwork]

too many marketing MBAs with their hands in the pot over at EA. I don't remember hearing terms like "attract the casual gamer" until the ps3/360 generation. in the past these guys just went to work on making the most realistic game possible. somewhere the madden team/management have lost sight of that.

I am the casual gamer. just bought my ps3 last year. my last system before that was the PSOne. after I beat RDR I haven't touched the PS3 (that was about 3 months ago) So as a casual gamer let me be clear, I DON'T WANT A DUMBED DOWN GAME! hear that EA lol. what if Halo went on a crusade to be more inviting to the "casual gamer"? the franchise would fold. I would go so far as to say that the true "casual" gamer didn't not buy a PS3 until those things were going for $300. Only the hardcore community was willing to pay $600 for a toy.


"Keep it simple, Stupid" EA please just make the best game you possibly can. Leave all your fancy business analytics at the door and do the best you possibly can to replicate football. Stop working on features and focus on your core product, FOOTBALL.

Weak madden sales are a function of a poor economy as well as a lackluster product.

[wsu_gb23]

I wouldn't blame this on the economy. I would blame this on a product that hasn't improved much or at all in the past 5 years. This is a good wake-up call for EA and the NFL. Bring on the competition!

[DaxSnake]

Yes Madden's sale does signal trouble, because it shows the industry as a whole is selling out trying to spend as little money possible to make crap games to get more into their pockets and its failing.

Im actually happy this is happening, In the short run these developers are making more money, but its going to hurt them in the long run and that makes me immensely happy.

I hope the Madden sales get to a point where EA wont even consider trying to pay for exclusive rights to games and someone who is actually concerned with the advancement of gameplay takes over.

[Eddie1967]

I think this is good for the consumers because EA hasn't kept up their end of the bargain when it comes to making great improvements from year to year seeing as they have the exclusive license. My hope is that they won't be able to afford those exclusive rights when the current agreement ends and this will allow other developers (2k, etc.) to get back in and give us more choices while forcing EA to step their game up.

[richierich]

Man F EA trying to charge an extra $10 for online access.

I guess I'll sell my game on Glyde or trade it back in or something.

[ryan36]

I don't think locomotion improved the gameplay as much as people hoped it would...especially since the defense doesn't seem to be programmed with it at all. Last year, I wasn't on the "build from the scratch" bandwagon this year I am.

[LIGHTNING]

I remember in 2006 people were saying Madden sales were poor because of the next generation transition. Now Madden sales are poor due to a poor economy? The Apple Iphone sales were phenomenal despite high unemployment and economic weakness. The morale of the story? If you build a product people want they will buy it even in a recession!